Industry News

News about and for Texas newspapers.

Martin County Messenger continues publishing, owned by Dillard family
MARTIN COUNTY - Martin County Messenger readers concerned about the future of their hometown newspaper following the death of long-time publisher and owner Bob Dillard have learned that the Dillard family will continue to publish the newspaper.
Dillard’s widow Christi and sons Luke and Tate Dillard will continue to own the newspaper, while 15-year employee David Butler will take over as publisher.
“We are going to keep our print day the same and put the paper out on Thursday,” said Butler. “Our only change will be we will try to have the paper on the newsstands and in the post office boxes before noon each Thursday.”
The first newspaper in Martin County was the Marienfeld News, published by A. Rawlins from 1887 until the early 1890s.
The Stanton Courier was first issued in 1904 with J. LeRoy Lancaster as editor; a little over a year later it was replaced by the Stanton Reporter, which was in publication until 1984, when it became the Martin County News.
The owners of the Martin County News would change hands several times over the next seven years. Dillard purchased the newspaper in 1991 and changed the name to Martin County Messenger.

Victoria Advocate plans move ‘home’ to original downtown location 
VICTORIA – The Victoria Advocate is leasing space in a building located at the newspaper’s original location.
The 173 year-old newspaper first began business in a small, one-story frame building on the northeast corner of One O’Connor Plaza, where the newspaper will move by the end of the year. The company has signed a 10-year lease agreement for the top floor of One O’Connor Plaza.
The Advocate has operated in at least 12 locations in downtown Victoria since its establishment in 1846. It has been at its current home, 311 East Constitution Street, for 70 years. The building, listed for sale through Woolson Real Estate Co. in February, was sold in July to the Victoria County government through a $1.1 million grant from the Rebuild Texas Fund. More than one-third of the Constitution Street building’s space will be used as a disaster recovery and response center by the Victoria County Long-Term Recovery Group, which has helped thousands of families rebuild their homes after Hurricane Harvey.
“We plan to make new history in the new building,” said Chris Cobler, the Advocate’s editor and publisher.
One O’Connor Plaza, at 101 W. Goodwin Ave., was built in 1984. The 167,000 square-foot building was purchased in 2009 by Austin-based real estate firm Kemp Properties and is now owned by KPG commercial, another Austin commercial real estate agency. Previously occupied by restaurants, the 12th floor is being remodeled to accommodate the newspaper offices. The space is touted as having the best views of Victoria.

Hemphill newspaper owner resumes publisher role 
HEMPHILL – Management of the Sabine County Reporter is now back in the hands of long-time owner Stephanie Corley.
Brandy Meurer will continue as editor of the newspaper.
Corley began working for The Reporter n 1981 and purchased the newspaper in 1993. Corley said there will be more changes in coming weeks.
The Sabine County Reporter began publication in Hemphill in 1883. It merged with the San Augustine Rambler in the mid 1980s.

Big Bend Sentinel launches new website, features
MARFA – The Big Bend Sentinel recently launched an updated website, www.bigbendsentinel.com.
The site offers readers new tools to submit letters to the editor and send in news tips as well as browse the archives and read the latest in news and opinions from across the Big Bend region. 
Owners Maisie Crow and Max Kabat say that more reader engagement opportunities are planned.

San Antonio Association of Hispanic Journalists honors Antonio Guillen
SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Association of Hispanic Journalists awarded the Henry Guerra Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Journalism to Antonio Guillen, five-time Emmy award-winning journalist for Univision 41.
His father, also named Antonio Guillen, spent his career working for Mexican newspapers. As a student the younger Guillen often shadowed reporters as they covered their beats.
He first studied biochemical engineering but later changed his major. He graduated from the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara’s journalism school and began his newspaper career.
He joined Univision 41 in San Antonio in 1989. He was host of the award-winning weekly program “Tu Capitolio.” He has won five Emmy awards out of eight nominations and has two Telly Awards for excellence in journalism.

TLC analysis of proposed constitutional amendments is available now
The Texas Legislative Council has released an analysis of the proposed constitutional amendments on the Nov. 5 general election ballot.
For use by newspapers leading up to the election, the analysis is available on the TPA website. Click here.
The proposed amendments are the result of 10 joint resolutions passed by the 86th Texas Legislature. If approved by a majority of voters, the proposed amendments become part of the constitution.

National Newspaper Week set
Oct. 6 through 12 is National Newspaper Week, an annual observance sponsored by the Newspaper Association Managers (NAM) to recognize the service of newspapers to their communities.
Since 1940, the observance has started on the first Sunday in October. To help local newspapers celebrate, materials such as guest columns, editorial cartoons and a logo will be available soon on the website, www.nationalnewspaperweek.com.
Each generation, the value of local newspapers is affirmed. Recent studies have shown the what happens when communities lose local newspapers - more partisan politics, lower voter turn out, less trust in government and lower bond rates are just some of the effects. National Newspaper Week gives newspapers the opportunity to remind readers of the importance of local, independent news.