Rupert Murdoch Buys The Brooklyn Paper

The Observer has learned that the 31-year-old independent newspaper, The Brooklyn Paper, has been purchased by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation.

The Brooklyn Paper's editor (and onetime Observer profile subject) Gersh Kuntzman and its publisher Celia Weintrob confirmed the news.

"We're very excited," said Mr. Kuntzman in an interview.

He said that he has not yet spoken to Mr. Murdoch, but he has had conversations with people from News Corp.

"They don’t want the product to change," said Mr. Kuntzman. "And they love the product. And the product is fantastic."

Ms. Weintrob said an official statement would be released on Friday.

In 2006, Mr. Murdoch purchased a rival chain of papers, The Courier-Life chain, which publishes 12 papers in Brooklyn. Last year, when Gawker speculated that the Paper was in financial trouble, Mr. Kuntzman was dismissive of that report—and of Mr. Murdoch's chain of papers.

"The Brooklyn Paper, which just won 'Newspaper of the Year' from a major national trade group, is certainly not going out of business," he told Gothamist. "Brooklyn needs us too much right now, what with local papers being snapped up by billionaire moguls who have no interest in local news except maximizing classified ad sales. Has Rupert Murdoch even BEEN to Brooklyn? His reporters don't know the territory, either."

We'll have more as it comes in.