NASHVILLE, TN — FW Publishing LLC is acquiring “hyper-local” online news publishing company Home Page Media Group, which operates online news sites including the Brentwood Home Page, Franklin Home Page, Spring Hill Home Page, Nolensville Home Page and Business Williamson.
“Jimmy Webb and I are thrilled to purchase Home Page Media, which has been a pioneer in the expansion of intensely local news, business and sports coverage,” said Bill Freeman, who with longtime partner Jimmy Webb created FW Publishing LLC. “It is important to us and, we think, to Middle Tennessee that locally owned and operated news media are given the opportunity to grow and thrive. We look forward to ensuring a steady future of excellent media coverage under our ownership.”
In May, Freeman and Webb acquired the news, entertainment and cultural weekly Nashville Scene; the Nashville Post, which publishes a quarterly business magazine, twice daily email newsletters and a continually updated online news site; and Nfocus, a monthly magazine that covers Middle Tennessee’s active, and fun, philanthropic society.
“We are excited about adding the Home Page websites, newsletters and their active readership to FW Publishing,” said Frank Daniels III, president of FWP. “Kelly Gilfillan has been an innovator and advocate for local online news and sports coverage, and we welcome her energy and entrepreneurism. We are also excited to have Home Page editor Mark Cook join our team. Both Kelly and Mark bring deep knowledge of Williamson County to our growing company.”
“Nashville and Williamson County are entwined as the economic engines of Middle Tennessee and it is exciting to be engaged in the communities, businesses and people that are making this area the best place in the country to live and work,” Daniels said.
“We have significantly grown our coverage of Williamson County communities and businesses during the past eight years, and now is the right time to partner with a locally owned and engaged media company to take that growth to the next step,” Gilfillan said. “We are especially excited about the possibilities that this partnership brings to covering business news in Williamson County.”
The staff of Home Page Media is joining FWP and will continue in their positions. Terms of the acquisition are not being disclosed.
FW Publishing LLC publishes the Nashville Scene, the Nashville Post and Nfocus magazine. It also operates an events management company.
Freeman Webb Company is the largest owner/manager of apartments in Tennessee. Freeman Webb is also one of the largest in the Southeast, with over 16,000 apartment units and 1 million square feet of office space in Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri, Georgia and Mississippi. The Institute of Real Estate Management named them the 2017 National Property Management Company of the Year, along with many other local and regional accolades. The owners of Freeman Webb Company acquired the Nashville Scene, Nfocus and the Nashville Post in May 2018, their first venture into the publishing industry.
