147th Birthday
September 2012 — The Newnan Times-Herald/MyConnection — 1
Times-Herald marks milestones through years 1865 — On Sept. 9, 1865, The Newnan Herald’s first issue is published by lawyers J.S. Bigby and J.C. Wootten as a sideline. The four-page weekly cost $3 per year in advance and came out on Saturday. It was the first post-Civil War newspaper started in Georgia. Soon after, Bigby — who became active in local politics — sold his interest to James A. Welch. 1886-1887 — After the deaths of Welch and Wootten, The Herald is edited by A.B. Cates, a Tennessee native and Confederate veteran. In 1886 or 1887 it is merged with the rival Coweta Advertiser, which had been published by First Methodist pastor W.W. Wadsworth. 1887 — James E. Brown, who was editor of the Advertiser in 1886 — after almost 10 years at the Henry County Weekly, which he founded — becomes editor of the merged Herald and Advertiser. 1912 — Brown sells the Herald and Advertiser to Rhodes McPhail, but the arrangement does not last and Brown returns with Ellis M. Carpenter as assistant. 1915 — The Herald and Advertiser absorbs another rival, the Newnan News, and the paper again becomes known as the Newnan Herald. 1928 — Oren William Passavant, who had been editor of the Herald and Advertiser in 1911-1912 in Brown’s absence, purchases the paper on Brown’s retirement. Passavant has been one of several business managers during Brown’s tenure, as were Edgar T. Whatley and Thomas S. Parrott. 1936 — Passavant sells to Hanson G. Ford. During four years operating the Herald, Ford’s wife, Dorothy Gardner Ford, a descendant of the Cole family, takes an active role in the newspaper. — Also in 1936, Evan W. Thomasson and his son James J. Thomasson start the rival Newnan Times. 1940 — Ford sells the Newnan Herald to George W. MacNabb and Victor D. Armstrong. Armstrong soon leaves to serve in the armed forces, and MacNabb continues as editor and business manager. WWII — The war years are difficult for everyone, including newspapers. A small staff of no more than five put out the Newnan Herald, according to memories from Sarah Parrott. Newsprint and ink are rationed. 1944 — The Newnan Herald achieves renown — receiving several Georgia Press Association awards, including first place for best editorial and best news coverage in 1944. 1946 — The Newnan Herald is acquired in October 1946 by the Thomassons, who publish the Herald and Times separately for another year. 1947 — On Dec. 24, 1947, the first edition of the combined newspaper, The Newnan TimesHerald, is published. — Also in 1947, TimesHerald owners E.W. and James Thomasson with Dan Manget Sr. start Newnan’s first radio station, WCOH (Welcome City of Homes). WCOH signs on the air Dec. 6, 1947. 1964 — The TimesHerald is one of the first newspapers in Georgia to switch to offset printing to allow more pictures and greater use of color. 1965 — The TimesHerald celebrates the paper’s 100th birthday with publication of the
See years, page 2
Technological changes expand paper’s presence By W. Winston Skinner winston@newnan.com During the past year, The Newnan Times-Herald has made changes that have taken the newspaper into the community — and expanded the newspaper’s presence on the Internet. Compared to many businesses, much of newspaper work has always taken place outside the walls of the office. Advertising representatives spend much of their time calling on area businesses, and news reporters and photographers plan their calendars around events, meetings and interviews that take place somewhere ot her t h a n 16 Jefferson St. W h e n i t c a m e t i m e to replace hardware and software at The Newnan Times-Herald a few months ago, most news staff got MacBookAir laptops to replace their old desktop computers. At the same time, the newspaper contracted to use SkyQue, an Internet-based system created by Mediaspan for storing and processing news stories and images. W hile readers see minimal difference in the finished product, news archives are no long on disks in the TimesHerald building but stored via Internet several states away. The “cloud” computing model — and the use of laptops — means reporters can do much of their work outside the newspaper office. S t a f f w r ite r S a r a h Fay Campbell is an unabashed fan of the laptop. “I can’t imagine doing my job without a laptop. No, that’s not true. I can imagine it — and that’s why I would hate to do it,” she said. Campbell has been using a laptop to take notes at meetings and events for almost 10 years. “It revolutionized things for me,” she said. “I never was very good at taking notes with pen and paper while people were talk-
Photo by Jeffrey Leo
Newnan Times-Herald Publisher Sam Jones and staff writer John Winters check some emailed police photos on Winters’ laptop computer. The laptops mean the newspapers’ news staff members are less tied to their desks. Both men also carry iPhones to help them stay connected.
