Tampa newspaper titans join forces

TAMPA — Florida's largest newspaper got even larger this week.

Tampa Bay Times Chairman and CEO Paul Tash announced Tuesday that the newspaper has purchased the Tampa Tribune. In the post, he says the continued competition threatened both papers.

The purpose of the purchase is to create “one financially secure, locally owned daily newspaper,” the statement says. As part of the acquisition, at least 100 of the Tribune's 265 staff members are likely to be let go. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The purchase places the Times among the 10 largest daily newspapers in the country, the post says. The Times already had exclusive marketing agreements with the Tampa Bay Rays and Tampa Bay Lightning, and with the purchase, it picks up the Tribune's advertising agreement with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.