Carpenter Media Group buys Post-Searchlight

Boone Newsmedia, Inc., (BNI) and Carpenter Media Group (CMG) announced future ownership of eight local media companies that had been jointly owned by the two companies.

In a series of transactions effective June 1, CMG acquired BNI’s interests in Bainbridge (Ga.) Media, publisher of The Post-Searchlight, and six other newspapers in Mississippi, Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky and Ohio.

BNI acquired CMG’s interest in newspapers in Virginia and North Carolina.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We are pleased to be at this stage in the orderly transition of BNI and CMG to separate media companies after many years of shared management and ownership,” said Steve Stewart, president and CEO of BNI. “While BNI is sad to depart as owner in a number of communities served, we are pleased that those newspapers will be owned by Carpenter Media Group, a company for which we have deep respect.”

“I echo Steve’s comments and look forward to next steps in serving these readers, businesses and communities,” said Todd Carpenter, chairman of CMG. It has been a highlight of my career visiting and getting to know each community, and working to serve each with Jim Boone and the excellent Boone Newsmedia team. What we are doing now is anatural progression of a long-planned commitment to these institutions and the communities we serve. We will miss our association with The Washington Daily News and The Tidewater News, but we know those places are better because of good journalism done over a long period of time and will continue to improve as BNI leads them forward.”

CMG’s purchase of The Post-Searchlight continues a recent expansion of its holdings in the Peach State. In May, the company announced plans to buy the Georgia properties of Community Newspaper Holdings Inc. (CNHI). Those newspapers include the Dalton Daily Citizen, The Union-Recorder of Milledgeville, The Moultrie Observer, Thomasville Times-Enterprise, The Tifton Gazette and The Valdosta Daily Times. CMG already owns the Americus Times-Recorder and Cordele Dispatch.

— Carpenter Media Group

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Carpenter Media Group buys CNHI Georgia newspapers

Carpenter Media Group (CMG) and CNHI LLC announced last month they have reached a preliminary agreement for CMG to buy 10 newspapers spread across Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi, as well as a print facility in Valdosta, Georgia.

The titles acquired include six in Georgia: Dalton Daily Citizen, The Union-Recorder of Milledgeville, The Valdosta Daily Times, The Moultrie Observer, Thomasville Times-Enterprise and The Tifton Gazette. In Georgia, CMG also owns Americus Times-Recorder and the Cordele Dispatch.

Other newspapers involved in the transaction include Athens (Alabama) News Courier, Cullman (Alabama) Times, the St. Clair (Alabama) News Aegis and The Meridian (Mississippi) Star.

Donna Barrett, CNHI’s president and CEO, said she is proud of what the newspapers and their teams have accomplished in serving their communities with meaningful local news. “It has been our honor to have these newspapers as part of CNHI.” Barrett said. “We know their good work will continue under Carpenter Media Group.”

Barrett added that newspapers are the heartbeat of local life and that CNHI remains strongly committed to community news. “We believe in local journalism and will continue serving that critical role in CNHI newspapers in 18 states.”

CMG is organized and driven to serve and develop communities through excellent local journalism, guiding the marketing and advertising of its small and medium-sized business customers and developing its team members to grow personally and professionally.

“We are pleased to succeed CNHI in ownership and responsibility for these institutions and the communities they serve,” said Todd Carpenter, chairman of CMG. “We have deep appreciation and respect for the leadership provided by Donna Barrett and her team, and we will work hard to build on the good foundations they put down in each place.”

Prior to chairing CMG, Carpenter was a longtime CEO and director of Boone Newsmedia Inc. (BNI), which, including CMG’s holdings along with its own, managed 85 newspaper titles, various magazines, websites and other businesses in 12 states. After separating CMG holdings last year from BNI and recent acquisitions, CMG now owns and manages over 160 titles in the U.S. and Canada.

— Dirks, Van Essen and April

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Barlow joins The Northeast Georgian

Keith Barlow has been named publisher of The Northeast Georgian of Cornelia and regional publisher of the northeast Georgia region of Community Newspapers Inc. (CNI) by Chairman Alan NeSmith.

The region includes The Dahlonega Nugget, White County News, The Clayton Tribune, The Toccoa Record, Franklin County Citizen Leader, The Hartwell Sun and The Elberton Star. Barlow comes to Habersham County from Milledgeville, where he was publisher of The Union-Recorder and the Lake Oconee Breeze.

“Alan and I have been talking lately about northeast Georgia, Community Newspapers Inc. and the wonderful people there,” Barlow said upon moving to the new job. “And after thinking and praying about it, it really seemed like a tremendous opportunity for my wife and me. We are very excited about moving to Habersham County and getting involved in such an outstanding community.”

