PITTSBURGH (AP) — Community Media Group of Illinois said Monday that it has bought three western Pennsylvania newspapers and related publications.

The papers are The Courier-Express of DuBois, the Jeffersonian Democrat of Brookville, and The Leader-Vindicator of New Bethlehem. They were sold to a division of Community Media Group, which is based in West Frankfort, Ill.

The newspapers had been owned by Independent Publications, a company controlled by the McLean family. The family, which has published newspapers in Pennsylvania since 1895, made the decision to exit the publishing business last year.

Andrew T. Bickford, the president of Independent Publications, said that they're pleased that the papers will be operated by a company with "an established presence in and commitment to the region."

Larry J. Perrotto, the chairman of Community Media Group, said the company is "committed to continue the great tradition of high quality journalism so ably established by the McLean family" and that they will be "strong advocates for the interests of the region."

Perrotto also said that Joseph C. Piccirillo of Ridgway will be the group executive for the three newspapers.

The privately held Community Media Group operates daily and weekly newspapers and websites in Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Iowa.

Terms of the sale weren't disclosed.