Local weeklies, Mendota and Amboy Newspapers, have halted their publications.
Local Newspapers The Amboy News and The Mendota Reporter Cease Operations
In a significant blow to local news in the area, two long-standing publications, The Amboy News and The Mendota Reporter, have ceased operations as of Wednesday afternoon. Both weekly newspapers, which have a rich history dating back to 1854 and 1878 respectively, were published by News Media Corporation.
The Amboy News, established in 1854, and The Mendota Reporter, in service since 1878, have been a staple for local news in their respective communities. However, due to financial challenges, significant economic downturns in the industry, revenue losses, increasing expenses, and a failed attempt to sell the company as a going concern, News Media Corporation, their publisher, was forced to shut down operations.
News Media Corporation, a family-owned newspaper company based in Rochelle, Illinois, served smaller cities and towns in five states, including Illinois, with these newspapers. The closure of these eight northern Illinois newspapers, including The Amboy News and The Mendota Reporter, has left these communities without a local news source after August 6, 2025.
The CEO of News Media Corporation, JJ Tompkins, informed employees of the closure via email on August 6, 2025, stating that their employment ended immediately along with health care coverage, signalling the sudden closure of the company.
As a result of this closure, the local communities are left with fewer options for news, making it crucial for alternative news sources to step up and fill the gap left by the departure of these two venerable newspapers.
[1] https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-illinois-newspapers-shut-down-20210806-74d44h256fb777h75637f5n3q-story.html [3] https://www.poynter.org/news/midwest-newspaper-chain-news-media-corp-shuts-down-8-papers-including-the-amboy-news-and-the-mendota-reporter [5] https://www.chicago.suntimes.com/news/2021/8/6/22610913/illinois-newspapers-shut-down-news-media-corporation-amboy-news-mendota-reporter-cease-operations
The cessation of operations for The Amboy News and The Mendota Reporter, staples for local news since 1854 and 1878 respectively, has left a void in general-news coverage within their communities. Stepping forward to fill this gap are alternative news sources, as the closure of these publications, part of News Media Corporation, has narrowed the news options available for local communities.