Barlow and his wife, Paige, have two grown sons. After 30 plus years of teaching art education, Paige will be retiring at the end of this year.

Barlow started his career at The Union-Recorder as a graphic designer after graduating from Georgia College with a stint in the Air Force reserves as well.

He left the newspaper business and started his own marketing company in 2000. During this time he purchased the Baldwin Bulletin, a weekly newspaper in Baldwin County. He has more than 31 years of experience in the newspaper business after returning to The Union-Recorder in 2005.

“I like being the publisher of a community newspaper because it gives me the chance to interact with folks and work toward making the community the best it can be. Producing great journalism is very important to me. It is what the community desires and deserves,” Barlow said.

Barlow is currently vice president of Georgia Press Association. He has been involved in many service organizations during his career. Some of his involvements include Rotary International, Chamber of Commerce, Communities in Schools, Habitat for Humanity, United Way and recreational sports. The Barlows were active members of the Milledgeville First Methodist Church for many years.

“We are excited to have Keith join Team CNI,” NeSmith said. “Keith is an outstanding newspaperman and just the right fit for Habersham County. I look forward to our community getting to know Keith and his family.”

Barlow’s first day was May 28.

— Community Newspapers Inc.

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Harris promoted to ad manager at Smith Communications

Smith Communications Inc. has announced that Heather Harris is its new advertising manager.

CEO and Publisher A. Mark Smith named Harris to the position June 17, saying she will oversee revenue production for all Smith Communications’ publications and projects.

“Heather has been a big help over her years here,” Smith said. “Her primary office will be at Lake Oconee, but she will be working with all of our locations. I look forward to working with her ‘will-do’ and ‘can-do’ approach to everything she does.”

Employed with Smith Communications since November 2017, Harris first worked in the home office in Eatonton, then branched out to ad sales. Although her early childhood years were spent in Tennessee, Harris said she has lived in Greensboro since middle school.

“I love living in the lake area,” she said. “I like the quietness, but there’s more than enough happening in the community to stay busy.”

The self-described “Southern country girl” has been with her husband, Stuart, for 18 years and they have two sons still living at home and three adult children. She said Stuart stays busy with his own remodeling and renovation business.

Harris replaces former advertising director Matt Plocha, who resigned to follow other business pursuits in Atlanta. She will work with and build SCI’s team of advertising representatives in the Lake Country communities and the areas beyond the lakes.

Harris said she enjoys ad sales because she gets to work with people — those she’s known her entire life as well as new ones she meets each day. “I look forward to meeting more new people and helping them grow their business with Smith Communications,” she said. “I love networking and I really like the connections and relationships — not just forming a work relationship but connecting with people, creating friendships.”

— Lake Oconee News, Greensboro

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O’Hearn becomes editor of The Toccoa Record

Michael O’Hearn has been named editor and publisher of The Toccoa Record.

He succeeds longtime Record editor and publisher Tom Law, who is retiring after a 47-year career in community journalism. The announcement was made earlier this year by Alan NeSmith, northeast Georgia regional publisher and chairman of Community Newspapers Inc. (CNI), the parent company of The Toccoa Record.

“Michael has a passion for community journalism, and I am excited to watch him plug into Stephens County and lead the local newspaper,” NeSmith said. “Tom Law had been a pillar of CNI for decades, and we appreciate all he has done in helping us fulfill our mission through the years. As Tom passes the torch to Michael, he is also providing him a wealth of institutional knowledge about the community. It truly is an exciting day for Tom, Michael and Stephens County.”

O’Hearn comes to The Record after serving three years as editor of the Crossroads Chronicle, CNI’s weekly newspaper published in Cashiers, N.C. He has also worked for the Times-Georgian, a daily newspaper in Carrollton, for three years.

O’Hearn is native of Kansas, but graduated from Polk County High School in Columbus, N.C., in 2011. He graduated from the University of North Carolina-Asheville in 2015 with a degree in mass communication.

“I look forward to being able to meet with everyone in the community and get accustomed to what’s going on in and around Toccoa,” O’Hearn said. “I’ve lived and breathed local journalism since I started at The Blue Banner in 2013 and will continue that journey here.”

Law started his newspaper career at The Clayton Tribune – his hometown paper – as a sports reporter in 1977. After graduating from the University of Georgia with a journalism degree, he joined the staff of The Toccoa Record in 1980 covering sports, law enforcement and courts.

He was later named news editor of The Record, a position he held when the newspaper was purchased by CNI in late 1995. He was named managing editor of the combined Chieftain and Toccoa Record for six months before he was named editor of The Clayton Tribune.

After four years at the Clayton paper, Law returned to The Record in 2001 as editor and publisher, a position he held for the next 23 years.

