There have been newspapers in North Carolina since the North-Carolina Gazette began publication in the Province of North Carolina in 1751. As of January 2020, there were approximately 260 newspapers in publication in North Carolina. While printed newspaper circulation has declined in the last 10 years, the total paid print circulation of newspapers in North Carolina is over 4 million. The newspapers with the largest paid circulation are The Charlotte Observer and The News & Observer of Raleigh. The largest number of North Carolina newspapers are focused on local news at the county level. In addition to print versions of North Carolina newspapers, most newspapers have online websites, as well as Facebook and Twitter accounts for distribution of news media and interacting with their community.
List of newspapers
There were approximately 260 North Carolina newspapers in publication at the beginning of 2020. The Fayetteville Observer (established in 1816) is the oldest newspaper in North Carolina. The Star-News of Wilmington (established in 1867) is the oldest continuously running newspaper. Many of the newspapers in North Carolina have common parent companies, including Adams Publishing Group, Boone Newspapers, Champion Media, Community News Holdings, Inc. (CNHI), Gannett, Lee Enterprises, and McClatchy. Many of the newspapers are also members of the North Carolina Publishing Association. Print frequency varies from daily to monthly. Most newspapers use Facebook and Twitter for distribution of content. Most college and universities in North Carolina have student newspapers. There is one Chinese (The China Press Weekly) and three Spanish language newspapers, La Conexión being the oldest in North Carolina.
Daily newspapers
There are 45 North Carolina newspapers that are published in print editions at least five days a week, as of the beginning of 2019.
+ Current daily newspapers in North Carolina Title City County Year established Current Print Frequency Parent Company or Publisher ReferencesAsheville Citizen-TimesAshevilleBuncombe 1870 Daily USA Today Co.Charlotte Observer CharlotteMecklenburg 1886 Daily McClatchy via Google Books Courier-Tribune, The Asheboro Randolph 1876 Daily Paxton Media GroupDaily Courier, TheForest CityRutherford 1969 Daily (Tue. thru Sat.) Paxton Media Group, Ron ParisDaily Dispatch, The HendersonVance1914DailyPaxton Media GroupDaily Herald, The Roanoke RapidsHalifax1914DailyPaxton Media GroupDaily Record, The DunnHarnett 1950 In print Tuesdays & Fridays; online daily Record Publishing CompanyDaily Reflector, The GreenvillePitt 1882 Daily Adams Publishing GroupDispatch, The LexingtonDavidson1902 Daily Paxton Media Group Daily Advance, The Elizabeth CityPasquotank/ Camden 1911 Daily Adams Publishing GroupThe Daily News JacksonvilleOnslow 1953 Daily USA Today Co.Before 1954, the Jacksonville Daily News was known as the Jacksonville Daily News and Views (1952), News and Views (19461952)Fayetteville Observer, The FayettevilleCumberland 1816 Daily USA Today Co. Free Press, TheThe Free Press was preceded by the Kinston Daily Free Press (19231991), Daily Free Press (19021923), and Kinston Free Press (18821923). KinstonLenoir1882Daily (except Sat.)Paxton Media GroupGaston Gazette, The GastoniaGaston 1880 Daily USA Today Co.Goldsboro News-Argus, The GoldsboroWayne1885DailyPaxton Media Group Herald-Sun, TheThe Herald-Sun was formerly The Durham Morning Herald and The Durham Sun. DurhamDurham, Wake1853 Daily McClatchyHickory Daily Record HickoryCatawba/ Burke/ Caldwell1915Daily Lee EnterprisesHigh Country Press BooneWatauga 2005 DailyKen Ketchie High Point Enterprise High PointGuilford/ Davidson/ Randolph/ Forsyth1885DailyPaxton Media GroupLaurinburg Exchange, The LaurinburgScotland 1882 Daily Champion MediaMcDowell News, The MarionMcDowell1923 Daily Lee EnterprisesMecklenburg Times, TheCharlotteMecklenburg1923DailyBridgeTower MediaMount Airy News, The Mount AirySurry 1880 Daily (except Sat.) Adams Publishing GroupNews & Observer, TheThe News & Observer was in publication as