DIXON – Shaw Media, owner of the Northwest Herald, announced Wednesday it is buying Record Newspapers Inc. from Jeff and Kathy Farren.

Based in Yorkville, The Record Newspapers include the Kendall County Record in Yorkville, the Ledger-Sentinel in Oswego, the Plano Record and the Sandwich Record, as well as affiliated websites.

“We are proud to welcome The Record Newspapers to our growing portfolio of family-owned, community-focused media operations,” Shaw Media President John Rung said. “We look forward to continuing the Farrens’ tradition of quality local journalism, while expanding the Ledger-Sentinel’s and Records’ presence through digital formats.”

The transaction is expected to close June 26.

“We have always worked hard to provide extensive local news coverage of our communities. So we are pleased with Shaw Media’s commitment to continue that level of coverage for our readers,” Kathy Farren, Record editor, said.

Founded in 1864, the Kendall County Record was bought by the Farrens in 1973. The Farrens founded the Plano Record in 1976.

They acquired the Oswego Ledger in 1979 and the Fox Valley Sentinel in 1980. The two papers were consolidated and called the Ledger-Sentinel. The Sandwich Record was launched by the Farrens in 1985.

“The decision to sell was a difficult one,” publisher Jeff Farren said, but he added, “We believe Shaw will be able to continue providing good newspapers for our readers and advertisers with more online content in the future.”

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 1851, Shaw Media is the third-oldest continuously owned and operated media company in the U.S. It owns and operates newspapers, magazines, websites and other publications throughout Chicago’s suburbs and northern Illinois, as well as in Iowa.