From 1996 to the present, Law and the reporters he supervised received more than 100 Better Newspaper Contest awards from Georgia Press Association and CNI in categories such as layout and design, best sports pages, best opinion pages, best page one, local news and photography.

“It has been very rewarding to have been a part of community journalism for the past 47 years,” Law said. “I’ve met and written about a lot of good people in Stephens and Rabun counties, and I hope my work has kept people informed of what’s happening in their communities, entertained for a little while, and maybe once or twice affected the future of a project, program or individual.

“I know this much — the last 47 years have flown by in what seems like a single heartbeat,” he said.

“I am confident Michael and his staff will continue to publish a first-rate weekly newspaper here in Toccoa,” he said.

— The Toccoa Record

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Overfelt becomes publisher at LaGrange Daily News

Jennie Overfelt has been named the publisher and president of The LaGrange Daily News and The Valley Times-News and their affiliated print and digital publications. Overfelt replaces Daniel Evans, who has accepted a position with a media company in northwest Florida.

Overfelt has worked in the newspaper business for 19 years, including serving in the ad department for the Daily News since 2016. She was promoted to be the newspaper’s advertising director in 2018.

She also previously spent nine years at the Kansas City Star in Kansas City, Missouri. Overfelt has been instrumental in the success of the LaGrange Daily News newspaper products, LaGrange Living magazine, Best of Troup County, Welcome to Troup County magazine, 20 Under 40 magazine and countless other initiatives. “I moved to LaGrange in 2013 with no idea of what to expect. In the 11 years that I have here, I’ve come to think of LaGrange as home,” Overfelt said. “I am very excited about my new role and look forward to serving this community.”

“My time spent in this role in LaGrange and Valley has been extremely rewarding, and it was a grueling decision to leave,” Evans said. “Ultimately, after a decade being four hours from any family, Alyssa and I had an opportunity to move close to my parents. Jennie Overfelt is more than qualified to take these newspapers to new heights. I’ll miss this community, but I was honored to lead these two incredible products for seven years.”

— LaGrange Daily News

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Goodman buys the Metter Advertiser

The Metter Advertiser, Candler County’s leading source for hometown news since 1912, was purchased earlier this month by Jerri Goodman and Goodman Publishing LLC. Goodman has worked with the newspaper since June of 1990, starting as a typesetter and office manager before becoming associate editor and finally editor, the position she has held for more than 20 years.

“Metter Advertiser has been a huge part of my life since 1990,” Goodman said, “and now to get to own the paper is such an honor.”

Goodman started working for the newspaper when it was under the ownership of the mother and son team of Virginia Snell and Carvy Snell.

“From the first day, Carvy and Ms. Virginia made me feel like part of their extended family. They taught me publishing, but more importantly, they taught me everything I know about community involvement and working with community leaders to promote Metter and Candler County in every way possible,” Goodman said.

Following Virginia Snell’s passing in 1995, Carvy Snell continued to own and operate the newspaper until his death in 2021. After this time, the Snell family kept the newspaper going with Goodman remaining as editor.

“I cannot thank the Snell family enough for trusting me to continue to oversee the paper’s operations for the last three years. I also thank our loyal readers, who have been such a source of encouragement to our newspaper team.

“Of course, this could not be done without our amazing team at the newspaper. Our office manager Emilee Miles, graphic designer Jordan Allen, writers Suzanne Tyson and Matthew Gainous, columnist Martha Cannady, and all the other team members are so important to the continued success of Metter Advertiser, and I am so grateful to have each of them working alongside me,” Goodman said.

Speaking on behalf of Snell Publications, Steven Snell, president, said, “Having been with the newspaper for more than 30 years, Jerri’s dedication to Snell Publications and journalism in Metter and Candler County is truly something special.

“We, as a family, are extremely happy that Jerri will continue the work of publishing the local news and promoting our community, and we know Dad (Carvy Snell) and Grandma (Virginia Snell) would be happy as well. There is no one more deserving and certainly more qualified to lead Metter Advertiser.”

— Metter Advertiser

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Times-Georgian of Carrollton chooses new editor

Rebecca Rowland Leftwich has been chosen to be managing editor of the Times-Georgian of Carrollton.

Leftwich grew up in Whitesburg and graduated from Central High School in 1986. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from the University of West Georgia and a paralegal certificate from the Center for Legal Studies.

She started her career in 1991 as a sports and general assignment writer at The Newnan Times-Herald, where she was named sports editor in 1996. Leftwich left the newsroom in 1999 and worked as a freelance writer and editor before returning to The Times-Herald in 2015 as education reporter.

In 2022, she was named news editor, a position she held until her move to the Times-Georgian earlier this year.

