Media & Entertainment Acquisitions in Missouri

CherryRoad Media has acquired The Carrollton Democrat from Main Street Media (MSM). The deal, which closed January 28, 2026, expands CherryRoad's community newspaper footprint in Missouri and transfers ownership from long-time owner Frank Mercer to CherryRoad Media (a subsidiary of CherryRoad Technologies).

Hoffmann Family of Companies, through its Hoffmann Media Group unit, has acquired Missourian Publishing Co., owner of The Missourian newspaper, its printing operations, real estate and digital platform. The seller is the Miller family; Hoffmann plans to modernize digital assets, upgrade printing facilities, and integrate the title into its existing media portfolio to preserve local journalism and expand regional printing and digital capabilities.

ACT Entertainment, a BASE Equity Partners portfolio company, has acquired Spitfire Creative Technologies and Ambersphere Solutions as part of an acquisitive growth strategy. Comvest Credit Partners provided a $117 million senior secured credit facility to refinance existing debt and support these acquisitions.

Saltwater has acquired Quillt Media, the St. Louis-based digital publishing group behind brands including Suggest.com, TravelAwaits.com, and SeniorsMatter.com. The purchase is intended to form a platform in the content-to-commerce media space as Saltwater looks to scale purpose-driven, profitable media businesses.

Time Inc. acquired Missouri-based FanSided, a network of more than 300 fan-focused sports, entertainment and lifestyle websites that reached roughly 15 million unique visitors per month. Founders Adam and Zach Best (and partner Matt Blake) will join Time Inc. to run FanSided as part of the Sports Illustrated Group; terms were not disclosed.

Trinity Hunt Partners has made an initial platform investment in ShowPlex Cinemas, a newly formed exhibitor that operates 10 first-run theatre locations (81 screens), to support ShowPlex's acquisition of certain assets of Dickinson Theatres, Inc. Trinity Hunt will back ShowPlex as it updates theatres, expands screens and installs additional digital projection capabilities; Dickinson's CFO Al Lane will become ShowPlex's CEO.