ing. I could never get everything they said — not even close,” Campbell said. A long meeting could result i n a rep or ter ’s note b o ok with writing on every page. Looking for a specific quote or fact could be time-consuming and frustrating. “When my notes are typed out in front of me, searching them is so easy — and months or years later, I can call up the notes from a particular meeting and see exactly what was said,” she explained. Campbell said she can use quotes “with pinpoint accuracy” and has learned how to use her laptop to take notes while looking “an interview subject in the eye.” Campbell and other reporters f ind the laptop a godsend when there is an event
to be covered late at night or out of town. Usually Wi-Fi Internet service is available at a restaurant or other location, meaning the reporter can access SkyQue and write stories while miles away from Newnan. “I can write the story wherever I am,” Campbell said. Joey Howard, The Newnan Ti mes-Hera ld’s cla ssi f ied manager, also oversees the newspaper’s growing online presence. The newspaper’s Facebook page has quickly grown from about 800 “likes” to more than 1,100, and there are 575 followers on the TimesHerald’s Twitter feed. H o w a r d r i s e s e a rl y t o post links to stories on the Facebook page. Most content is posted to the website — times-herald.com — between
5 -7 p. m . , a nd t here of ten are links to photo galleries. Occasionally, he posts “maybe a story or two later in the day,” he said. Howard has been personally selecting items for Facebook since late July. Prior to that time, the page had an automated feed, which funneled only “straight hard news” links, he said. Now Howard tries to link to “a well-rounded blend” of stories selected specif ically to appeal to Facebook enthusiasts. He finds the Facebook readers are often interested in quirky stories that might not make the front page. A story about two churches that began collaborating because of a scheduling snafu with a summer food program attracted
several “likes” and a comment on Facebook. “This is a great opportunity to get a different audience,” Howard said. Facebook and Twitter provide a way to connect with someone who “is not a print subscriber.” Twitter messages are limited to 140 characters. The short, pithy format lends itself well to the 24-hour news cycle, Howard said. One of the first tweets every morning is a weather forecast. “Anytime we have any kind of weather issue out there, it goes on Twitter,” Howard said. The newspaper’s Twitter a nd Facebook pa ges “a re geared to send people to the website,” he explained. In addition to Facebook a nd Twitter links, times-herald. com offers easy links to: n coupons.com. This site offers a portal to coupons for groceries and other items. n MyConnection. A digital replica of the newspaper’s free total market coverage publication is now online. MyConnection has been distributed to non-subscribers for several years, but the content is now available to subscribers as well. n the new Newnan-Coweta Magazine website — newnancowetamag.com. The magazine, published six times a year, is distributed through the newspaper. n an upgraded photo gallery. Not only can photographs taken by the staff be purchased, but newspaper pages are now available in pdf format, as well. Ellen Corker, the news editor, noted subscribers get the paper delivered to the door as well as full access to the digital edition and a searchable database of stories. “Readers get a whole package,” she said. She noted readers who are out of town can easily keep up with the Coweta news using their computers.
Newspaper’s origin dates back to end of Civil War County in 1854. Before com-
By W. WINSTON SKINNER ing to Newnan, he founded the winston@newnan.com Henry County Weekly in 1877. C owe t a C o u n t y ’s l o c a l daily newspaper was formed through the combining of two older newspapers. The Newnan Herald was a Coweta institution for 70 years before The Newnan Times was established. The papers were competitors for a decade before they were combined. The Newnan Herald was founded by two attorneys, J.S. Bigby and J.C. Wootten, and the first issue came off the presses on Sept. 9, 1865 — exactly five months after the Civil Wa r ended. T he four-page weekly — the first paper started in Georgia after the Civil War — cost $3 per year and was published on Saturday. Soon after the first Herald hit the streets, Bigby — who became active in local politics — sold his interest in the paper to James A. Welch. Following t he de at h s of Welc h a nd Wootten, the Herald was edited by A.B. Cates, a native of Tennessee and a Confederate veteran. Cates ran the Herald until late 1886 or early 1887 when the Herald consolidated with the Coweta Advertiser, which had been published by W.W. Wad s wor t h , a Me t ho d i st minister. A fter t he merger of t he Herald and Wadsworth’s journal, the newspaper became known as The Herald and Advertiser. James E. Brown, who later became known as Judge Brown after his appointment as a U.S. Commissioner, became editor. He served for four decades and was known for his insightful editorials. Brown was born in Marion
“Coweta County Chronicles” related that Brown served as editor there until 1886 when he came to Newnan as editor of the Advertiser, coming to the Herald and Advertiser after the merger. Brown married a Newnan wom a n , K ate Milner, in 1883. In 1912, Brown sold the Herald and Advertiser to Rhodes McPhail “after h av i n g g u id ed its fortunes for nearly 2 5 ye a r s ,” a c c o r d i n g to Times-Herald “Chronicles.” president and The sale did not owner Billy last, however. Thomasson “ T h e H e r a l d people wanted James E. Brown a nd Ja mes E . B row n wa nte d to r e t u r n to h is acc ustomed place — wh ich he did wit h Ellis M . Carpenter as an assistant,” the county history reported. E.W. I n 191 5, t he Thomasson’s H e r a l d a n d father, J.J. Advertiser Thomasson, absorbed was also a another rival, newspaper t h e N e w n a n publisher. News, and the paper again became known as the Newnan Herald. “Chronicles” reported, “The owners of the News are part owners of the Herald, and the owners of the Herald happy to
Ida Thomasson, center, congratulates her husband, James Thomasson, left, and father-in-law, E.W. Thomasson, when they were presented with 50-year medals by the Georgia Press Association in 1972.
have devoured a troublesome rival.” Among those serving as busi ness m a n a ger du r i n g Brown’s tenure were Edgar T. Whatley, Thomas S. Parrott and Oren William Passavant. Passavant also served as editor in 1911 and 1912 in Brown’s absence. Passavant purchased the paper on Brown’s retirement in 1928, serving as editor until 1936. In 1933 the paper was cited for honorable mention in editorial competition. Passavant, who was born in Uniontown, Pa., in 1882, came to Newnan to live in 1906 and married Edgar Means North. The news staff in the early 1930s consisted of Passavant and a young woman named Roberta Lyndon, later Roberta Mayes of Atlanta. “I worked from 1934 until 1 9 3 6 — w h e n I c a m e to The Newnan Herald was a Coweta institution for 70 years before
The Newnan Times was established. The papers were competitors
See history, page 2 for a decade before they were combined.