The Opelika-Auburn News is a daily newspaper in Alabama, serving Opelika, Auburn, and the communities surrounding Lee County. With Mike Eads as the senior reporter, the newspaper serves to report local, weather, sports, and entertainment news within the areas.
History
The newspaper began as the weekly Opelika Industrial News, on September 11, 1890.[2] Its original publisher was Opelika Steam Print and Pub. Co.
The newspaper remained the Opelika Industrial News until May 30, 1904, when it began publication as the Opelika Daily News.[3]
In 1968, Millard B. Grimes, a well-known publisher and editor from Georgia, and fellow investors purchased the paper, changing its name to the Opelika-Auburn News in 1969. They then sold the paper in 1977 to the Thomson Corporation.[4][5] It was owned by the Thomson Corporation until 2000, when it was sold to Media General.[6][7]
In 1995, the News was awarded "Most Improved Daily Newspaper" by the Alabama Press Association. Additionally, the parent company purchased the competing Auburn Bulletin and Lee County Eagle that year.
In the early 2000s, the News was a member of a coalition of newspapers which brought suit against Auburn University to uncover financial misbehavior by trustees.[8]
In 2012, Media General sold most of its newspapers, including the Opelika-Auburn News, to Berkshire Hathaway.[9] Its most recent buyer, Lee Enterprises, purchased the newspaper in 2020.
Starting June 20, 2023, the print edition of the newspaper will be reduced to three days a week: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Also, the newspaper will transition from being delivered by a traditional newspaper delivery carrier to mail delivery by the U.S. Postal Service.[10]
Opelika-Auburn News is issued on paper and online, as well as on microfilm from Auburn University.
News Staff
The company loves to hire graduates from Auburn University Main Campus, with 48.4% of its employees having attended Auburn University Main Campus. Based in Alabama, Opelika-Auburn News is a small media company with only 72 employees and an annual revenue of $7.9M.
Awards
2018 Better Newspaper Contest - Alabama Press Association
Year
Award
Place
Recipient
2018
Best Editorial
1st
Troy Turner
2018
Best Human Interest Column
1st
Troy Turner
2018
Best News Photo
1st
Todd Van Emst
2018
Best One Time Special Section - Newsprint or Glossy
1st
Opelika-Auburn News
2018
Creative Use of Multimedia
1st
Opelika-Auburn News
References
^Lee Enterprises. "Form 10-K". investors.lee.net. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
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