Logo of Block/Blade Communications

Block Communications Inc. (also known as Blade Communications) is an American privately held holding company of various assets, mainly in the print and broadcast media, based in Toledo, Ohio. The company was founded in 1900 in New York City when Paul Block, a German-Jewish immigrant who came to the United States in 1885, formed an ad representation firm for newspapers. The Block empire grew to encompass many newspapers on the east coast of the US, however with the Great Depression in the 1930s came the loss of all but three properties: the ad representation firm, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and the Toledo Blade (where Block eventually settled the company upon its purchase in 1927). After Block's death in 1941, his children took over the company. They eventually passed it on to their grandchildren, who continue to operate it to this day. In May 2024, a lawsuit to stop the sale of the company, and over control of it, revealed that Allan Block and John Block each own 25%, while the other 50% is owned by family trusts that benefit family members.

On August 1, 2025, Gray Media announced its planned acquisition of all broadcast television stations owned by Block Communications for $80 million. The sale was completed on May 6, 2026.

On April 14, 2026, The Baltimore-based nonprofit Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism reached an agreement to buy the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The purchase price was not disclosed. The Post-Gazette published its first edition under new ownership on May 4.

Company holdings

Newspapers

Cable

Online

  • Buckeye Broadband (formerly Buckeye Cablesystem)
  • MaxxSouth Broadband (Started in 2014 after purchase of Harron Communications LP., added Ripley Video Cable in 2017)
  • Telesystem (formerly Buckeye Telesystem)
  • Block Line Systems (Acquired July 2014 and now a division of Telesystem)

Non-media

  • Metro Fiber & Cable Construction Company (a Toledo-based contractor of fiber optic installation)

Former properties

External links