Multifamily real estate firm Freeman Webb Co. has entered the publishing business by buying the Nashville Post, the Nashville Scene and Nfocus.
The Nashville Post made the announcement Friday after the deal with previous owner SouthComm, a holding company, closed. The sales price was not disclosed.
SouthComm put the publications up for sale after a period of layoffs and other cutbacks, The Tennessean said. A month ago New York-based
This purchase, first reported by the Nashville Post, comes a month CapStack Partners was negotiating to buy the publications.
Former mayoral candidate Bill Freeman and business partner Jimmy Webb own the real estate company that has more than 450 workers. The media acquisition will add 35 more. The publications’ leadership team, with Publisher Amy Mularski and CFO Todd Patton, will stay, as will the editors of the Post, Scene and Nfocus.
Freeman finished third in the 2015 election for Mayor of Nashville behind David Fox and eventual winner Megan Barry but decided not to run in May’s special election.
“Jimmy Webb and I are thrilled to purchase the Post, the Nashville Scene and Nfocus, which are all publications that we’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading over the years,” said Freeman. “It is important to us and to the Nashville community to maintain local ownership of these vital publications. We look forward to ensuring a steady future of excellent media coverage under our ownership.”
The new owners do not plan to overhaul the publications’ “editorial directions,” Webb said.
“The Post will continue to deliver business, political and sports news and commentary, while the Scene will still focus on the city’s government, music, food and arts, and Nfocus will provide social, lifestyle and philanthropic coverage,” Webb said.
SouthComm had owned the Post since late 2007 and acquired the Scene and Nfocus in September 2009. The Nashville-based holding company amassed a group of local publications across the Southeast and nearby regions but has sold off most of those titles. The majority of its holdings are niche business-to-business publications.
Freeman Webb Co. is the largest private owner/manager of apartments across Tennessee. It posted 2017 revenues of $172 million. It has expanded its portfolio to more than 16,000 apartment units and 1 million square feet of office space.
Donna: Kay West gave an accurate review of a Pargo’s once.
Has any completely accurate story/commentary (same) ever been published by those things? I ask this seriously.
JC: Cari has written so little of consequence that I would have to check her Twitter.
Freeman complained in the piece I mentioned about state Dems abandoning “Grundy County” Dems or more conservative ostensible Blue Dogs. You know. The kind the Scene would hang from the neck til dead.
He says this as an OFA / Organizing For America arch-liberal giving his play by play from the Hillary watch party in NYC on election night.
Worth mentioning if only for the fact that anything the Scene says from here on out that should be stapled to his forehead when he runs again. Every column is his opinion. He isn’t just the bank roller.
He is the de facto editor of the smears, slander and libel that is their stock and trade.
Hey McMurphy you forgot Cari Gervin of Nashville Scene/Post who wrote on her Twitter May 21st ‘God this state is so racist and dumb.’ She will probably be Freeman Webb Company employee of the year.
Exactly. It was so funny. I read a 2016 interview that Freeman had with the Scene where he talked about being a Ned McWherter Democrat. Ned Ray this. Ned Ray that.
The Scene makes Hugo Chavez look like Pinochet. Freeman said he has no designs on changing the current format so Bruce Barry can continue his smear campaign without attribution as Meggy Moo’s cuck, shadow editor Cavendish can call Swain an islamophobic, Christo-phile nutjob, Betsy Phillips can feel safe in her role as Arbiter of Nashville’s Racist Past and Present (while somehow never acknowledging that Nashville is a Democrat only run city), and Hale never found a murderer who he didn’t want to carry his baby to term in his colon.
Now, here’s some multimillion dollar Belle Meade and Forest Hills homes, downtown condos or other properties developed by Freeman and some fancy food reviews. Viva La Revolucion.
Having a media outlet in your back pocket is a great strategy for running or launching a political campaign! We already know that Freeman is willing to throw millions at a run for Mayor of Nashville. Once his son Bob’s race for Beth Harwell’s seat in the State House is secured, Bill will likely organize to go for Mayor. Poor little David! And won’t the Scene and Post be perfect megaphones.
I am convinced that these stellar publications will now be apolitical and espouse traditional American values . – Sarcasm.