In a seismic shift on Long Island’s East End, Ron Perelman-owned weekly The Independent will end its print edition after a 27-year run and merge with Dan’s Papers, Media Ink has learned.
The new company will be called Dan’s Independent Media.
Under the deal, Dan’s Papers will continue to publish its usual assortment of iconic feature stories, which have been a staple on the East End since Dan Rattiner started the paper, originally known as the Montauk Pioneer, in 1960. The Independent will continue to post news online at indyeastend.com.
Staff was informed of the change on Tuesday. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Richard Burns, the owner of Dan’s Papers, will be the chairman of the board. Perelman will be vice chairman, but represented on the board by Josh Vlasto, a former chief of staff of Gov. Cuomo.
“There are great synergies between the companies,” said Burns, “and this combination allows Dan’s to join with a first-rate news franchise as well as terrific people and clients at The Independent.”
Most publications on the East End are supported by ads from local real estate, restaurants, clubs and retail outlets, which have been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. But Burns says talks between him and Perlman started back in February, before the coronavirus ravaged the country.
Perlman bought the paper in 2017 from advertising legend Jerry Della Femina, who had started the paper with his daughter and several others in 1993 before taking over full ownership. Initially it was known as the East Hampton Independent, and for awhile began expanding with separate editions in other East End hamlets and to the North Fork, before scaling back and reflagging as The Independent.