Expansion and Diversification of Coverage
-
In the early twentieth century, most newspaper publishers in Georgia began investing in linotype machines to increase the efficiency of their typesetting procedures. This illustration of a linotype was printed in the May 10, 1912, issue of the Walker County Messenger shortly after the paper purchased one for use in their office.
Courtesy of Georgia Newspaper Project, Georgia Historic Newspapers.
-
A cartoon from the June 10, 1921, issue of the Henry County Weekly reflecting the devastation Georgia farmers were experiencing due to boll weevil infestations at the time. Cartoons like these were increasingly common in Georgia newspapers in the early twentieth century.
Courtesy of Georgia Newspaper Project, Georgia Historic Newspapers.
-
Students established school newspapers across Georgia in the early twentieth century, including the Colonnade at the Georgia State College for Women in Milledgeville. Famed writer Flannery O'Connor served as a cartoonist for the paper in the 1940s while attending the college.
Courtesy of Russell Library. Special Collections, Colonade.
-
Masthead from the June 14, 1935, issue of the Southern Israelite. The paper served as a voice for the Jewish community in Atlanta through most of the twentieth century and continues publication today as the Atlanta Jewish Times.
Courtesy of William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum, Georgia Historic Newspapers.
The twentieth century brought continued growth and change to print journalism in Georgia. By 1917, Georgia could boast 35 daily newspapers and 275 weekly newspapers—more than any other southern state. This expansion also included specialized newspapers intended to serve more targeted audiences, including student papers that covered events on campuses statewide. Publishers also established newspapers like the Southern Israelite, which served the Jewish population in Atlanta, to report on the affairs of religious minorities in the state. African American newspapers also expanded their presence in Georgia, among them the Atlanta World (later Atlanta Daily World), established in 1928. Expanding technologies further contributed to a diversified readership, as publishers were increasingly able to afford a variety of new features, including larger headlines, illustrations, photography, cartoons, crossword puzzles, and visually appealing ads. These features enlivened newspaper content and attracted readers whose attention was being pulled toward other forms of media, including radio and later television.