The Demopolis Times is a daily newspaper serving Demopolis, Alabama, with a current circulation of about 1,700.^[1] The current editor is Robert Blankenship.^[2] In 2018, the paper won six awards from the Alabama Press Association including a second-place finish for best business story or column in its class.^[3]

History

The paper was formed out of two competing 19th century papers: the Demopolis Express (1893) and the Demopolis Dispatch (1897). In 1905, both papers were bought by a group of investors, and by 1910 E. S. Cornish had begun editing the paper and was part-owner.^[4] With a brief hiatus early in his career (during which the paper was edited by C. A. VerBeck),^[5] Cornish would be associated with the paper until his death in 1936. Under his leadership, the paper went to linotype printing 1919, at a cost of three thousand dollars.^[6] In 1930, he asked his son-in-law, Ben George, to move back to Marengo County to eventually run the times. At the time, George had no newspaper experience, and he began work there as a linotype editor^[7]

The paper was sold to George and his wife Elizabeth in 1936.^[4] In 1941, the newspaper building and plant were destroyed by fire, doing an estimated fifteen thousand dollars worth of damage.^[8] In 1956, editor Ben George was elected president of the Alabama Press Association.^[9] He and Elizabeth sold the paper in 1967.^[4]

James Cannon was named publisher in 2008.^[10]

References