Over 100 people have protested in the towns of Longford and Roscommon over plans by Alpha Newspaper Group to cease publication of the Longford News and Roscommon Champion newspapers.
The protests took place outside the offices of the papers and were made up of local councillors, representatives of sports organisations and community groups in the area.
Staff members of the three papers are meeting with representatives of the Alpha Newspaper Group this afternoon to discuss their future.
The Alpha Newspaper Group is owned by the former Unionist MP John Taylor and his family. It has blamed the economic downturn in the Republic for its decision.
John Taylor purchased the Longford News and Roscommon Champion in 2005 as part of a deal worth €14m.
Alpha Newspapers had laid off a number of staff and moved layout and design of their Midlands newspaper titles to Northern Ireland in recent months.
The Roscommon Champion was printed for the first time in 1927 and has been printed weekly for 83 years.
The Longford News is more than 50 years old.
