Simone Lawson
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) is a daily newspaper based in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. It was formed in 2001 through the merger of The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta Constitution, which had been purchased by James Middleton Cox in 1950. The AJC has been described by some as having a Lean Left bias, with its editorial positions lightly skewing liberal. However, other sources rate it as having a middle bias. The newspaper has won several Pulitzer Prizes and is considered a leader among Southern papers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Bias rating | Lean Left, Left-Center Biased, or Moderate Liberal Bias |
| Political spectrum | Moderately liberal |
| Bias meter value | -2.00 |
| Overall rating | Slightly Left-Center Biased |
| Factual reporting rating | High |
| Country Freedom rating | Mostly Free |
| Media type | Newspaper |
| Traffic/Popularity | High |
| Credibility rating | High |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's history
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) is a daily newspaper based in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. It was formed through the merger of The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta Constitution in 2001, ending separate publications of the morning Constitution and the afternoon Journal. The two newsrooms had been combined in 1982, and the papers had published a combined edition on weekends and holidays for several years prior to the merger.
The Atlanta Constitution was founded in 1868 when Carey Wentworth Styles, James H. Anderson, and W.A. Hemphill purchased the Atlanta Daily Opinion and renamed it. In October 1876, the newspaper was renamed The Daily Constitution before settling on the name The Atlanta Constitution in September 1881. During the 1880s, editor Henry W. Grady was a spokesman for the "New South", advocating for industrial development and the founding of Georgia Tech in Atlanta. The Constitution became known for its outstanding editors, including Clark Howell and Ralph McGill, and was regarded as the "voice of the New South". McGill, editor of the Constitution in the 1940s, was one of the few southern newspaper editors to support the American Civil Rights Movement.
The Atlanta Journal was established in 1883 and was founded by E. F. Hoge, who sold the paper to Atlanta lawyer Hoke Smith in 1887. After the Journal supported presidential candidate Grover Cleveland in the 1892 election, Smith was named Secretary of the Interior by the victorious Cleveland. The Journal was purchased by James Middleton Cox in 1950, who already owned the Constitution and other papers. Cox Enterprises, the current owner of the AJC, brought both newspapers under one ownership, combining sales and administrative offices.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has won several Pulitzer Prizes over the years. The Constitution's Doug Marlette won the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning in 1988, while Editorial cartoonist Mike Luckovich received Pulitzer Prizes in 1995 and 2006. Cynthia Tucker received a Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 2007.
Namibian Constitution: Freedom of Religion Explained
You may want to see also
The newspaper's merger with The Atlanta Journal
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) is an American daily newspaper based in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia, and is the flagship publication of Cox Enterprises. The newspaper is the result of the merger between The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta Constitution, with the two staffs combining in 1982.
The Atlanta Constitution was founded in 1868 when Carey Wentworth Styles, James H. Anderson, and W.A. Hemphill purchased the Atlanta Daily Opinion and renamed it. In 1876, the newspaper was renamed The Daily Constitution, before settling on The Atlanta Constitution in 1881. The Atlanta Journal was founded in 1883 by E. F. Hoge, who sold the paper to Atlanta lawyer Hoke Smith in 1887. In 1939, the Journal was sold to James Middleton Cox, the founder of Cox Enterprises.
Cox Enterprises bought the Constitution in 1950, bringing both newspapers under the same ownership. The merger required major adjustments due to Federal Communications Commission "duopoly" regulations, which disallowed owning more than one AM, FM, or TV station in a given market. This resulted in the shutdown of some stations, including WCON and the original WSB-FM. Despite the merger, the two newspapers maintained separate newsrooms and publications until 2001, with the Journal leading the Constitution in terms of subscribers. In November 2001, the two papers merged to produce a single daily morning paper, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has won several Pulitzer Prizes over the years. Notable editors include Ralph McGill, who was a supporter of the American Civil Rights Movement, and Julia Wallace, who became the first female editor of the newspaper in 2002.
Georgia's Constitution: Term Limits for Governors?
