Avalanche-Journal sale to Morris is announced

1972 Sale of The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal to Morris Communications Corporation of Augusta, Ga., is announced by William S. Morris, III, president of the purchasing company, and by Parker F. Prouty and Charles A. Guy, chief executives of The Avalanche-Journal.

Concurrently, announcement was made of Morris Communications' purchase of the Amarillo Daily News & Globe Times.

Morris Communications also owns Southeastern Newspapers Corporation, which publishes six daily newspapers in Georgia and one in Alaska.

Guy and Prouty, who have teamed for almost 42 years in an autonomous operation of the morning, evening and Sunday Avalanche-Journal, describe the new owners as "first-rate, all the way."

In a joint statement, they noted that the long history of the Morris family in Southern journalism had been marked by unflinching responsibility to the cities they serve and to the best interests of Georgia and the nation, as well.

"The Morrises and their associates will be good citizens of West Texas and Eastern New Mexico," the statement continued, "just as they have been elsewhere. They are community-minded. They are professionals in the newspaper business, which means they know how to serve readers and advertisers and they have a proven record for doing the job exceedingly well."

Key officers of Morris Communications are William S. Morris, III, president; and Paul S. Simon, executive vice president, both of Augusta, Ga., headquarters of their growing company. The Lubbock and Amarillo papers form a wholly owned subsidiary of Morris Communications, Southwestern Newspapers Corporation.

All Morris newspapers in Georgia are prize-winners, having earned state and national awards on innumerable occasions for general excellence, community service, constructive and fearless editorials, sports and photo coverage, and for advertising excellence and advertising promotion.