Athens Banner Herald

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Athens Banner-Herald
Type	Daily newspaper
Format	Broadsheet

Owner	Morris Communications
Publisher	Jeff Wilson
Editor	Jason Winders
Founded	1921 (as the Athens Banner-Herald)
Headquarters	Athens, Georgia

Website: The Athens Banner-Herald's official site

The Athens Banner-Herald is a 32,000 circulation newspaper in Athens, Georgia owned by Morris Communications.

The newspaper traces its history to the Southern Banner newspaper that first published on March 20, 1832.

In 1921, the newspaper merged with the Athens Herald to become the Athens Banner-Herald. Earl Braswell served as the newspaper's publisher, a position he held until 1965. That same year, Billy and Charles Morris purchased the newspaper.

On June 17, 1965, the weekly Athens Advertiser began publishing as the Athens Daily News, competing with the afternoon Athens Banner-Herald. Glenn Vaughn wrote in Athens Daily News' first editorial page: "Our goal is to produce a daily newspaper that will be equal to this magnificent community." Lewis Grizzard served as one of the newspaper's first sports writers.

On December 24, 1967, the Morris family, which owned the Athens Banner-Herald bought the Athens Daily News. At first, the Athens Daily News and the Athens Banner-Herald competed against each other through the 1970s. The two papers operated as a morning and an afternoon paper until they merged in 2001. Eventually, the two staffs of the two newspapers merged.

In the 2001, Athens Daily News stopped publishing, leaving the Athens Banner-Herald as Athens only daily newspaper.

In 1991, the newspaper, along with the Athens Daily News, moved into its new office located at the corner of Thomas and Broad streets. The building, still the home of the Athens Banner-Herald is known as The News Building.

In 1996, the newspapers started a Web page, Athenaeum. The following year, the newspaper started OnlineAthens.com, its current Web page.

The newspaper routinely wins awards in Georgia Press Association and Georgia Associated Press competitions, including taking home Story of the Year honors in 2002, 2004 and 2006.