Charleston's first newspaper, The Courier, began publishing in 1840. A former Courier employee, Betty Boyer, began the Daily Times in 1966. The two papers merged, under her leadership, in 1968 to become the Times-Courier. The Weekly Independent Gazette was started in Mattoon in 1856, while the Mattoon Journal started in 1865. The two papers merged in 1905. Both the Journal Gazette and the Times-Co
urier were purchased by Howard Publications in 1971. In April 2002, Lee Enterprises bought all 16 Howard newspapers. Lee now has a daily circulation of more than 1.1 million in 45 newspapers in 18 states. The Journal Gazette and Times-Courier are zoned editions of the same newspaper. All newspaper personnel work for both newspapers, not one or the other. We are unique for having a downstate Illinois zoned newsroom operation for almost 20 years and for providing hometown coverage for 15 communities in east-central Illinois.
