Gannett's going back to school

Gannett is looking to buy another paper. Mildly interesting in an age when most folks are looking to sell them, but not earth-shaking news considering that Gannett already owns about a gazillion or so.

What's different is that this is a college paper:

The Coloradoan, a Gannett property, is negotiating with Colorado State University to create a strategic partnership with the Rocky Mountain Collegian, the state school's main student newspaper. In effect, Gannett would be buying the paper. As the rest of the newspaper industry takes a beating, Gannett's interest reflects the continued popularity of campus papers--and their importance to advertisers targeting young adults.

The negotiations are at a very early stage, according to a Colorado State spokesman, who said the university had not planned to sell the paper or otherwise enter new partnerships. Nonetheless, it's part of a broader Gannett push to acquire campus newspapers, including the Florida State FSView and Florida Flambeau in 2006, and University of Central Florida's Central Florida Future in 2007.

We commented here over a year ago that campus papers were one of print's few bright spots, since they are tightly targeted on a desirable demographic. But the idea of school papers being owned by media conglomerates still seems a bit strange.