Premier Media Group, recently formed by Spoon and Stovall, will purchase Menifee 24/7 from Clear Digital Media, Inc. and its owner, Steve Johnson. The website was created by Johnson in 2004 and, under the leadership of Johnson and sales and marketing manager Tina Walker, has become a leading news source for all things Menifee.
That will remain the website's primary objective, said Spoon, a 35-year veteran journalist who was named Editor of Menifee 24/7 in September.
"It has been my extreme pleasure to get to know the people of Menifee and to serve them as a contributing writer and later editor of Menifee 24/7," Spoon said. "I have loved every minute of the 14 months I've lived here. I have found Menifee to be a vibrant community with a wonderful, diverse population and a cherished legacy.
"There's a lot going on here, from the senior community in the Sun City core area to our city officials, from the many new young families here to our dedicated business owners and community servants. The people of Menifee have a story to tell, and we will continue to tell it to the best of our ability."
Spoon will continue to serve as editor of the website along with his responsibilities as co-owner of the site. Stovall will serve as co-owner with a focus on advertising sales and marketing.
"It has been a true blessing to work for Menifee 24/7 for the past eight months," Stovall said. "I am looking forward to taking the relationships I have made with this wonderful community and making Menifee 24/7 the best news source for the residents here."
Under the leadership of Johnson and Walker, Menifee 24/7 has grown to become a popular news source in town, attracting nearly 50,000 readers per month. Its Facebook page has more than 6,600 fans and its email subscription program continues to grow. Menifee 24/7 also is active in community service, hosting a candidates forum this fall and providing ongoing support for the Menifee Valley Community Cupboard.
Johnson and Walker, now based in San Diego, will continue to focus on the many other websites that are part of Clear Digital Media, Inc.
"Shelli and I will forever be grateful to Steve and Tina for giving us this opportunity," Spoon said. "We value our friendship and their vast experience in Internet sales and marketing. We thank them for all they have done and continue to do for the City of Menifee."
Spoon and Stovall would appreciate any feedback readers have concerning this website and ideas for future coverage. They can be reached at the following email addresses:
doug.spoon@gmail.com
shellistovall@gmail.com