You may want to see also
Its editorial stance and political leanings
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) is a daily newspaper based in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. It was formed in 2001 from the merger of two newspapers, The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta Constitution, which had published a combined edition on weekends and holidays for several years prior to the merger.
The Atlanta Constitution was founded in 1868 when Carey Wentworth Styles, James H. Anderson, and W.A. Hemphill purchased the Atlanta Daily Opinion and renamed it. In the late 1870s and 1880s, the paper became famous for the editorials of its editor, Henry W. Grady, who was a spokesman for the "New South", encouraging industrial development. The paper was also regarded as the "voice of the New South" due to its outstanding editors, including Grady, Clark Howell, and Ralph McGill, who was one of the few southern newspaper editors to support the American Civil Rights Movement.
The Atlanta Journal was established in 1883 and was purchased by Hoke Smith in 1887. Smith later became Secretary of the Interior after the paper supported Grover Cleveland in the 1892 election.
In terms of its editorial stance and political leanings, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has been described as having a slight to moderate liberal bias. It has been rated as "Lean Left" by AllSides, indicating that it displays media bias that moderately aligns with liberal, progressive, or left-wing thought and/or policy agendas. Similarly, Media Bias/Fact Check rates the publication as slightly left-center biased, with editorial positions that lightly skew liberal. The publication has also been praised for its high level of factual reporting, proper sourcing, and a clean fact-checking record. Ad Fontes Media, on the other hand, rates AJC in the Middle category of bias and as Reliable, Analysis/Fact Reporting in terms of reliability.
The Foundation of Constitutional Criminal Justice Procedure
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Awards and recognition received by the publication
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has received various awards and recognition over the years. In 1988, the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning was awarded to the Constitution's Doug Marlette. Editorial cartoonist Mike Luckovich received Pulitzer Prizes in 1995 and 2006. Cynthia Tucker received a Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 2007. In 1993, Mike Toner received the Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting for his series about organisms and their resistance to antibiotics and pesticides. In 1989, Bill Dedman received the Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting for his exposé on racial discrimination. The publication has also been recognised with the Al Neuharth Innovation in Investigative Journalism Award and the Knight Award for Public Service in 2017. Julia Wallace, the first female editor of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, was named Editor of the Year in 2004 by Editor & Publisher magazine.
How to Leverage Your Health for Constitutional Change
You may want to see also
The paper's ownership and management
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) is the flagship publication of Cox Enterprises, which bought The Atlanta Constitution in June 1950. Cox Enterprises already owned The Atlanta Journal, which it had acquired in 1939, bringing both newspapers under the same ownership.
The Atlanta Constitution was established in 1876 as The Daily Constitution, before settling on its final name in 1881. It was owned by Evan Howell's family from 1902 to 1950. The Atlanta Journal was founded in 1883 by E. F. Hoge, who sold the paper to Atlanta lawyer Hoke Smith in 1887.
The two newspapers were combined in 1982, but they continued to be published separately until 2001, when they merged to produce a single morning paper. The two papers had previously published a combined edition on weekends and holidays. The merger required major adjustments due to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) "duopoly" regulations, which disallowed owning more than one AM, FM, or TV station in a given market. As a result, some stations had to be shut down, and others changed their call letters to standardize with their sister stations.
The current management team of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution includes Zack McGhee (Chief Product Officer), Erin Malone (Chief Operating Officer), and Leroy Chapman (Managing Editor).
Exploring Supreme Court Duties: Constitutional Focus
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is considered to have a slight to moderate liberal bias.
It is a daily newspaper based in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. It was formed in 2001 by the merger of The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta Constitution.
It is owned by Cox Enterprises.
It is the leading local and regional newspaper in Atlanta, Georgia, and the only major daily newspaper in the metropolitan area.
The Atlanta Constitution was founded in 1868 when Carey Wentworth Styles, James H. Anderson, and W.A. Hemphill purchased the Atlanta Daily Opinion and renamed it. The Atlanta Journal was founded in 1883. The two papers were purchased by James Middleton Cox in 1950 and were fully merged in 2001.
