2 Longtime East End Newspapers Join Forces

EAST END, NY — Two longtime East End news organizations are joining forces.

According to a release Thursday, Dan's Papers and The Independent announced that they are joining forces to form a new company called Dan's Independent Media.

Dan's Independent Media will bring together Dan's Papers — "the iconic multi-platform news, entertainment, events and digital media company —with The Independent," the release said.

The new combined company's newspaper will be publishing weekly, effective immediately, in the Dan's Papers format, incorporating The Independent's news and special content and featuring a range of digital and social content, the release said.

"We started our conversations at the turn of the year, well before the COVID-19 lockdown, knowing that if we came together, we could become a true omni-channel media powerhouse," said Richard Burns, Dan's Independent Media chairman. "There are great synergies between the companies, and this combination allows Dan's to join with a first-rate news franchise, as well as terrific people and clients at The Independent. Ultimately, this merger of forces will serve our readers and our customers extremely well."

Dan's Papers was founded by Dan Rattiner out of Montauk in 1960 as a summer-only weekly newspaper and was purchased by Manhattan Media 10 years ago. The Independent, born 27 years ago, was purchased by Ronald O. Perelman in 2017.

"I am so proud of what we have accomplished at The Independent," Perelman said. "I am looking forward to working with Dan's to continue to expand our reach and serve our community."

Financial details of the transaction are not being disclosed.

When asked about the future of the Traveler-Watchman name — the North Fork publication was acquired by The Independent in 2005 and there has been a Traveler-Watchman section in the print publication ever since— no response was immediately provided.