A hometown paper in Georgia has a new owner, and he is 25.

Evan Newton, a Monticello native, has purchased The Monticello News, the newspaper in his hometown of Monticello, Georgia. The paper was founded in 1881. The terms of the sale were not disclosed, and the purchase makes Newton one of the youngest newspaper owners in the nation.

Newton is a lifetime resident of Jasper County, Georgia, and graduated from Georgia College and State University with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication. He joined The Monticello News as an intern for part of 2023 before becoming news editor at The Covington News in a neighboring town.

Now, as Newton wrote in a recent LinkedIn post, he is “coming home.”

“It is the greatest honor of my professional career to become the new owner of The Monticello News,” Newton said in a statement. “From growing up as an avid reader, to getting my professional start as an intern, to becoming the owner, it’s truly a full-circle moment.”

Newton told Good Good Good that previous owner Kathy Mudd was looking to retire.

Mudd began working at the paper in the summer of 1975, a few months after her parents, Bill and Chris Hughes, purchased it. She worked alongside her parents until her mother’s death and her father’s retirement, then purchased the paper from him in the late 1990s.

“She had courted my interest in buying the paper a few times, but we both thought that now was the right time,” Newton told Good Good Good.

Newton will now serve as publisher and editor, in addition to owner.

“I’m excited for this opportunity for The News,” Mudd said in a statement. “Evan appreciates and respects the value of the print edition, while recognizing that in this digital age, he must have something to offer those who prefer electronic news. Look for big things from this young man!”

Newton said the growing trend of local news consolidation was a major factor in his decision to buy the paper. More than 50 percent of the roughly 670 daily newspapers in the United States are now owned by a small handful of large parent companies.

“The paper I worked at was actually just purchased by a large conglomerate from independent ownership,” Newton said. “While I think the new owners are great people, it certainly made me look in the mirror about where local journalism could be headed. I knew that I had an opportunity to do something about this instead of [sitting] on the sidelines. It was at this point I knew I had to make this move.”

The Monticello News prints a weekly paper and offers 24/7 online coverage. It also serves as the official legal organ of Monticello, Shady Dale, Hillsboro, and Jasper County.

“For me, local ownership is so important in community journalism. I think that local ownership aspect is what drives a larger trust in local media as opposed to the mainstream media,” Newton said. “Our readers can find me at the grocery store, or see me at a local event and ask questions or talk about what’s happening around town. You don’t get that with a large ownership group.”

Newton said he wants to expand the paper’s digital offerings.

“Priority No. 1 on the editorial side is to get up to speed digitally. While I think the print product has a strong shelf life, we live in a digital age now,” Newton said. “Upping our website and social media presence is key. I also am ushering in the paper’s first redesign in well over two decades. This will include more community-based stories, a larger emphasis on local sports, and more interactive elements that keeps readers engaged.”

He said the change has been “a bit surreal.”

“I’ve only been in the journalism industry for three years, and I would’ve never dreamed about anything like this. I’m humbled to have made history in an industry I love so much,” Newton said. “As important as the accomplishment is, it’s in vain if we aren’t serving our readers, subscribers, and advertisers. It’s my mission every single day to ensure we deliver the best quality product for them.”

Newton said attention to his LinkedIn post from journalists and readers across the country made him “even more fired up and excited.”

“Filling the shoes of the Hughes family will be no easy task, and I am incredibly humbled to be taking over for a family that has embodied the true definition of community journalism,” Newton said in a statement. “But make no mistake about it, I’m here to make sure that The News not only survives, but thrives for years to come.”

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