Based in Surrey, British Columbia, it was previously owned by the publisher of Toronto Star (Torstar, 19.35%) and Black (80.65%).

[3] In March 2024, it was announced that Carpenter Media Group had completed its acquisition of the firm, in a deal that involved Canso Investment Counsel, Ltd.[4] Also known as Black Press Media, the company publishes in the United States through two subsidiaries, Oahu Publications in Hawaii and Sound Publishing in Alaska and Washington.

After acquiring three newspapers on the Kitsap Peninsula,[5] it formed Sound Publishing in 1987 and has since operated all of its titles in Washington and Alaska.

In turn, after purchasing Honolulu Star-Bulletin,[6] the publisher passed the responsibility for maintaining its titles in Hawaii to Oahu Publications, a subsidiary formed in 2001 by BPG.

[12] Black operated the Tribune exclusively for four years until purchasing the husband-and-wife owned Ashcroft-Cache Creek Journal in nearby Ashcroft in 1979.

[17] In 1997, Black acquired 33 publications in western Canada from Trinity International Holdings PLC of Britain for $58 million.

[23] In July 2010, Black Press acquired the Red Deer Express from Great West Newspapers, LP.

[24] The company acquired two other Central Alberta publications, the Sylvan Lake News and Eckville Echo, in June 2011.

In 2014, Black Press negotiated deals with Glacier Media Inc. to take effect in March 2015 that would exchange a dozen British Columbia newspapers that consolidated ownership of competing community papers on Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland.

Black Press obtained Harbor City Star, Nanaimo Daily News, Cowichan Citizen, Parksville Oceanside Star, Tofino/Ucluelet Westerly News, Comox Valley Echo, Campbell River Courier, Surrey Now and Langley Advance.

[34] In 1987, David Black sold a 21% equity stake in his company to Shaw Communications to fund the purchase of about 15 newspapers.

In 1988, Black Press purchased the Port Orchard Independent, followed soon by the acquisition of the Bainbridge Island Review.

[37] In June 2008, Black Press purchased The Enumclaw Courier-Herald, along with a 4-year-old sibling publication that serves the Bonney Lake/Lake Tapps area.

[41] The Globe, The Times, and Bellingham Business Journal were are closed in April 2020 due to the COVID-19 recession in the United States.

[43] That same month Black Press acquired Peninsula Daily News and Sequim This Week from Horvitz Newspapers.

[47] In October 2014, Black Press purchased six newspapers from Stephens Media, including The Daily World in Aberdeen, the Montesano Vidette, the North Coast News in Ocean Shores and the South Beach Bulletin in Westport.

The company planned to close the Star-Bulletin two years prior, but a federal antitrust lawsuit was filed and a judge ordered the paper be sold instead.

[48] In 2006, Black Press acquired the Akron Beacon Journal, the former Knight Ridder flagship in Northeast Ohio, for $165 million.

Vogt was named president and CEO while Brown was named chief financial officer of the newly created San Francisco Media Co.[58] The company acquired the San Francisco Bay Guardian from Bruce Brugmann in April 2012[59] and SF Weekly from Voice Media Group in January 2013.

"[63] In 2020, San Francisco Media Co., including the Examiner and SF Weekly, was sold to Clint Reilly Communications.

Black Press said that news coverage was not affected and editors were free to publish their opinions on their letters page.

The Press Council sided with Black Press based on finding that its newspapers "did in fact carry a diversity of opinion on the Nisga'a Treaty, including those of Premier Glen Clark, Liberal Leader Gordon Campbell, Reform Party President Bill Vander Zalm as well as those of ordinary British Columbians".

[76] In August 2007, a story in the Victoria News sparked a complaint from an advertiser and led to the firing/resignation of three senior Black Press employees.

[77][78] The Canadian Association of Journalists publicly questioned the credibility and independence of the Victoria News, wondering how many stories Black Press kills behind the scenes because of advertising concerns.