Federal regulators have cleared the way for a proposed $1.4 billion merger between newspaper giants Gannett and GateHouse Media.

The merger has passed an antitrust review by the U.S. Department of Justice, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The deal isn't yet finished. But Ken Doctor says he has been told by multiple sources that there are no major stumbling blocks left to negotiate in a megamerger between the United States' two largest daily newspaper chains – Gannett and GateHouse. It's increasingly likely to happen, with an announcement by summer's end. That's despite absolute public silence from the companies involved.

Read more from his article in NiemanLab.

Gannett has launched a platform that makes original images from USA Today and its 109 local newsrooms available to paying customers.

Gannett said the platform, called Imagn, includes original sports, entertainment and breaking news images. The site promises 600,000 photos "per year from 10,000 sporting events covered by 300 sports photographers nationwide" to start, and an additional 1.8 million photos every year.

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Brett Blackledge, a Pulitzer Prize winner and Louisiana native, will be the next editor of The Daily Advertiser.

Blackledge, current investigations editor for six Gannett-owned Florida newspapers, will take over the longest-serving daily newspaper in Lafayette, La., on April 1.

As local advertising spend continues to rise, delivering the leading marketing and advertising solutions have never been more important.

On Tuesday at the Mega-Conference, Paras Maniar, President Local, Gannett | USA TODAY NETWORK, will talk about how Gannett has been innovating to offer local advertisers more effective and creative ways to connect to its audience in local communities across the country.

Tom Claybaugh, president of the Carolinas media operations and publisher of The Greenville News since April 2016, is leaving Greenville to take a new position within Gannett Co. Inc. based in Nashville.

The president of two newspapers in Mississippi is stepping down from the job.

The Clarion Ledger reported that Nathan Edwards announced his resignation from there and Hattiesburg American. Both papers are owned by Gannett Co. Inc., a media company based in Virginia. He leaves Jan. 12, and is moving to be closer to his extended family. He is going to North Carolina to oversee regional promotion efforts for GateHouse Media.

Laura Hollingsworth, president of The Tennessean and the USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee, is leaving the company, the longtime media executive announced on Monday in a newsroom address to all Tennessean employees.

A. H. Belo Corporation, parent of The Dallas Morning News, announced plans Friday to outsource much of its advertising creation and production work to the parent of USA Today.

Matthew W. Barzun, former U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom, has been appointed to the board of directors of Gannett Co., Inc. His appointment expands Gannett's Board to 11 members.