Belleville News-Democrat
Acquired Subsidiary
Belleville News-Democrat is a McClatchy-owned local news publisher covering the Metro-East region of southwestern Illinois.
Founded
1858Belleville News-Democrat is a McClatchy-owned local news publisher covering the Metro-East region of southwestern Illinois.
Belleville News-Democrat operates as an acquired subsidiary of The McClatchy Company following McClatchy's 2006 purchase of Knight Ridder. The publication maintains its own brand, website, mobile apps, and print edition while participating in the McClatchy Media Network.
In 2020 McClatchy filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and transitioned to private ownership under Chatham Asset Management; the News-Democrat continued publishing throughout the restructuring and remains active in print and digital channels.
The Belleville News-Democrat serves a diverse, St. Louis-adjacent market in southwestern Illinois, including Belleville, Fairview Heights, East St. Louis, and surrounding communities.
Demand for hyperlocal reporting on public safety, education, local government, and high-school sports remains steady, supported by digital subscriptions and a twice-weekly print edition.
Belleville News-Democrat brings more than 165 years of continuous local-news presence in southwestern Illinois, building deep sourcing and reader trust in the Metro-East market. Its newsroom has produced award-winning investigative series, including the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award-winning "Lethal Lapses" investigation, and it has repeatedly grown paid circulation while many regional peers declined.
As part of the McClatchy Media Network, the publication benefits from shared technology, advertising infrastructure, and digital subscriptions, while retaining a locally focused editorial voice and community publications such as the Highland News Leader and O'Fallon Progress.