Daily News in 1872. It became the News and Observer in 1880. The News & Observer was previously known as The Sentinel and Chapel Hill News. RaleighWake/ Durham 1865 Daily McClatchyNews & RecordThe News & Record was formerly the Greensboro News & Record. GreensboroGuilford1890Daily Lee EnterprisesNews Herald, The MorgantonBurke 1899 Daily Lee EnterprisesNews-TopicThe News-Topic was descended from Lenoir News and Lenoir Topic. LenoirCaldwell 1875 Daily (Tue. thru Fri., Sun.) Paxton Media Group Observer-News-Enterprise, TheNewtonCatawba1955DailyHorizon PublicationsRichmond County Daily JournalThe Richmond County Daily Journal was preceded by the Richmond County Journal (19311966). RockinghamRichmond 1931Daily Champion MediaRobesonian, The LumbertonRobeson 1870 Daily Champion MediaRocky Mount Telegram Rocky MountEdgecombe/ Nash 1995 Daily Adams Publishing GroupSalisbury Post SalisburyRowan 1905 Daily(except Mon., Sat.; no print edition on Wed., Fri.) Boone NewspapersSampson Independent, The ClintonSampson 1924 Daily Champion MediaMrs. E.F. McCulloch and Jessie Lee Sugg McCulloch were associate editors of the Sampson Independent until 1952. Sanford Herald, The SanfordLee 1930 Daily (Tue. thru Sat.) Paxton Media GroupStar, TheThe Star was preceded by The Shelby Star (19841998) and the Shelby Daily Star (19361984). ShelbyCleveland 1894 Daily USA Today Co.Star-News, The WilmingtonNew Hanover 1867 Daily USA Today Co.Statesville Record & Landmark StatesvilleIredell 1874 Daily Lee EnterprisesSun Journal New BernCraven 1876 Daily Paxton Media GroupTimes-News HendersonvilleHenderson 1881 Daily USA Today Co.Times-News, The BurlingtonAlamance/ Guilford 1887 Daily Paxton Media GroupTryon Daily Bulletin TryonPolk 1928 Daily Boone NewspapersWashington Daily News WashingtonBeaufort 1909 Daily Boone NewspapersWilson Times, The WilsonWilson 1896 Daily (except Sun.) Restoration NewsmediaWinston-Salem Journal Winston-SalemForsyth 1897 Daily Lee Enterprises
College newspapers
There are 24 North Carolina college newspapers that are published during the academic year.
+ Current North Carolina college newspapers Title CityCounty Year established Current Print Frequency College ReferencesA & T RegisterGreensboroGuilford1894North Carolina A&T UniversityAppalachian, TheBooneWatauga1934WeeklyAppalachian State UniversityBennett Banner, TheGreensboroGuilford193?Semi-MonthlyBennett College for WomenBlack Ink: Black Student MovementChapel HillOrange1969VariesUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Black Student Movement)Blue Banner, TheAshevilleBuncombe1984WeeklyUniversity of North Carolina at AshevilleCampbell Times, The (Creek Pebbles)Buies CreekHarnett1926WeeklyCampbell UniversityCampus EchoDurhamWake1927North Carolina Central UniversityChronicle, TheDurhamDurham1905Mon. thru Fri.Duke UniversityClarion, TheBrevardTransylvaniaBrevard CollegeCollegiate, TheWilsonWilson1927WeeklyBarton CollegeDaily Tar Heel, The Chapel HillChatham/ Durham/ Orange 1893 DailyUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, DTH Media CorporationDavidsonian, TheDavidsonMecklenburg1914WeeklyDavidson CollegeEast Carolinian, TheGreenvillePitt1925Tue., Thurs.East Carolina University,Guilfordian, TheGreensboroGuilford1914WeeklyGuilford CollegeNews Argus, TheWinston-SalemForsyth1962Winston-Salem State UniversityNiner Times, TheCharlotteMecklenburg1946University of North Carolina at CharlotteOld Gold & BlackWinston-SalemForsyth1916Weekly (Thurs.)Wake Forest University Pen, TheRaleighWakeSt. Augustine's UniversityPendulum, TheElonAlamanceElon UniversitySeahawk, TheWilmingtonNew Hanover1948WeeklyUniversity of North Carolina at WilmingtonTechnicianRaleighWake1920Weekly (Thurs.)North Carolina State UniversityVoice, TheFayettevilleCumberland1946Fayetteville State UniversityWCC Campus Voice, TheGoldsboroWayne1988UnknownWayne Community College
Special interest newspapers Currently, there are 15 special interest newspapers in North Carolina covering religious, Native American, African-American, LGBT, and military perspectives on the news.
