Orlando Weekly has a new parent company.
Texas-based Chava Communications this week acquired the Weekly along with the independent publications Cleveland Scene, San Antonio Current and Creative Loafing Tampa from Cleveland’s Euclid Media Group. The deal also included Local Culture, a full-service marketing agency.
Chava Communications founders Michael Wagner and Cassandra Yardeni Wagner, a husband-and-wife team, have a combined 35 years of experience in the media and marketing industries. They previously helped lead Euclid Media, serving as that company’s chief operating officer and vice president of marketing, respectively.
The transition is expected to be seamless, creating no disruption to regular publication schedules, according to Chava Communications officials. Orlando Weekly‘s readers, advertisers and partners can expect the publication to continue producing high-quality content and delivering it with journalistic integrity and a commitment to Central Florida.
Courtesy photo, Chava Communications
Michael Wagner and Cassandra Yardeni Wagner founded Chava Communications.
By incorporating the award-winning Orlando Weekly and other decorated publications into its media portfolio, Chava Communications aims to foster a strong connection with diverse audiences and amplify voices that matter, the owners said.
“I believe in the significance of our work, which is why we’ve made this a family business,” CEO Michael Wagner said in a statement. “We see a path to growth and sustainability by doubling down on areas in which we’ve been successful. By welcoming Orlando Weekly, Cleveland Scene,Creative Loafing Tampa and the San Antonio Current into the fam, we’re affirming our commitment to continuing the legacy of excellence they have established.”
The Chava Communications team will evolve and improve the media outlets while continuing a model of viability for local independent journalism — an industry roiled by technological changes during the 2010s and the economic hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Chava” is pronounced HA-va (or KHAH-vah). The company is named for Yardeni Wagner’s grandmother, who had, among other qualities, plenty of chutzpah.
“It has been a privilege to work alongside our talented and passionate team for years, and now we have the honor of embarking on this new adventure together,” Chief Marketing Officer Cassandra Yardeni Wagner said in a statement. “We will lead with curiosity and transparency, intention and integrity. It’s been a longstanding tenet of ours to never take our audience for granted, and that will continue to guide our work.”
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