West Alabama newspaper shuts down after 138 years

The Demopolis Times, an award winning newspaper in Marengo County, has officially stopped publishing after nearly 138 years of local coverage.
Published: Jun. 10, 2025 at 4:59 PM CDT

MARENGO COUNTY, Ala. (WSFA) - The Demopolis Times, an award winning newspaper in Marengo County, has officially stopped publishing after nearly 138 years of local coverage.

The newspaper published its final issue on their website titled “This is the end” on June 4. In it, The Times stated that the decision had been made by its parent company, JM Media Group, after evaluating the status and business outlook of the publication.

The Demopolis Times was founded in 1887 by C.A. Berbeck and has been owned by various reputable news people including Edward S. Cornish, Ben and Libba George, Hollis Curl, and Jim McKay.

In May, it was one of four Alabama newspapers Purchased by JM Media Group after being owned and operated for decades by Boone Newspapers Inc.

The Times began as a daily newspaper, but as print publications declined over the last two decades, they shifted to weekly printing on Wednesdays.

The final issue can be read here.

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