+ Current special interest newspapers in North Carolina Title Interest area City County Year established Current Print Frequency Parent Company or Publisher ReferencesBiblical RecorderBaptist RaleighWake/ Durham 1833 bi-weekly Baptist State Convention of North CarolinaCarolina Indian Voice, TheNative-AmericansPembrokeRobeson1973WeeklyLumbee Pub. Co.Carolina PeacemakerAfrican-AmericansGreensboroGuilford1967unknownCarolina NewspapersCatholic News HeraldCatholicsCharlotteMecklenburg1991Bi-weekly (Fri.)Roman Catholic Diocese of CharlotteCharlotte Jewish NewsJewish CharlotteMecklenburg1979UnknownJewish Federation of Greater Charlotte, TheCharlotte Post, TheAfrican-AmericansCharlotteMecklenburg1878WeeklyThe Charlotte Post Publishing CompanyCherokee One FeatherNative AmericansCherokeeSwain1968WeeklyTribal Council of the Eastern Band of Cherokee IndiansFayetteville Press, TheAfro-AmericanFayettevilleCumberland 1989MonthlyJ.J. JonesGlobe, TheU.S. MilitaryCamp LejeuneOnslow 1944WeeklyConsolidated Public Affairs OfficeQ-NotesLGBTCharlotteMecklenburg1986MonthlyQCQ Scope, TheU.S. MilitaryGoldsboroWayne19??WeeklySeymour Johnson AFBTriangle Tribune, TheAfrican-AmericanDurhamDurham1998WeeklyThe Charlotte Post Publishing CompanyWilmington JournalAfrican-AmericansWilmingtonNew Hanover1996WeeklyWilmington Journal Co.Windsock, TheMilitaryCherry PointCraven1948WeeklyAir FMFLant, and 2nd M.A.W.Winston-Salem ChronicleAfrican-Americans Winston-SalemForsyth 1974 Weekly, Thurs. The Winston-Salem Chronicle Publishing Co.
Foreign language newspapers Currently, there are seven North Carolina newspapers published in languages other than English.
+ Current foreign language newspapers in North Carolina Title Language CityCounty Year established Current Print Frequency Parent Company or Publisher ReferencesQiao bao zhou mo: Bei ka Nan ka ban (The China Press Weekly)ChineseRaleighWake2013WeeklyEnlace Latino NC (website)SpanishCharlotte, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, RaleighMecklenburg, Guilford, Forsyth, Wake2002digitalAcento LatinoSpanishFayettevilleCumberland1999Fayetteville Publishing CompanyLa ConexiónLa Conexión was the first Spanish language newspaper in North Carolina.SpanishRaleighWake/ Durham1995WeeklyVelasquez Communications CorporationGreensboro LatinoSpanishGreensboroGuilford2021Benbassat Digital Consultants Qué PasaSpanishCharlotte, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, RaleighMecklenburg, Guilford, Forsyth, Wake2002Qué Pasa Media NetworkProgreso Hispano News
Other newspapers Currently, there are 174 North Carolina newspapers not covered by the above categories, including weekly and monthly print publication frequencies.