Sequim-based Olympic View Publishing Company announced Nov. 1 the sale of the company to Sound Publishing, a community newspaper group based in Poulsbo, Wash.

OVP has been owned and operated by local resident Brown M. Maloney for over 23 years. The company produces two Clallam County newspapers, the Sequim Gazette and the Forks Forum. In addition, they also produce two real estate magazines, Olympic Peninsula Homes-Land Magazines based on the North Olympic Peninsula and Islander Homes-Land Magazine with distribution on Island and San Juan counties.

Sound Publishing is owned by Victoria B.C. based Black Press. They are the largest community newspaper group in Washington State with 46 titles and 732,700 circulation. In Snohomish County, Sound Publishing owns The Arlington Times and The Marysville Globe. The company publishes high quality newspapers and is the recipient of many statewide and national awards.

“We are thrilled with the purchase of the Sequim Gazette,” said Black Press CEO David Black. “We have been publishing community newspapers for 22 years in Washington State and see this as an opportunity to expand our operations to the North Olympic Peninsula which is a good geographical fit with our other newspapers and website titles. The Gazette is one of the best newspapers the state in terms of quality. We are proud to be the new stewards of the business.”

Said Maloney, “It is with mixed emotions that I reflect upon selling my company, but there is a sense of pride in what my staff has achieved over the past two decades. I am pleased to see Olympic View Publishing pass into the hands of Sound Publishing who are as passionate about newspapers and as committed to community journalism as I have been since 1988.”

The new owners have announced that publisher Sue Ellen Riesau will remain in her role overseeing the operations of the company.

“I have been with Brown for almost his entire 23 years here, and of course, I am sad to see the end of an era”, said Riesau. “At the same time however, I have known and worked with Sound Publishing almost as long. They are a solid newspaper company with a great track record and passion for community newspapers. I look forward to the future.”

Maloney also owns ABC affiliate KONP, an AM/FM Radio station in Port Angeles. KONP Radio is a separate company and is not part of this transaction. Maloney will continue to own and operate the station with Todd Ortloff, who is a minority partner in the business.