Athens Banner-Herald

The Athens Banner-Heralds roots go back to the Athens Banner, first published on March 20, 1832, by Albon Chase and John Nisbet. In 1921, the Banner merged with the afternoon Herald, and was operated by Publisher Earl B. Braswell for the next 44 years. In 1965, The Advertiser -- an Athens weekly published by local businessman Claude Williams -- was being converted to a daily newspaper to challenge the Banner-Herald. The owners knew that the Banner-Herald would be up for sale soon (because of a stipulation in the owners will). On June 17, 1965, the first edition of the Athens Daily News rolled off the press. Just 32 days later, William and Charles Morris, who owned newspapers in Augusta and Savannah, purchased the Banner-Herald, and they immediately made an offer to also purchase the Daily News, but were rebuffed, and a newspaper battle emerged between the morning Daily News and afternoon Banner-Herald. But within a couple of years, the financial burden being carrie...