Pitzer Digital Acquires Stanton Register Newspaper

The Stanton Register is under new ownership as of May 7, continuing its more than 140 years of publication. While it had been announced that the newspaper would be closing, a company with both local ties and a newspaper background will keep the newspaper running and provide local news content, public notices and advertisements for Stanton County.

Pitzer Digital LLC, owned by Carrie and Wade Pitzer, will acquire Stanton County’s official newspaper from Dani and Brian Hadcock on Thursday. The Pitzer family resided south of Stanton from 2000-2005 and were members of the Stanton United Methodist Church. Carrie Pitzer, who earned her journalism degree from Midland Lutheran College, spent 15 years at the Norfolk Daily News before launching Pitzer Digital, which is based in Neligh. The company also owns two other newspapers, the Antelope County News, which includes the Neligh News & Leader, Orchard News and Clearwater Record-Ewing News, and Knox County News, which includes the Bloomfield Monitor and Creighton News.

“The Stanton community has remained dear to us because this was our first family home and where our oldest daughter was born and baptized,” Carrie Pitzer said. “Acquiring the Stanton Register isn’t about owning another newspaper. It’s about saving a newspaper in a community that helped build the foundation for our family.”

For now, the Stanton Register will still be located at 907 Ivy Street with the same phone number and email and mailing addresses. Kelly Marbach will continue working for the newspaper. Carrie Pitzer will serve as publisher of the Stanton Register while Wade Pitzer will handle the printing — from the actual newspaper to the commercial printing. Pitzer Digital is one of the larger commercial printers in the area, which, hopefully, will help support keeping a local newspaper in Stanton.

“Businesses and individuals still need these items, so printing locally through the Stanton Register is a fantastic way to support our efforts to keep this newspaper going,” Pitzer said. “Banners, flyers, envelopes, brochures, business cards, carbonless copies. These are all items we can print locally for you, and you can know it is helping your local newspaper provide content. It’s win-win.”

Pitzer said she understands both the immense costs involved with running a newspaper and the need for a local news source in a community. The COVID-19 situation has been detrimental to the Stanton Register’s advertising base — especially with the school and sports closures — during a time when local news is most important to the community. By printing the paper on their press, Pitzer said a significant portion of the printing costs will be eliminated. The Stanton Register will still be mailed from the Stanton Post Office, keeping those local postage dollars in Stanton.

As for changes with the paper, Pitzer said the Stanton Register will be updating its website and using social media more with Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The newspaper will continue to be printed in black and white with hopes of moving to color in the future, depending on advertising support.

“I very much would like to have a color front page and sports page by the time the fall season starts,” Pitzer said. “That will depend on both advertising and commercial printing. Our goal is to be in color, but it’s going to take a lot of time, patience and support. I can’t promise color pages, but I really hope we can make that change in the near future.”