Simone Lawson
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) is an American daily newspaper based in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. It was formed in 2001 by the merger of two longstanding rivals, The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta Constitution, which had been under common ownership since 1950. The AJC is the flagship publication of Cox Enterprises, which is investing $150 million in the hope of building the AJC's paid print and digital circulation from about 100,000 to 500,000. The newspaper has suffered a decline in circulation in recent years, dropping from an average daily circulation of 640,000 to below 50,000 in 2023. In 2023, the AJC announced plans to discontinue its daily print edition and move to a weekend print edition, while continuing its digital news operation seven days a week.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Daily circulation in 2007 | 640,000 |
| Sunday circulation in 2009 | 405,549 |
| Daily circulation in 2009 | 214,303 |
| Average print and paid digital circulation in 2023 | 98,000 |
| Average print and paid circulation in 2024 | 92,000 |
| Average print and paid circulation of the nearest issue in 2024 | 114,000 |
| Average print circulation in 2022 | Below 47,832 |
| Owner | Cox Enterprises |
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What You'll Learn
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's history
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, also known as AJC, is an American daily newspaper based in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. It was founded as two separate newspapers in the 1800s: the Atlanta Journal and the Atlanta Constitution. The Atlanta Constitution was first published in 1868 as the Atlanta Daily Opinion, which was later renamed The Daily Constitution in 1876 and then The Atlanta Constitution in 1881. The Atlanta Journal was established in 1883. The two newspapers were rivals until they were bought by Cox Enterprises in the 1950s and merged in 2001.
The Atlanta Constitution was owned by Evan Howell's family from 1902 to 1950. 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. Notable journalists who worked for the paper include Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Margaret Mitchell, who worked for the Journal from 1922 to 1926, and Ralph McGill, a passionate voice of reason in the early days of the civil rights movement.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has a rich history of award-winning journalism. It has won several Pulitzer Prizes, including the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning in 1988, 1995, and 2006, and the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 2007. In 2002, Julia Wallace became the first female editor of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and was named Editor of the Year in 2004 by Editor & Publisher magazine.
In terms of circulation, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution was once the largest daily newspaper in the Southeast, with a daily circulation of 640,000. However, the paper has seen a decline in circulation in recent years, with a drop in daily and Sunday circulation due to a reduction in its distribution area. As of 2023, the print circulation is estimated to be below 47,832, and the paper is no longer among the top 25 newspapers in the country. The paper's owner, Cox Enterprises, is investing $150 million to increase circulation by doubling down on political coverage and reaching out to Atlanta's Black community, among other initiatives.
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Circulation decline
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) 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, which had been under common ownership since 1950.
In 2009, the AJC announced a steep drop in its daily and Sunday circulation due to a decision to reduce its distribution area. As a result, the AJC fell out of the top 25 newspapers for daily circulation. The circulation of the print newspaper has continued to decline, with the AJC reporting a print circulation of below 47,832 in 2022, down from 214,303 in 2009.
In 2023, the AJC announced plans to discontinue its daily print edition and transition to a weekend print edition while continuing its digital news operation seven days a week. This decision was likely influenced by the declining circulation of the print newspaper and the shift towards digital media consumption.
Despite the circulation decline, the AJC remains the largest metropolitan daily newspaper in the Southeast. As of 2024, the AJC has a total print and paid circulation of 92,000 for the average issue and 114,000 for the single issue nearest to the filing date. These numbers represent a decline from the previous year, which had an average print and paid digital circulation of 98,000 and a higher circulation for the nearest issue of 128,000.
The AJC's corporate owner, Cox Enterprises, has invested $150 million in the newspaper's future growth. President Andrew Morse aims to increase the AJC's paid print and digital circulation from 100,000 to 500,000 by enhancing political coverage and engaging with Atlanta's Black community, among other initiatives.
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Digital vs print
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) is an American daily newspaper based in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. It was formed in 2001 through the merger of two longstanding rivals, The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta Constitution, which had been under shared ownership since 1950.
Historically, the AJC has been one of the few American daily newspapers to have published continuously for over 100 years. However, in recent years, the paper has faced a decline in circulation, with a 44% drop in daily circulation between Q1 2007 and Q1 2010. This decline has been attributed to the downturn in the newspaper industry and competition from other media sources.
In 2023, the AJC announced plans to discontinue its daily print edition and transition to a weekend print edition while maintaining its digital news operation seven days a week. This decision was made in response to the continued decline in print circulation, with the AJC falling out of the top 25 newspapers for daily circulation. While the exact timeframe for implementing this change has not been decided, it is expected to occur within the year.
The AJC's owner, Cox Enterprises, has invested $150 million in the paper with the goal of increasing its paid print and digital circulation from 100,000 to 500,000. This strategy includes doubling down on political coverage and reaching out to Atlanta's Black community, among other initiatives. Despite the challenges faced by the AJC, it remains the largest daily newspaper in the Southeast, with a current total print and paid circulation of 92,000 for the average issue and 114,000 for the nearest single issue.
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Pulitzer Prizes won
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and its predecessor newspapers have won numerous Pulitzer Prizes. The Atlanta Constitution received the second public service award given to a southern newspaper in 1931 for exposing graft in Atlanta's city government. In 1959, Ralph McGill, editor for the Constitution in the 1940s, won the Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing for breaking the code of silence on the subject of segregation. In 1988, Doug Marlette, a cartoonist for the Constitution, won the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning. In 1993, Mike Toner received the Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting for his series about organisms and their resistance to antibiotics and pesticides. In 1995 and 2006, Mike Luckovich, an editorial cartoonist for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, won the Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning. Cynthia Tucker received a 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. In 2009, former Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Douglas A. Blackmon won the Pulitzer Prize in the general nonfiction category for his book "Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II". In 2024, Tyshawn Sorey won the Pulitzer Prize in the music category for his concerto "Adagio (For Wadada Leo Smith)".
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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's ownership
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, also known as AJC, is an American daily newspaper based in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. It was formed in 2001 by the merger of two long-time rival papers, The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta Constitution, which had been under common ownership since 1950.
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. Evan Howell's family owned The Atlanta Constitution from 1902 to 1950. In 1950, the paper was purchased by James Middleton Cox, who already owned the evening Atlanta Journal and other papers. Cox Enterprises, founded by James Middleton Cox, bought The Atlanta Constitution in June 1950, bringing both newspapers under one ownership.
The Atlanta Journal was established in 1883. Founder E. F. Hoge sold the paper to Atlanta lawyer Hoke Smith in 1887. The Atlanta Journal founded one of the first radio broadcasting stations in the South, WSB, in 1922. The radio station and the newspaper were sold in 1939 to James Middleton Cox, founder of Cox Enterprises.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is currently owned by Cox Enterprises, which also owns a handful of papers in Ohio, anchored by the Dayton Daily News. It is headquartered in the Atlanta suburb of Dunwoody, Georgia.
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Frequently asked questions
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) is an American daily newspaper based in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. It was formed in 2001 by the merger of The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta Constitution, which were bought by Cox Enterprises in the 1950s.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has experienced a decline in circulation in recent years. In 2023, it was reported that the average print and paid digital circulation was 98,000, with the nearest issue (usually a higher-circulation Sunday edition) at 128,000. The paper's owner, Cox Enterprises, has invested $150 million in the hopes of increasing circulation.
The decline in circulation can be attributed to various factors, including the downturn in the newspaper industry, competition from other media sources, and changes in distribution areas. In 2009, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reduced its distribution area from 74 counties to 20 counties, which significantly impacted its circulation numbers. The paper has also discontinued its daily print edition and transitioned to a weekend print edition.
