Exhibit 2.1

SECOND AMENDMENT TO

AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

This SECOND AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (this “Amendment”), dated as of September 14, 2025, is made and entered into by and among Hearst Media West, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Parent”), Destiny Merger Sub, Inc., a Texas corporation (“Merger Sub”), DallasNews Corporation, a Texas corporation (the “Company”), and, solely for purposes of Section 9.17 of the Merger Agreement (as defined below), Hearst Communications, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Guarantor”). Parent, Merger Sub and the Company are collectively referred to herein as the “Parties” and individually as a “Party”. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Amendment shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Merger Agreement.

WHEREAS, the Parties and Guarantor are party to that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 9, 2025 (as amended by that certain First Amendment to Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 27, 2025, the “Merger Agreement”); and

WHEREAS, the Parties desire to amend the Merger Agreement as set forth herein and in accordance with Section 9.3 of the Merger Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereby agree to amend the Merger Agreement in the following respects:

1. Amendment to the Merger Agreement. In accordance with Section 9.3 of the Merger Agreement, the Parties agree that Section 2.7(a)(iii) of the Merger Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:

“each Share that is issued and outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than Owned Company Shares and Dissenting Company Shares) shall automatically be cancelled and extinguished and automatically converted into the right to receive $16.50 in cash per Share, without interest (the “Per Share Price”), less any amounts entitled to be deducted or withheld in accordance with Section 2.11, and shall cease to be outstanding or exist.”

2. Ratification; Entire Agreement. This Amendment will not affect any terms of the Merger Agreement other than those amended by this Amendment and is only intended to amend, alter or modify the Merger Agreement as expressly stated herein. Except as amended by this Amendment, the Merger Agreement remains in full force and effect, enforceable against each of the Parties and the Guarantor, and is hereby ratified and acknowledged by each of the Parties and the Guarantor. The Merger Agreement, as amended by this Amendment, constitutes the entire agreement among the parties to this Amendment with respect to the subject matter of this Amendment, supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, both written and oral, among such parties with respect to the subject matter of this Amendment, and may not be amended, supplemented or changed orally but only by an agreement in writing signed by the party or parties against whom enforcement is sought and making specific reference to this Amendment. If there are any conflicts between this Amendment and the Merger Agreement, then this Amendment will govern and control.

3. Miscellaneous. The provisions set forth in Article 9 (General Provisions) of the Merger Agreement are hereby incorporated by reference and shall apply to this Amendment mutatis mutandis as if such provisions were fully set forth herein.

[Signature Pages Follow]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the Parties has caused this Amendment to be duly executed on its behalf as of the date first written above.

PARENT:

HEARST MEDIA WEST, LLC

By: /s/ Jeffrey M. Johnson .

Name: Jeffrey M. Johnson

Title: President

MERGER SUB:

DESTINY MERGER SUB, INC.

By: /s/ Jeffrey M. Johnson .

Name: Jeffrey M. Johnson

Title: President

COMPANY:

DALLASNEWS CORPORATION

By: /s/ Katy Murray .

Name: Katy Murray

Title: President

Solely for purposes of Section 9.17:

GUARANTOR:

HEARST COMMUNICATIONS, INC.

By: /s/ Jeffrey M. Johnson .

Name: Jeffrey M. Johnson

Title: President

Signature Page to Second Amendment to Agreement and Plan of Merger