Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Historical Society In 1872, Isaac T. Brown co-founded a weekly newspaper called the Columbus Republican, forerunner to today’s Republic.
One hundred fifty years ago, the Brown family of Columbus started a weekly newspaper that would grow into a media company with a journalism footprint across Indiana. Five generations of the Brown family had been involved in newspaper ownership.
What is now The Republic began as a weekly, The Republican, in 1872 when it was founded by Isaac T. Brown. That was the genesis of the newspaper’s mission to serve its community, which states in part: “We shall endeavor to make our paper the champion of the people of Bartholomew County and we shall advocate, irrespective of political considerations, all measures that have for their object the good of the community.”
Jeffrey N. Brown and his father, Robert N. Brown, turned a small, central Indiana newspaper, into a corporate entity publishing newspapers in several other Indiana communities, expanding its commercial printing operations, developing magazine and specialty publications and creating a robust online and digital presence.
In November 2015, the Brown family sold its newspapers, online and commercial printing properties to a company that owns community newspapers in Texas.
The new owner is AIM Media Indiana LLC, an affiliate of AIM Media Texas LLC. Both companies are managed by AIM Media Management of Dallas, where Jeremy L. Halbreich serves as chairman and chief executive officer and Rick Starks is president and chief operating officer.
“It is our goal and strongest desire to continue this community service, and we look forward to providing the guidance and direction necessary for these publications to engage their local audiences and set the civic agenda and discourse in both online and print for the communities they serve,” Halbreich said. “These are important, impactful and attractive businesses located in an extraordinary and unique group of towns in southern Indiana.”
AIM Media Indiana
AIM Media Indiana publishes six newspapers in medium and small markets with a combined circulation of nearly 55,000. It also publishes magazines, free newspapers and shoppers, along with operating a commercial printing company.
“We are the leading information source in our communities. Through our demonstrated integrity and our dedicated and comprehensive approach to balanced and credible journalism, we earn the trust and support of local readers, viewers, businesses and advertisers.”
