Market Outlook
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Rickenbacher Media Background

Rickenbacher Media is a mergers and acquisition firm in the publishing field. All transactions are treated with discretion and confidentiality.

Ted Rickenbacher is president of the firm. Prior to establishing the company in l986, he was a fourth generation newspaper publisher. He was successful in ownership of newspapers for 29 years.

Jim Afinowich, a former newspaper publisher and past president of the International Business Brokers Association, is western states director. He represents Rickenbacher Media in California, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, Montana and Idaho.

During his years at Texas Christian University, Rickenbacher began working at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He remained there for four years until he became publisher of a small daily newspaper in Kansas.

After it was sold in 1962, Rickenbacher started the Jim Afinowich weekly Trinity Herald in the area between Dallas and Fort Worth. Later he started the Grapevine Herald. In l966 he sold these papers to the Star-Telegram but operated them until l969.

In l969 he acquired the Carrollton Chronicle and the Farmers Branch Times northwest of Dallas. He started weeklies in Lewisville, North Dallas and Addison. The five papers were sold for a substantial return in l980.

In l980, Rickenbacher acquired Southwest Floor Covering, a trade publication. Southeast Floor Covering was launched two years later in Atlanta and it served as a companion of Southwest Floor Covering. These publications were sold in l985.

Rickenbacher owned other businesses and target market publications before he acquired in the l980s a group of Texas weekly newspapers in Duncanville, DeSoto, Lancaster, Cedar Hill, Ferris, Midlothian and Red Oak. These papers later were sold.

He has a strong understanding of a business owner’s interests. He was owner of 21 newspapers and five target market publications in the 25 years after 1960. He has been active in community affairs, including service as Rotary Club president and member of a church governing board.