Morris Multimedia trades papers with Gannett

By JAMES CLARK / Editor for the Southern Standard (McMinnville, Tenn.)

FRYAR

Morris Multimedia has swapped two of its major newspapers in Middle Tennessee for a Gannett-owned daily newspaper in Georgia.

The deal leaves the Southern Standard and Smithville Review as the only Morris Multimedia newspapers left in Tennessee.

“I think it will have very minimal impact on the Standard and Smithville Review,” said Morris Multimedia regional vice president Ron Fryar, who will continue in that capacity. “I think it’s going to be business as usual for those newspapers.”

The transaction, which was announced Monday, gives Gannett the Daily News Journal (circulation 15,000) in Murfreesboro and The Review Appeal (circulation 6,800) in Franklin. Morris Multimedia receives The Times (circulation 20,100) in Gainesville, and several non-daily publications in the Gainesville area. Gannett also acquires two weekly Midstate newspapers: The Sun and The Rutherford Courier.

Morris Multimedia president and CEO Charles Morris said, “This was a strategic move that makes sense for both companies, allowing Morris Multimedia, Inc. to strengthen further its cluster of Georgia properties, while doing the same for Gannett in the Middle Tennessee region.”

Morris founded Morris Multimedia in 1970. Today the company operates 35 daily and weekly newspapers and 49 specialty publications, as well as four network-affiliated TV stations, in eight states and the Caribbean. Morris Multimedia is headquartered in Savannah, Ga.

Gannett already owned The Tennessean, which was a major competitor for the Daily News Journal and The Review Appeal. That battle intensified in recent years as The Tennessean began inserting a Williamson A.M. section in its Franklin-area papers to directly compete with The Review Appeal.

Gannett publishes 101 daily newspapers in the United States, including USA Today, the nation’s largest-selling daily newspaper. The company also owns more than 500 non-daily publications.

In announcing the transaction, Gannett also made two management changes. Judi Terzotis, general manager of Gannett’s Middle Tennessee Community Newspaper Group, will be president and publisher of the Daily News Journal.

Michael Giangreco, general manager of The Tennessean’s Williamson A.M. section, will have the added responsibility of general manager of The Review Appeal.