PUBLICATIONS
The Metro Market Media portfolio includes both daily and weekly newspapers, magazines, specialty products and websites. Under the ownership of Charles Hill Morris Jr., Metro Market Media continues a Morris family tradition of bringing community journalism and advertising solutions to readers in Georgia and beyond.
The TImes
The Gainesville Daily Times' first issue came off a second hand flat-bed press in a former funeral home on a Sunday morning, Jan. 26, 1947. While there were doubts at times that first issue would make it, The Times' presses have never missed a run since.
The post-war years looked promising in Northeast Georgia, and founders Charles and Lessie Smithgall believed it was time for a daily newspaper based in Gainesville. Ray Hull was the first editor, and his main reporter was Sylvan Meyer, who soon became managing editor, then editor over two of the paper's most important decades.
The newspaper started with about 3,000 circulation, climbing to about 4,000 before the year was out.
In 1952, The Daily Times moved from its 303 Washington St. home around the block to 308 W. Spring St. WGGA-AM, also founded by Smithgall, shared the building, known as the Press-Radio Center. That same year, a fire struck the composing room, but the paper still came out that day with help from printers around town.
By 1957, the daily paper had grown enough to require a more modern rotary press that increased capacity from eight pages to 32 pages per press run.
The "Gainesville" in the newspaper's name was dropped during the first decade to reflect a broader coverage area.
As computers came to the newspaper industry and offset printing technology improved, The Times began planning a new facility, acquiring property on North Green Street across from the post office.
A new offset press was installed in the new building and the first paper printed on it was April 27, 1970. The building was dedicated on July 4 of that year.
"Daily" was dropped from the paper's name in 1972.
The Times was sold to Gannett Co. Inc. in 1981 and by the next year, Gannett had expanded the press to accommodate printing of USA Today for parts of the Southeast.
In 2004, The Times was acquired by Morris Multimedia Inc., a Georgia-based company that is one of the largest privately held media organizations in the United States. The company was founded by Charles H. Morris in Savannah, Georgia in 1970.
In 2018, The Times and its sister publications, Forsyth County News and Dawson County News, were purchased by Metro Market Media, a Gainesville-based company owned by Charles Hill Morris, Jr.
Today, through both The Times and gainesvilletimes.com, the newspaper remains committed to the same ideals as those of its founders, Charles and Lessie Smithgall. The newspaper strives each day to provide quality coverage of the news of the day, with a particular focus on Northeast Georgia.
The Gainesville Daily Times printed Sunday through Friday. A Saturday edition didn't begin until Jan. 23, 1988.
Forsyth County News
The Forsyth County News was founded in Cumming Georgia in 1908, by Joe Patterson, who sold the newspaper to Roy P. Otwell in 1927. Otwell combined the Forsyth County News with the North Georgian newspaper, and remained chief editor and owned the newspaper for 27 years.
Charles Smithgall Sr. purchased the Forsyth County News in 1954. He operated the paper for several years before selling it to News Corp in the 1970. At that time, News Corp published the Gwinnett Daily News, the Winder News and the Forsyth County News. Robert Fowler sold Nes Corp to The New York Times for 103 million dollars in 1987.
By 1984 Swartz-Morris Media had acquired both the Forsyth County News and the Forsyth Forum newspaper, merging the two into today's Forsyth County News. In 1998 the Forsyth County News moved to its current location at 302 Veteran's Memorial Boulevard in downtown Cumming.
In 2018, Forsyth County News and its sister publications, The Times and Dawson County News, were purchased by Metro Market Media, a Gainesville-based company owned by Charles Hill Morris, Jr.
For most of its history, the Forsyth County News was a weekly paper, but in the early 1980's a second publication date was added. A complete website came online in 2009. The paper currently provides two print and one electronic issue per week to residents of Forsyth County under the leadership of Publisher Stephanie Woody, Advertising Director Nathan Schutter, and Print Editor Brian Paglia.
More than just a newspaper, the Forsyth County News reaches Forsyth's largest media audience through digital and mobile platforms, as well as through video, magazines, social media and more.
With Forsyth County's only paid circulation local newspaper, the most-visited local media website and a host of niche magazines and publications, the FCN remains committed to informing and entertaining users across north Atlanta as Forsyth County's premier media outlet.
Dawson County News
The Dawson County News is a weekly, paid circulation publication located in the foothills of the beautiful north Georgia Mountains in historic downtown Dawsonville.
The paper is owned by Metro Market Media and is affiliated with the Forsyth County News and The Times (Gainesville).
Dawson County News is published each Wednesday and is delivered via the United States Postal Service and private carrier, as well as being available at many retail businesses.
"A Community Newspaper Serving Community Needs," the Dawson County News is dedicated to providing local citizens with accurate, balanced and fair coverage of news and events that affect the lives and the community in which they live, work and play. The paper also provides local businesses with affordable advertising targeted to the area residents that comprise their core customers. Popular special publications include the annual Moonshine Festival guide.
Dawson County News has received numerous accolades in the journalism field. It has won multiple advertising and editorial awards in annual competitions sponsored by the Georgia Press Association. The Dawson County News takes pride in being heavily involved in many community events and currently serves as the legal organ of Dawson County.
Caribbean Guides
The U.S. Virgin Islands have a special way of speaking to people's spirits. That's why the Caribbean is such a popular destination for Americans.
For more than 60 years our destination publications have been the go-to guides for visitors and locals wanting to know the best things to do, see and experience in the islands.
Founded by Margot Bachman in 1971, St. Thomas This Week has long been the premier guide to America's Paradise. In the 1980s she added a glossy yellow cover to the newsprint book that earned it the local nickname "The Yellow Book." During that time she bought St. Croix This Week aka "The Pink Sheet," which is still incredibly popular with visitors and locals after 50 years.
By the late 1990s Margot was ready to retire and she made a fateful connection with Charles H. Morris Sr. and the Morris family of Morris Multimedia. The Savannah, Ga.-based company is one the largest private media companies in the United States with newspapers, television stations, magazines and digital marketing agencies. Morris Caribbean Publications Inc. was formed to proudly continue the Bachman legacy of sharing the islands' allure, activities and culture throughout the U.S. Virgin Islands. That's when the magazine went to a full-color monthly glossy publication showcasing the Virgin Islands but kept the This Week moniker since the content is relevant to visitors whose average stay is a week. We also added St. John to the masthead and we became St. Thomas-St. John This Week magazine. We also added a vibrant destination website virginislandsthisweek.com that showcases all of the islands and also is home to e-editions of our beautiful publications.
In 2021, Charles Hill Morris, Jr., who has overseen USVI operations for many years, acquired the Caribbean division, which is now known as Metro Caribbean and continues to publish our popular and useful destinate guides as well as offer digital marketing services throughout the Caribbean.
Connect Savannah
Connect Savannah is a news and information media company that seeks to advocate for the greater Savannah community with unbiased, factual reporting, and community gatherings that enrich and enhance lives. We are the source for local news and information that inform readers. inspire transformative conversations and dialogue. With a forward-looking perspective, Connect Savannah aims to promote important coverage of stories that impact our local community.