Seven West Media has deepened its commitment to newspapers, announcing yesterday that it has bought the 50.1 per cent of Community News owned by News Corp.

Community News, which has been run as a joint venture between Seven West and News Corp, will be based at SWM WA’s headquarters in Osborne Park, effective from July 1.

The acquisition cements SWM’s domination of print media in WA.

Community News’ 23 titles, which include Western Suburbs Weekly, Joondalup Times, Fremantle Gazette and The Advocate, will be added to Seven West’s existing stable of The West Australian, The Sunday Times, The Kalgoorlie Miner, Countryman and more than a dozen regional titles covering the length and breadth of WA.

“Seven West Media is now delighted to announce that we will be acquiring the remaining shares that it does not already own in Community News, a business with deep connections and engagement within the local communities of Perth and Mandurah,” SWM WA chief executive Maryna Fewster said in an email to SWM staff.

“Seven West Media ownership of Community News will officially commence today.

“Community News is a business that we are very familiar with and we know that it will complement our existing audiences and media assets in WA. As part of the acquisition, we will be relocating the current operations from Stirling Street, Perth, to our offices in Osborne Park in late June.”

SWM WA chief operating officer Adam Everett will oversee the new business, working with Community Newspaper Group chief executive Paul Eteen-Bliss.

News of the acquisition came as The West Australian’s senior editor, Anthony De Ceglie, accelerated plans for a seven-day newsroom at Newspaper House.

“In my mind, there is no longer a delineation of ‘The West staff’ or ‘Sunday Times staff’,” De Ceglie said in an email to senior staff yesterday.

“The Sunday product is another day of the week for our combined newsroom — as important as the Monday paper or the Thursday paper or the Saturday paper.”

The West’s chief of staff, Peter Law, will run the joint news desk.

“Michael Beach will remain The Sunday Times editor, though will have an expanded role in the newsroom driving new projects and publications,” De Ceglie said.

The expansion of Seven West’s print reach comes a few weeks after one-time Domain chief executive Antony Catalano bought the regional newspaper assets that formerly belonged to Fairfax Media.

Shares in Seven West closed down 3¢, or 5.61 per cent, at 50.5¢.