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# Kentucky company purchases 9 weeklies in Western NC and North Georgia
- URL: https://down-ballot.info/kentucky-company-purchases-9-weeklies-in-western-nc-and-north-georgia/
- Published: 2026-06-03T21:49:46.000Z
- Updated: 2026-06-03T21:49:46.000Z
- Author: Ben Ledbetter
- Tags: Newspapers, North Carolina, Georgia, Western North Carolina, Paxton Media

**Down Ballot Staff Reports**

Kentucky-based [Paxton Media Group](https://www.paxtonmedia.com/?ref=down-ballot.info) purchased nine newspapers from Georgia-based [Community Newspapers, Inc](https://www.cninewspapers.com/?ref=down-ballot.info). 

The [weekly publications](https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/paxton-media-group-acquires-nine-titles-from-community-newspapers-inc,260931?ref=down-ballot.info) included in the sale are The Franklin Press (NC), The Highlander (NC), Mitchell News-Journal (NC), Smoky Mountain Times (NC), Clay County Progress (NC), Cherokee Scout (NC), The Graham Star (NC), The News Observer (GA), and Times-Courier (GA).

According to a [news release from the North Carolina Press Association](https://ncpress.com/stories/new-publisher-over-8-newspapers,2952?ref=down-ballot.info), Rachel Hoskins, longtime publisher of the *Franklin Press*, has been named the regional publisher over Paxton's newspapers in Bryson City, Franklin, Hayesville, Highlands, Murphy and Robbinsville in North Carolina as well as the two publications in Georgia.