Newspaper news

Houston Chronicle owner Hearst acquires Austin newspaper

Newspapers, Hearst, Gannett, Austin American-Statesman

Hearst is building a newspaper empire in Texas.

Photo by Jon S

The Austin American-Statesman is changing hands again. Hearst, which owns the San Antonio Express-News and Houston Chronicle, has agreed to buy the Statesman from media company Gannett. The sale price wasn’t disclosed.

In addition to the Statesman, the deal would include the Bastrop Advertiser, Lake Travis View, Pflugerville Pflag, and Round Rock Leader, according to the Statesman. Websites such as Austin360 and Hookem.com are also part of the sale.

“This acquisition complements Hearst's set of newspapers and reinforces our commitment to delivering high-quality journalism,” Jeff Johnson, president of Hearst’s newspaper division, says in a news release. “It aligns with our strategy to invest in thriving communities with strong potential. We look forward to welcoming the Austin American-Statesman team to Hearst, joining 2,300 committed Hearst [newspaper] professionals across the country.”

The deal, which is expected to be completed by March 31, comes seven years after longtime owner Cox Enterprises sold the Statesman to Gatehouse Media for $47.5 million. Gannett acquired the Statesman when it merged with Gatehouse in a 2019 deal valued at $1.4 billion.

The purchase of the Statesman and other Austin-area publications boosts Hearst’s holdings in Texas. Aside from the Express-News and Chronicle, Hearst owns the Beaumont Enterprise, Laredo Morning Times, Midland Reporter-Telegram, and Plainview Herald. The company also owns Austin Monthly and Austin Home magazines, the Austin Daily digital newsletter, and San Antonio Magazine.

“Hearst has a stellar reputation in the publishing industry and their values are uniquely aligned with ours,” says Gannett Chairman and CEO Mike Reed. “The sale of the Austin American-Statesman is a strategic decision that will complement their brand while positioning Gannett and the USA Today [network] of more than 200 local publications for future growth. We are confident Hearst will be a great home for our Statesman colleagues.”

Hearst publishes 26 daily and 52 weekly newspapers in the U.S., and more than 200 magazines around the world.

As with many newspapers, the Statesman’s circulation has dwindled in recent years. The combined print and digital circulation fell from 79,545 in 2022 to 70,733 in 2023, according to the Express-News.

It’s unclear how Hearst’s ownership would affect the Statesman workforce. Newsroom employees at the Statesman unionized in 2021, according to the Express-News. The newspaper’s editorial staff dropped from 200 employees in 2013 to 41 in 2023, the NewsGuild-Communications Workers of America says.

gannett hearst statesman media

The Hot List

Houston shines among best summer vacation destinations for 2026

Photo by © Debora Smail Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau

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Nearly three quarters of Americans are planning on going on vacation this summer, and Houston is climbing up the national hot list of the best summer destinations of 2026.

The Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro ranked as the No. 20 best summer travel destination in WalletHub's annual study, which compared 100 of the largest U.S. metro areas across 41 metrics based on travel costs and hassles, local costs, attractions, weather, and activities and safety.

The U.S. metros that scored the top three spots are Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, Georgia (No. 1); Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida (No. 2); and Texas neighbor Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos (No. 3).

Houston's 2026 ranking is up 15 spots from last year's report when the city was the 35th best summer travel destination.

Here's how H-Town stacked up in the six main categories:

No. 7 – Attractions
No. 13 – Local costs
No. 24 – Activities
No. 50 – Weather
No. 84 – Travel costs and hassles
No. 90 – Safety

Summer activities may draw in more tourists, but that shouldn't stop Houstonians from exploring their own city. From Fourth of July celebrations, to a one-night only hip-hop show , there are plenty of things to do to keep occupied and beat the summer heat in the city. And a trip to the Johnson Space Center, Houston Museum of Natural Science, or the Houston Zoo are always options for locals that want to pretend to be tourists for the day.

Other top Texas summer travel destinations
The Austin metro ranked as the third-best summer travel destination in the U.S., and it's the most conveniently located neighbor from Houston that's less than three hours away.

The study found air travel to Austin — though not entirely cheap — has plenty of short nonstop flights from other major cities, making it an easily reachable destination compared to most other U.S. cities. Austin's reputation as foodie city and its outdoor recreational activities also bring in a lot of summer tourism.

"One reason why Austin is a great destination is that it’s really easy to find affordable restaurants that are rated at least 4.5 stars out of 5 on Yelp," the report's author wrote. "Austin offers a mix of culture and outdoor fun, boasting a high number of attractions including the Bullock Texas State History Museum as well as shopping centers, music venues, food festivals and hiking trails."

The suburbs also attract tourists looking for fun things to do that aren't just in central or downtown Austin, like checking out new restaurants in Round Rock and Georgetown.

Visitors taking an extended trip to Texas can also visit San Antonio-New Braunfels and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, which also ranked among the top 25 and landed in the No. 11 and No. 21 spots, respectively.

The top 10 best summer travel destinations in 2026 are:

No. 1 – Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, Georgia
No. 2 – Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida
No. 3 – Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, Texas
No. 4 – Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-Virginia-Maryland-West Virginia
No. 5 – Urban Honolulu, Hawaii
No. 6 – Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida
No. 7 – Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Delaware-Maryland
No. 8 – Salt Lake City, Utah
No. 9 – Cincinnati, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana
No. 10 – Richmond, Virginia

wallethub reports summer vacation travel