Dublin Courier Herald Publishing Co. to partner in launch of Macon news operation

The Dublin Courier Herald Publishing Co. will partner with the National Trust for Local News and Mercer University to launch a newsroom in Macon.

The collaboration will be funded through a $5 million grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

“We are both humbled and excited to be a part of this collaborative,” said publishing company Chairman DuBose Porter.

Noting that Macon is celebrating its 200th year, the Knight Foundation announced this week that it was investing $14 million into the city’s “continued growth,” including the $5 million for what it called “an exciting new initiative to strengthen community journalism in Macon.”

“The National Trust for Local News will lead an initiative to launch a new source for local news in Macon, in collaboration with Mercer University’s Center for Collaborative Journalism and the Dublin Courier Herald Publishing Co.,” the foundation said in a news release. “The Trust pairs national infrastructure and technology with local knowledge to ensure long-term, sustainable, independent community news. The National Trust for Local News is dedicated to creating stronger communities by building sustainable community news organizations.”

Knight Newspapers purchased the Macon Telegraph and News and the Milledgeville Union-Recorder in 1969, but the Knight connection to Middle Georgia runs deeper. John S. and James L. Knight’s father, Charles Landon Knight, was born in Milledgeville. Beverly Knight Olson, one of James Knight’s four daughters and a foundation trustee since 1987, currently lives in Macon.

The Knight Foundation is committed to supporting former Knight newspaper communities, and has invested almost $60 million in Macon to date.

The collaboration offers the Dublin Courier Herald Publishing Co. a chance to further expand its coverage area after the purchase of eight community newspapers in the past year. The company owns and operates newspapers throughout Middle and West Georgia, including:

•The Courier Herald, Dublin, Laurens County

•The Sparta Ishmaelite, Sparta, Hancock County

•The Sandersville Progress Georgia, Sandersville, Washington County

•The Johnson Journal, Wrightsville, Johnson County

•The Soperton News, Soperton, Treutlen 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 News, Cochran, Bleckley County

•The Houston Home Journal, Perry, Houston County

•The Leader Tribune, Fort Valley, Peach County

•The News Observer, Vienna, Dooly County

•The Citizen Georgian, Montezuma, Macon County

•The Star-Mercury Vindicator, Manchester/Greenville, Meriwether County

•The Meriwether , Greenville, Meriwether County

•The Harris County Journal, Hamilton, Harris County

•The Talbotton New Era, Talbotton, Talbot County.

In addition to the funding for the new Macon newsroom, the Knight Foundation also announced it will invest:

•$5 million to Mercer University toward relocating the School of Medicine downtown.

•$505,000 to Wesleyan College to return to downtown with the opening of the college’s Leadership Lab.

•$1.5 million to the Otis Redding Foundation to support the opening of the technology-foward Otis Redding Center for the Arts.

•$1 million to the Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve Initiative for economic and community planning for Ocmulgee Mounds’ path to being America’s next national park.

•$1 million to NewTown Macon to connect the 13-mile Ocmulgee Heritage Trail to the Pleasant Hill neighborhood.

“At Knight, we have spent decades studying what makes cities work and when we look at Macon, we see a shining example,” said Alberto Ibargüen, president of Knight Foundation. “With a clear guiding vision and strong partnerships, representative leadership and participation from residents of all backgrounds, Macon has reimagined and transformed its urban core to a vibrant, growing community.”

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