Dublin Courier Herald Publishing Co. buys Albany Herald

The Dublin Courier Herald Publishing Co. has purchased The Albany Herald, a daily newspaper serving southwest Georgia, from Southern Community Newspapers Inc.

Dublin Courier Herald Publishing owns another semi-daily, The Courier Herald, and 17 weekly newspapers in middle and west Georgia. Founded in 1891, The Albany Herald is the daily newspaper in metro-Albany and southwest Georgia.

The sale was announced Monday by Dublin Courier Herald Publishing Co. Chairman DuBose Porter and Michael Gebhart, president and CEO of Southern Community Newspapers Inc.

“We are looking forward to taking over the publishing of The Albany Herald,” added publishing company Chairman DuBose Porter. “We appreciate Southern Community Newspapers for entrusting us with this publication as we record the history of this wonderful community.”

SCNI’s Gebhart acknowledged Porter’s dedication to local journalism.

“SCNI and Dublin Courier Herald Publishing Co. have worked closely and successfully for several years. During that time, it became clear that DuBose Porter and his organization are first class. I respect DuBose as a good friend, smart operator and a force in the Georgia media landscape. I can’t think of a better fit. The great SCNI team will be a complement to the Dublin Courier Herald Publishing Co. family,” Gebhart said.

The Albany Herald is a “great fit” for the company, said Courier Herald Publishing Co. General Manager Pam Burney.

“We understand the importance of newspapers in communities like Albany,” said Burney. “We will provide an active marketplace for business and industry to grow and prosper.”

The acquisition follows the Publishing Co.’s purchase of eight community newspapers over the past two years, including the Houston Home Journal in Perry. 

The Dublin Courier Herald Publishing Co. now owns and operates community newspapers through middle and west Georgia to include:

• The Courier Herald, Dublin, Laurens County

• The Albany Herald, Dougherty County

• The Johnson Journal, Wrightsville, Johnson County

• The Soperton News, Soperton, Treulen County

• The Montgomery Monitor, Mt. Vernon, Montgomery County

• The Wheeler County Eagle, Alamo, Wheeler County

• The Wilkinson County Post, Irwinton, Wilkinson County

• The Twiggs Times New Era, Jeffersonville, Twiggs County

• The Cochran Journal, Cochran, Bleckley County

• The Sandersville Progress, Sandersville, Washington County

• The Houston Home Journal, Perry, Houston County

• The Leader Tribune, Fort Valley, Peach County

• The Sparta Ishmaelite, Sparta, Hancock County

• The News Observer, Vienna, Dooly County

• The Citizen Georgian, Montezuma, Macon County

•The Star-Mercury Vindicator, Meriwether County

•The Harris County Journal, Hamilton, Harris County

•The Talbotton New Era, Talbotton, Talbot County.

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