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Gannett Buys College Paper

Gannett’s Tallahassee Democrat has bought The FSView & Florida Flambeau, a student-run newspaper at Florida State University.

It is the first time a major newspaper chain has bought a college newspaper, The New York Times reports. Students will be exposed to training, career opportunities and professionalism, and The Democrat will have the opportunity to expand its readership to a younger community. The FSView appears twice a week during the academic year and once a week in the summer, when its circulation drops to 18,000 from 25,000.

It is unusual that a college newspaper has independence from a university, which usually funds campus publications.  The purchase may stimulate interest among other universities for corporate sponsorship. Robert Parker, the former publisher and owner of The FSView, said that his decision to sell the paper was influenced by the uncertain times for print media. “The paper will always be here,” he said, “but this will ensure its long-term growth and success.”