The Franklin Press is a weekly newspaper in Franklin, North Carolina, and Macon County. It is one of the largest and oldest newspapers in far-west North Carolina.
The print edition is published on Wednesdays and has a circulation of 6,000. The Press also publishes an annual medical directory and special sections.[2]
History
The Franklin Press was preceded by four other Macon County newspapers: the Macon Advance, The Franklin Observer, The Western Carolinian, and The Western Reporter. None of them lasted more than a few years. The Franklin Press was founded in 1886 by T.J. Christy of Athens, Georgia. Today it is the oldest extant business in Macon County.[2]
Shortly after its establishment the Press was sold to W.A. Curtis. Later owners included Bob Sloan and Jerue Babb, who started Community Newspapers, Inc. in the late 1960s.[2]
In 2003, the Franklin Press headquarters at Depot and Wayah streets was modernized. The newspaper's Franklin press also prints newspapers for the neighboring cities of Bryson City, Cashiers, Highlands, and Spruce Pine.[2]