Times Media Group (Arizona)

Times Media Group is the largest family of free publications in the state of Arizona. Publications include: 85085 Magazine, 85086 Magazine, Ahwatukee Foothills News, College Times Magazine, The Entertainer! Magazine, East Valley Tribune, Gilbert Sun News, Lovin' Life After 50, Nearby News, North Valley Magazine, SanTan Sun News, Scottsdale Airpark News and West Valley View. TMG also owns and operates AZ Integrated Media, a media distribution and custom publishing company, and runs the website Phoenix.org.

Times Media Group was founded by Arizona publisher Steve Strickbine, and has its headquarters at 1620 W Fountainhead Pkwy, Tempe, AZ 85282.

The Valley Times

In 2004, Strickbine launched Times Publications, an award-winning monthly circulation family of features and publications based in Tempe, and the highest-circulated family of free-distribution feature publications in the state of Arizona.^[1]

Three monthly editions of the paper are circulated in communities including: North Phoenix, Northeast Phoenix, and the East Valley, which are directly distributed to 45,000 homes.^[2] In 2013, Times Publications was renamed The Valley Times.

Since its inception the publication has been honored with several Arizona Press Club and Arizona Newspapers Association awards for journalistic excellence, feature writing, investigative journalism, business reporting and general excellence.^[3] In 2010, Times executive editor Shanna Hogan, was named Journalist of the Year by the Arizona Press Club.^[4]

Other publications

In 2009, Times Media Group acquired the publication Lovin' Life After 50, a senior active adult publication since 1979.^[5] The publication hosts annual expos that cater to the Arizona senior market.^[6]

In 2010, the Group acquired Scottsdale Airpark News, a business-to-business publication begun in 1980.^[7] The publication is an award-winning magazine, with a circulation of 25,000 copies available at more than 1,000 locations throughout the Scottdale Airport area.^[8]

In 2011, the group acquired Nearby News Publications, a trio of direct-mailed publications based in east Phoenix metro area. Nearby News consists of The Groves Report, The View and The North Gilbert Breeze^[9]

In 2012, the group acquired AZ Integrated Media and its flagship publication College Times Magazine, a publication targeting 15- to 34-year-old young adults. The weekly entertainment magazine is published 24 times a year and distributed at 1,200 strategically chosen locations in and near Phoenix, and enjoys more than 130,000 readers.^[10] With the acquisition of AZ Integrated Media, Times Media Group became the largest distribution company of free media in Arizona, publishing numerous specialty and custom-published products, including the College Bowl Guide, the Spring Training Guide and the College Transfer Guide.^[11]

In 2013, the group acquired SanTan Sun News, a free newspaper published twice a month in southern Chandler, Arizona and Gilbert, Arizona, with a circulation of over 32,000.^[12] It was formerly known as Ocotillo News, but changed its name in 2005.

In late January 2016, the group acquired East Valley Tribune and Ahwatukee Foothills News from 10/13 Communications and immediately assumed day-to-day operations; 10/13's other Arizona community newspapers were not included in the sale.^[13]

On July 13, 2017, Times Media Group acquired West Valley View^[14], a free weekly newspaper that covers the West Valley cities and towns of Avondale, Buckeye, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Tolleson and Tonopah. It has a controlled circulation of 75,000+ and is published every Wednesday.

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