By Staff Reporters Published by the Columbia Journalism Review (Enriched Feature) Main Facts: A New Era for the Monticello News In an era defined by the relentless contraction of local news, corporate media conglomerates buying up independent outlets, and newsrooms turning into digital ghost towns, a 25-year-old in rural Georgia is proving that community journalism is far from dead. It just needed a fresh approach. Evan Newton, a film student turned journalist, recently took the plunge of a lifetime: he purchased his hometown weekly newspaper, the Monticello News, becoming its editor, publisher, and sole full-time employee. Operating out of a quirky, compact red house just off the town square in Monticello, Georgia, Newton has assumed the heavy mantle of local reporting. He acts simultaneously as the publication’s chief reporter, opinion columnist, and graphic designer, sharing an open-plan workspace with a modest two-person part-time staff who manage advertising, legal notices, and occasional writing. Rather than leaning into the doom-and-gloom narrative surrounding print media, Newton turned to short-form video. His debut announcement on TikTok—optimistically declaring, "I’m a twenty-five-year-old who just bought my local newspaper, and here’s my first edition"—amassed over 5,600 views. That single digital interaction outperformed the paper’s entire traditional print circulation across Jasper County (roughly 2,000 copies) by more than double. Within just six weeks of taking the reins, Newton’s fusion of old-school reporting and digital-age marketing yielded a remarkable 30 percent spike in combined print and digital subscriptions. By bridging the generational gap through social media summaries, Newton is successfully converting digital scrollers into tangible readers, redefining what it means to run a hyper-local newspaper in the twenty-first century. Chronology: From Film Student to Rural Media Mogul The Early Spark and Internship Evan Newton’s path to newspaper ownership was hardly a straight line. A few years ago, while studying at Georgia College & State University, his primary creative passion was film rather than print journalism. However, everything shifted when he secured an internship at the Monticello News. During his time as an intern, Newton discovered an unexpected affinity for unearthing and covering local stories—the heartbeat of a small community. His enthusiasm and natural work ethic left a lasting impression on the paper’s then-owner, Kathy Mudd, whose family had proudly owned and operated the publication since 1975. Two years prior to the sale, Mudd recognized Newton’s potential and first approached him about taking over the paper. At the time, however, Newton felt unequipped for the immense responsibility. Gaining Experience at the Covington News Declining the initial offer, Newton sought out broader industry experience. He took a position as the managing editor of the Covington News, a larger publication serving an adjacent county. Working within a high-pressure newsroom environment gave Newton a front-row seat to the systemic vulnerabilities plaguing modern journalism. Witnessing firsthand how small, independent newspapers were increasingly swallowed up by massive corporate conglomerates—stripping them of their local voice and identity—sharpened his perspective. It was during this period of industry turbulence that Kathy Mudd reached out once more, signaling that she was ready to retire at age seventy and offering him a deal to purchase the paper. Armed with newfound leadership experience and an acute awareness of what was at stake for independent media, Newton accepted. The Acquisition and Viral Debut Utilizing his personal savings and entering into an owner-financing agreement with Mudd, Newton officially became the publisher of the Monticello News. This past summer, he launched his inaugural edition, broadcasting his journey to the world via TikTok. The viral video not only put Jasper County back on the cultural map but also served as the catalyst for an immediate surge in community engagement and subscriber growth. Supporting Data: By the Numbers To understand the magnitude of Newton’s early success, one must examine the operational and financial metrics driving the Monticello News under his leadership: Age of Publisher: 25 years old. Circulation Baseline: Historically around 2,000 print copies distributed across Jasper County. TikTok Announcement Reach: Over 5,600 views within weeks of posting—shattering the baseline print circulation metrics. Subscription Growth: A staggering 30 percent increase in combined print and digital subscriptions achieved within just the first six weeks of Newton’s tenure. Staffing Structure: 1 Full-Time Employee (Newton: reporter, columnist, designer, editor, publisher). 2 Part-Time Employees (one handling ad sales; one managing legal notices and occasional writing). Primary Revenue Streams: Reader subscriptions, advertising sales, and public legal notices. Office Space: A cozy, unconventional headquarters located in a small red house off the town square (shared with a residential tenant upstairs). Official Responses: What the Mentors and Communities Say The transition of power at the Monticello News has been met with widespread community enthusiasm and the enthusiastic endorsement of its former leadership. Kathy Mudd, whose family guarded the paper’s journalistic integrity for nearly half a century, expressed zero regrets about passing the torch to her young successor. "He’s young, he’s energetic, and he has a passion for it," Mudd remarked, reflecting on why she originally singled him out. Mudd noted that she is ultimately glad Newton waited to gain crucial industry experience at the Covington News before taking over. While she occasionally drops by the office to offer friendly advice—joking that "he’s still got a learning curve, and I’m going to go in today and make a couple of suggestions"—she remains thoroughly impressed by his work ethic. "He’s doing a terrific job," Mudd added. "People really like the paper." The community has reciprocated that sentiment. Newton recounted an encounter at a local high school football game where a teenager walked up to him, admitting, "I didn’t even know that Monticello had a paper, and now I’m trying to get one every week." Addressing those who might view local reporting as mundane, Newton offered a sharp, defining philosophy for his career: "I was asked the other day if local journalism was boring, and I was like, ‘It may be boring, but it’s necessary.’" Implications: The Future of Independent and Hyper-Local Journalism Newton’s early triumph at the Monticello News offers a vital blueprint for the survival of community newspapers across the United States. As large media conglomerates strip-mine local newsrooms for short-term profits, leaving vast swaths of America as "news deserts," independent micro-publishers are demonstrating that grassroots engagement can fill the void. 1. Reaching the Next Generation One of the greatest challenges facing print journalism is generational disconnection. Younger demographics rarely pick up physical newspapers or visit traditional news websites. By utilizing platforms like TikTok to offer digestible summaries of print editions, Newton has successfully bridged this divide. He has proven that social media does not have to be the enemy of print; instead, it can serve as a powerful top-of-funnel marketing tool to drive younger audiences toward substantive, long-form community reporting. 2. The Power of Hyper-Local Exclusivity In an era dominated by hyper-nationalized, 24-hour cable news cycles and algorithmic social media feeds, regional stories often fall through the cracks. Newton points out that residents won’t find out about vital municipal developments—such as local crime updates, the opening of a new Domino’s, or major data center developments—on regional television broadcasts or large-city metropolitan newspapers like those in Atlanta. "You’re not going to be able to find out what’s going on in Jasper County on any of the TV stations or in the Atlanta paper. But you’re going to find out about it here," Newton emphasizes. 3. A Call to Action for Aspiring Publishers Far from viewing his venture as an isolated anomaly, Newton hopes to scale his business model, with ambitions to eventually acquire multiple local newspapers and hire additional full-time reporting staff. His advice to other aspiring journalists and entrepreneurs looking at struggling local institutions is direct and uncompromising: "If they had any interest, either in local journalism or if they wanted to go out and buy their local paper, just do it. I mean, it’s a lot of hard work, but just go out and do it. Be a part of what’s going on." As the American media landscape navigates profound structural transformations, the story of Evan Newton and the Monticello News serves as a powerful reminder that when local journalism is paired with youthful energy, modern digital literacy, and an unwavering commitment to the community, it can not only survive—it can thrive. 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