Morris Communications
| File:Morris Communications logo.png | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Media |
| Founded | 1945 |
| Founder | William S. Morris Jr. |
| Headquarters | Augusta, Georgia |
Key people |
|
| Products | Magazines |
| Website | morris |
Morris Communications, based in Augusta, Georgia, operates as a privately owned media enterprise with a broad portfolio that includes magazine publishing, outdoor advertising, book publishing and distribution, visitor-oriented publications, and digital services.[1]
The company manages Morris Media Network, which features a range of city and niche magazines including travel-related titles. Prominent publications under its umbrella are Alaska Magazine, American Angler, Skirt!, The Milepost, Western Horseman, alongside the Where series.[2]
It is important to note that Morris Communications is separate from Morris Multimedia, which was established by another member of the Morris family.
History
William S. Morris Jr., the company's founder, began his media career in 1929 as a bookkeeper at The Augusta Chronicle. In 1945, he and his wife purchased shares in the paper and founded Southeastern Newspapers, Inc.[3] By 1955, they had full ownership of the Chronicle and expanded their holdings by acquiring the Augusta Herald. Their son, William S. "Billy" Morris III, joined the business in 1956, took on the role of President in 1966, and the company was renamed Morris Communications Corp. in 1970.[4]
The firm diversified into radio, television, and newspaper markets across Alaska, Florida, and Texas. In 1983, it acquired Florida Publishing Co., which owned The Florida Times-Union and The St. Augustine Record. The outdoor advertising segment was initiated with Naegele Outdoor Advertising in 1985, which was rebranded as Fairway Outdoor Advertising in 1991. Further expansion occurred in 1995 by purchasing Stauffer Communications in Kansas, adding newspapers and broadcast outlets.
Entering the travel guide sector began with Best Read Guide Franchise Corp in 1997; subsequently it incorporated Guest Informant (2001), London-based The London Guide, and NBC's be IN series. The acquisition of the Where brand followed in 2004. The UK branch, Morris Publications Ltd., was established in 1998 after acquiring London's Cadogan Guides and later bought London This Week, which was renamed London Planner.[4]
In 2001, the company created Morris Publishing Group (MPG) as a wholly owned subsidiary to oversee its newspaper operations comprising twelve daily newspapers along with multiple community publications.[4] In 2017, MPG’s assets were sold to GateHouse Media for $120 million.[5] This transaction included significant newspapers such as Augusta Chronicle, Savannah Morning News, Athens Banner-Herald, Florida Times-Union, St. Augustine Record, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, Amarillo Globe-News, Topeka Capital-Journal, Log Cabin Democrat, Juneau Empire, and Peninsula Clarion.[6]
Challenges
Confronted with the downturn in the newspaper sector, Morris Communications implemented salary reductions in 2009 as a measure to prevent workforce reductions. The following year, Morris Publishing Group initiated a pre-arranged Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, burdened with $415 million in liabilities.
On May 18, 2015, Morris divested its portfolio of 36 radio stations to Alpha Media, signaling a deliberate retreat from the broadcasting arena. Subsequently, an internal email that surfaced publicly exposed attempts to steer editorial content towards certain political objectives, prompting ethical debates and affecting the company’s public standing.
In 2004, Morris pursued an antitrust case against the PGA Tour, accusing it of monopolistic conduct regarding the distribution and live reporting of golf scores. The judiciary ruled in favor of the PGA Tour, acknowledging legitimate commercial reasons behind its policies.
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