Companies have said deal will result in up to $300 million in expense reductions

NEW YORK (AP) — Two of the largest U.S. newspaper companies are set to combine after shareholders approved GateHouse Media’s $1.4 billion acquisition of Gannett.

New York-based New Media Investment Group, which owns GateHouse, announced in August its plan to buy USA Today owner Gannett.

Gatehouse owns Kansas newspapers in Hays, Hutchinson, Salina, Topeka, Garden City, Dodge City, McPherson, Newton and El Dorado, among others.

The combined company would have more than 260 daily papers in the U.S. along with more than 300 weeklies — one of every six papers in the country.

The companies said when announcing the merger the deal will cut up to $300 million in costs annually.

The deal creates the largest U.S newspaper company by far. Media expert Ken Doctor estimates the combined company will have a print circulation of 8.7 million, 7 million more than the new No. 2, McClatchy.

Local papers, faced with the complex and expensive process of building digital businesses to replace declining print ads and circulation, have been aggressively consolidating in recent years.

The combined company will take the Gannett name and keep its headquarters in Gannett’s current home of McLean, Virginia.

The deal is set to close on Tuesday.