121 Media Acquires Check Out DFW

121 Media, LLC, which owns and operates the digital media assets and nine weekly publications of Star Local Media serving the north Dallas suburban area, announced today the acquisition of Check Out DFW and CheckOutDFW.com, a first-of-its-kind real estate and local recommendations product that helps locals thrive in the communities they call home.

CheckOutDFW.com, founded in November 2021 by media industry veterans David Arkin and Jed Williams, helps both longtime locals and those new to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex discover all the unique things their cities offer through a variety of community resources.

This marks the second acquisition for 121 Media, LLC founded by media industry veteran Rick Rogers and his wife, Elizabeth Rogers. 121 Media, LLC is a family-owned and operated local media company based in Frisco, Texas. 121 Media acquired Star Local Media in January 2022. Star Local Media is a digital and print hyperlocal news source, with its website, www.starlocalmedia.com, seeing an average of 275,000 unique users monthly, along with distributing 175,000 copies of its nine weekly community news publications to homes every Sunday.

“The acquisition of CheckOutDFW.com will allow our company to provide a unique digital experience to our audience at Star Local Media, an experience focused on local recommendations and valuable information to those either currently living in the metroplex, or considering a move to the DFW region,” said Rick Rogers, president and CEO of 121 Media, LLC. “But, more than that, CheckOutDFW.com will continue to partner with local businesses to tell their stories in a format that is highly engaging and effective with current and potential customers. While there will be synergy between 121 Media’s two brands, both will operate separately to the benefit of our audiences and business partners.

“Providing content marketing solutions to our business partners will continue to be the focus for CheckOutDFW.com under our brand, and in the coming months, we will be working to expand upon the incredible vision and foundation built by David Arkin and Jed Williams.”

Rodney Blaukat, vice president of sales and marketing at Star Local Media, said: “The acquisition of CheckOutDFW.com will allow us to align the current digital solutions we provide — targeted digital display, targeted email marketing and targeted social media messaging and more — with CheckOutDFW’s content marketing approach. This will allow our marketing partners to reach their current and potential customers with one simple, effective local media buy.”

“It’s been a joy of a lifetime to create a product so many people enjoyed and found so helpful,” said Check Out DFW Co-Founder and Chief Content Officer David Arkin. “Getting the chance to help people navigate the real estate market and discover their communities, through our content, has been an absolute thrill.”

“From its earliest days, Check Out DFW was built on our shared passion to help fast-growing, fastchanging communities thrive,” said Jed Williams, co-founder and chief revenue officer. “We have absolutely loved building a brand that so many across North Texas have come to know, like and trust, and we’re particularly grateful to the many partners who have been instrumental to our success.”

Rogers added, “We want to thank both David and Jed for entrusting our team to carry on the vision for Check Out DFW, and we look forward to working alongside both current and future business partners in telling their brand stories to a highly engaged audience in the metroplex and beyond.”