About Us
The history of our news organization can be traced back to 1916. Since then we have reflected °®¶¹´«Ã½ and its growth.
The °®¶¹´«Ã½ Times was the first newspaper to serve °®¶¹´«Ã½. Like many °®¶¹´«Ã½ers, it had its beginnings elsewhere. Printed weekly as the "Progress," at first in Johnson City and delivered here, the °®¶¹´«Ã½ Times was read in 1916 by the residents of an area incorporated the following year as the City of °®¶¹´«Ã½. It later started semi-weekly editions and thrived with the prospering city. Daily publication began in 1924.
In 1938, a group of stockholders headed by C.P. Edwards Jr. bought the newspaper, and Edwards became president. In 1942, publication of the morning °®¶¹´«Ã½ °®¶¹´«Ã½ was started.
In its earlier days, the publishing firm, located on Market Street, employed a staff of 14 and operated a commercial printing plant as a sideline. But just as °®¶¹´«Ã½ was growing beyond its corporate limits, the newspaper had outgrown its earlier quarters and expanded to three downtown buildings.
Sandusky °®¶¹´«Ã½papers Inc. purchased the Times-°®¶¹´«Ã½ from Edwards in 1962.
Since 1970, the newspaper has been produced at the °®¶¹´«Ã½ Publishing Corporation's plant and offices at 701 Lynn Garden Drive, and the °®¶¹´«Ã½ Times-°®¶¹´«Ã½ has continued to record the °®¶¹´«Ã½ region's progress.
The °®¶¹´«Ã½ began 2020 under a new company name – Six Rivers Media, LLC.
Former owner Sandusky °®¶¹´«Ã½papers Inc. sold all properties outside Northeast Tennessee, thus the formation of the new company with a name more reflective of the paper's local ownership and presence.
Principals in the new company are David Rau, Allen Rau (who lives in the Tri-Cities) and Madeline Rau. Allen serves as CEO. Ron Waite, publisher of the Times °®¶¹´«Ã½ and Johnson City Press, is president of Six Rivers Media.
In addition to the Times °®¶¹´«Ã½ and the Press, The Erwin Record, Jonesborough Herald & Tribune, Mountain City Tomahawk, and Six Rivers Digital round out Six Rivers Media.