THREE PURCHASE SIKESTON'S STANDARD DEMOCRAT NEWSPAPER

SIKESTON -- The Standard Democrat, Sikeston's daily newspaper, has been sold.

Michael Jensen and Don Culbertson, both of Sikeston, and Gary Rust of Cape Girardeau have purchased the six-day-a-week operation from American Publishing Co.

Jensen has served as publisher of the Standard Democrat since 1989, and Culbertson is the former general manager of the paper. Rust is president of Rust Communications of Cape Girardeau.

"Today marks an important beginning in the history of this newspaper as we return it to local ownership," said Jensen. "Our goal is to provide the best newspaper value for our readers and advertisers and to be an important ingredient to the growth of Sikeston and Southeast Missouri."

The 8,000-circulation afternoon newspaper is published every day but Saturday.

"Building circulation will be a top priority," said Jensen.

The Sikeston Standard was founded in 1911 by the Naeter family of Cape Girardeau. The Naeter brothers also founded the Southeast Missourian in 1904.

The new Sikeston publication replaced two earlier newspapers published in the late 1800s. Just two years later, the Blanton family purchased the newspaper and began an era that would span nearly 70 years.

The Sikeston Standard was a weekly and then bi-weekly before it became a daily newspaper in the summer of 1947.

In 1981, the newspaper was sold to Thomson Newspaper Corp., which is based in Canada. In 1989, the Standard merged with the Democrat Advertiser to form the Standard Democrat. In 1995, American Publishing Co. purchased the Standard Democrat and 11 other daily newspaper from Thomson Newspaper Corp.

"It was exactly 15 years ago that the Standard ended seven decades of local ownership, and we hope today's announcement is met with enthusiasm and pride," said Jensen Monday. "We believe a local newspaper should be a reflection of the community it serves. This substantial investment is an indication of the faith we have in the Sikeston area."

The three new owners have a long history in Southeast Missouri newspapers.

Rust, a native of Cape Girardeau, is a 30-year veteran of the newspaper industry and a former state representative in the Missouri General Assembly. He began his newspaper career in 1967 with one weekly newspaper in Cape Girardeau, the Bulletin-Journal.

Rust Communications currently has daily newspapers in Cape Girardeau, Dexter, Poplar Bluff, Kennett and Blytheville, Ark. Rust Communications also publishes 12 weekly newspapers in Missouri, Tennessee and Arkansas.

Jensen, a native of Sikeston, began his newspaper career at the Daily Standard in 1970. In 1976, he founded and served as publisher of the Democrat Advertiser, a free tri-weekly newspaper in Sikeston. When the Democrat Advertiser and Daily Standard merged in September 1989, Jensen was named publisher and has served in that capacity ever since.

Culbertson, a native of Sikeston, has been active in the newspaper industry for nearly 20 years. He is the former advertising manager and general manager of both the Democrat Advertiser and the Standard Democrat. He is currently involved with Rust Communications in the development of new projects in Tennessee, Arkansas and Southeast Missouri.

A new computerized newsroom will be installed immediately at the Standard Democrat, according to the new owners. New features and services will be announced in the near future.