Suburban newspaper publisher scales back print editions

By Associated Press

For the AJC

Southern Community Newspapers Inc. is scaling back the number of days it prints three of its metro Atlanta newspapers to focus on online news.

The Gwinnett Daily Post reports that it will move to a five-day-per-week print schedule, publishing Wednesday through Sunday. The Clayton News-Daily and Henry Daily Herald will be printed three days each week — Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

The three newspapers currently are published six days a week. The new publication schedules take effect the week of March 4.

Six of the seven newspapers owned by the company will be printed at a production facility at the Daily Post's building in Lawrenceville. The Gwinnett County plant already prints the Daily Post, the Rockdale Citizen and the Newton Citizen.

Company officials announced the changes Friday. Executive vice president Mike Gebhart said the move will make the company more efficient and help enhance its Internet presence.

"These initiatives for 2012 make us more efficient and strengthen us for the future," said J.K. Murphy, publisher of the Daily Post. "The print editions remain strong, but the Internet is full of potential. Moving forward, we must continue to exploit digital means of disseminating the news."

The Albany Herald will continue to be printed seven days a week in Albany.

The company also owns the Jackson Progress-Argus in Jackson. Southern Community Newspapers has 400 employees in metro Atlanta and Albany.