{{short description|Newspaper published in Athens, Georgia}} {{More citations needed|date=April 2021}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox newspaper | name = | logo = | logo_size = | logo_border = yes | logo_alt = | image = | image_size = | image_border = yes | image_alt = Athens Banner-Herald written in a serif font | caption = Athens-Banner Herald Logo | motto = | type = Daily newspaper | format = Broadsheet | school = | owner = USA Today Co. | founder = <!-- or |founders= --> | publisher = | president = | general_manager = | chief_editor = Caitlyn Stroh-Page | editor = | deputy_editor = | associate_editor = | managing_editor = <!-- or |maneditors= --> | news_editor = | campus_editor = | campus_chief = | metro_editor = | metro_chief = | opinion_editor = | photo_editor = | staff_writers = | custom_label = Director of Presentation/Assistant Editor | custom_data = Bill Stewart | founded = {{Start date and age|1832|03|20}} (as the ''Southern Banner'') | political_position = | language = English | ceased_publication = <!-- Use: {{end date|YYYY|MM|DD}} --> | relaunched = | headquarters = 1 Press Pl, Ste 104, <br>Athens, GA 30601 | publishing_city = Athens, Georgia | publishing_country = United States of America | circulation = 5,393 (daily)<br />7,896 (Sunday) | circulation_date = 2018 | circulation_ref = <ref>{{Cite web |date=2018 |title=2018 Legacy NEWM Annual Reports |url=https://s202.q4cdn.com/162862548/files/doc_financials/2018/ar/2018-NEWM-Annual-Report.pdf |website=investors.gannett.com}}</ref> | readership = | sister_newspapers = | ISSN = | eISSN = | oclc = | RNI = | website = {{URL|onlineathens.com}} | free = [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=ABHB&p_theme=gatehouse&p_action=keyword Archive] }}
The '''''Athens Banner-Herald''''' is a daily newspaper in Athens, Georgia, United States, owned by USA Today Co. The paper has a Sunday special and publishes online under the name ''Online Athens''.
==History== The newspaper traces its history to the ''Southern Banner'' newspaper which began publishing on March 20, 1832.<ref name="GA Historic Newspapers - Southern Banner">{{cite web |title=Southern banner. (Athens, Ga.) 1832-1872 |url=https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn82014069/ |publisher=Digital Library of Georgia|website=Georgia Historic Newspapers |access-date=29 April 2021}}</ref> The paper's masthead and owners were unchanged until 1872, when it was sold and the masthead changed to ''North-East Georgian'' and to ''Athens Weekly Georgian'' after sale, before returning to its original masthead in 1879.{{citation needed|date=November 2025}} The title changed again with its merger with its rival the ''Southern Watchman'' to form the ''Athens Banner-Watchman'' in 1882. It was owned and operated by T.L. Gantt.{{citation needed|date=November 2025}} In 1889, the masthead became the ''Athens Weekly Banner'' for the weekly edition.{{citation needed|date=November 2025}} This later became ''The Weekly Banner'' until the cessation of weekly editions in 1921.{{citation needed|date=November 2025}}
In 1902, the daily newspaper, then called the ''Athens Daily Banner'', became the ''Athens Banner'' under the ownership of H.J. Rowe. It continued under this title until 1923 when it merged with the ''Athens Daily Herald'' to become the ''Banner-Herald''. This became the ''Athens Banner-Herald'' in 1933.<ref name="GA Historic Newspapers - Southern Banner"/> Earl Braswell was the newspaper's publisher, a position he held until 1965.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}
In 1965, Billy and Charles Morris of Morris Communications purchased the newspaper.<ref>{{Cite news |date=July 21, 1965 |title=Morrises Buy Athens Newspaper |work=The Macon News |pages=6 |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> On June 17 that year, the weekly ''Athens Advertiser'' changed its name to the ''Athens Daily News'' and became a seven-day morning paper to compete with the afternoon ''Athens Banner-Herald''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 4, 1965 |title=Vaughn to Edit New Athens Daily Paper |work=Columbus Ledger-Enquirer |pages=13}}</ref> The Morris family purchased the rival paper on December 24, 1967, and consolidated its staff into the ''Athens Banner-Herald.''<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 24, 1967 |title=Athens Paper Buys News, Keeps Editor |work=The Atlanta Journal |pages=8}}</ref>
In 1991, the ''News'' and ''Banner-Herald'' moved into a new office at the corner of Thomas and Broad Streets. The building came to be known as The News Building.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} During this time, the ''Athens Banner-Herald'' established a web presence. In 1996, the newspapers started a web page, ''Athenaeum''. The following year, the newspaper started ''OnlineAthens.com'', its current web page.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} In 2001, the ''News'' and ''Banner-Herald'' merged into a single morning paper with the ''Banner-Herald'' name.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 1, 2001 |title=As of today, Athens is one-newspaper town |work=The Atlanta Constitution |pages=16 |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> In December 2011, Morris Communications reached an agreement to sell The News Building to Lulscal, LLC.<ref>{{cite web |date=December 7, 2011 |title=Agreement Reached To Sell One Press Place News Building |url=https://www.onlineathens.com/article/20111207/NEWS/312079988 |access-date=January 6, 2025 |website=Athens Banner-Herald}}</ref>
Morris sold the ''Banner-Herald'' to Gatehouse Media in August 2017.<ref>{{cite web |date=August 9, 2017 |title=Morris Publishing sells Athens Banner-Herald to GateHouse Media |url=https://www.onlineathens.com/local-news/2017-08-09/morris-publishing-sells-athens-banner-herald-gatehouse-media |access-date=January 6, 2025 |website=Athens Banner-Herald}}</ref> Two years later GateHouse merged with Gannett in November 2019.<ref>{{cite press release |title=New Media and Gannett Complete Merger, Creating Leading U.S. Print and Digital News Organization |date=November 19, 2019 |publisher=Business Wire |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191119005997/en/New-Media-Gannett-Complete-Merger-Creating-Leading}}</ref>
== Notable staff ==
* Columnist Ed Tant * Sportswriter Lewis Grizzard
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website|http://onlineathens.com}}
{{Athens, Georgia}} {{Gannett}} {{Portal bar|Georgia (U.S. state)|Journalism}}
Category:Newspapers published in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Mass media in Athens, Georgia Category:Clarke County, Georgia Category:USA Today Co. publications Category:Newspapers established in 1932 Category:1832 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)