“I am thrilled to bring my work back home,” Leftwich said. “When I was in sixth grade at Whitesburg School, I decided I wanted to work for a newspaper — it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. I’ve always loved helping people tell their stories.”

As managing editor, she will oversee the Times-Georgian, the Haralson County Gateway-Beacon, the Villa Rican and West Georgia Living magazine.

“When reaching out to Rebecca about the possibility of her joining our team and leading our newsroom, I knew immediately that she was the best fit for the Times-Georgian,” said Rachael Raney, regional publisher for the Georgia division of Paxton Media Group. “Rebecca has more than 30 years of experience in the media. She started at the bottom and has worked her way up — a hometown girl with a vested interest in our community. It just felt right.”

Leftwich said she hopes her new role will provide plenty of opportunities for her to meet — and get reacquainted with — people in the community.

“My goal is to strengthen the relationships between the publications and the public, and to ensure our work is a true reflection of the people who live here,” she said. “I am looking forward to getting to know my community again.”

“In her first week, I have watched her quickly analyze the good we are already doing and work side by side to improve where needed,” Raney said. “Rebecca understands true journalism.”

An award-winning reporter, Leftwich lives in Clem with her family, three dogs nobody else wanted and a cat named Fish.

— Times-Georgian, Carrollton

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Georgia Trust for Local News launches to conserve and strengthen community news in middle and south Georgia

National Trust for Local News subsidiary will sustain community newspapers in Georgia with support from Knight, Woodruff and Casey foundations

The nonprofit National Trust for Local News is establishing the Georgia Trust for Local News, a new community newspaper company that will serve Middle and South Georgia. Anchored by support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, and the Marguerite Casey Foundation, the Georgia Trust for Local News is dedicated to providing and strengthening impartial, timely, and relevant community news. The Georgia Trust will begin operations in January with a portfolio of 18 newspapers that serve 900,000 Georgians in communities across Middle and South Georgia and an initiative to stand up a new community news source in Macon. Georgia Trust titles will include iconic publications with deep roots in the communities they serve, like The Albany Herald, Dublin’s Courier Herald, The Sparta Ishmaelite and The Talbotton New Era.

“We are protecting and expanding the work that these wonderful newspapers already do for nearly one million Georgians in the heart of our state,” says DuBose Porter, the longtime publisher of the Dublin Courier-Herald Group who will serve as the Georgia Trust’s executive director and whose newspapers will become the backbone of the Georgia Trust. “Each of our newspapers serves a different community in a distinct way and all will have greater resources and stronger infrastructure to provide first-rate community journalism.”

The Georgia Trust will be led by a diverse group with deep roots in Georgia. Alongside Executive Director DuBose Porter, Caleb Slinkard will serve as Executive Editor. Slinkard was most recently Georgia Editor at McClatchy, where he led the newsrooms of The Macon Telegraph and The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. Longtime Georgia newspaper executive Pam Burney will serve as General Manager.

“Community journalism is about strengthening our connections to each other and our understanding of the world around us,” says Slinkard, executive editor. “It’s how folks keep tabs on local governments and school boards, follow high school sports and learn what’s going on in their neighborhoods.”

The Georgia Trust for Local News is using philanthropic funding to launch its work, and subscribers, advertisers, and community members will continue to sustain it.

“With this grant, Knight Foundation furthers two of our deepest commitments: to strengthening the Macon community, and to supporting local news,” said Jim Brady, vice president of journalism for Knight Foundation. “We are honored to be a founding funder of the National Trust for Local News and to contribute to the growth of sustainable and independent news in Georgia.”

“Local news only works when it’s created and sustained by local people,” says Lisa Borders, a member of the National Trust for Local News board of directors and former president of the Grady Health and Coca-Cola Foundations. “From supporters like the Woodruff, Casey, and Knight foundations, to the journalists and staff at these iconic papers, and to leaders like DuBose, Caleb and Pam, the Georgia Trust for Local News has deep roots in Georgia. We are grateful for this opportunity to serve our state.”

“Strong, sustainable and non-partisan local news is essential to healthy communities,” says Woodruff Foundation President Russ Hardin. “We are pleased to support an effort that promises to sustain and strengthen local newspapers in Georgia.”

“The dismantling of local news disparately impacts marginalized communities,” said Marguerite Casey Foundation President and CEO Dr. Carmen Rojas. “We look forward to supporting the Georgia Trust as it uplifts the issues impacting Georgians and builds stronger community newspapers.”

In addition to investing in its inaugural portfolio of newspapers, the Georgia Trust will launch a local news source in Macon, Georgia in 2024. Anchored by support from the Knight Foundation, this effort will leverage a partnership with Mercer University’s Reg Murphy Center for Collaborative Journalism.

— Georgia Trust for Local News