Media
Need to delve deeper into the lives of Savannahians, the social agendas here, or see what festivals and events are on tap for the future? Well, you’re in luck. Savannah media outlets include everything from slick city magazines to newspaper tabloids with all the latest. There’s a TV affiliate for each of the major networks, cable access, radio stations in formats from country to classical, a daily newspaper, and several weeklies, monthlies, and specialty publications, even two city magazines.
To go along with this, Savannah has a solid journalism tradition. In the early 1980s, a now-defunct weekly won the Pulitzer Prize in editorial writing. In the days when such things were economically possible, there were competing daily newspapers in Savannah, and desktop publishing and niche markets periodically keep some variety moving in the print world.
As for TV, when you add all the morning, midday, evening, and nightly local newscasts up, they total at least 10 hours each weekday (and it keeps growing). Savannah has joined national media trends with absentee corporate ownership. The last locally owned television station was sold in 1998, meaning that all the major daily print and television media outlets now are owned by companies headquartered elsewhere. Radio has joined the trend. With a handful of exceptions—one independent holdout, two college stations, a public radio affiliate, some AM residue—three national corporations own all local FM radio stations.
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Media
Address: 1375 Chatham Pkwy.
2. Savannah Herald
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Media
Telephone: (912) 232-4505
Address: 1803 Barnard St.
Description: This weekly newspaper was founded in 1945. The Herald’s motto is “Publishing Positive News for and about Savannah’s African-American Community.” Inside you will find local news stories, church news, sports, and editorials. In “Around Town,” columnist Jettie Adams fills people in on a variety of subjects, like who is having a birthday and the accomplishments of local children. The Savannah Herald is published on Wednesday, when 8,500 copies are distributed. Subscriptions are by mail, and the paper sells in vending boxes throughout town. Copies are also distributed at the larger African-American churches.
3. The Savannah Tribune
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Media
Telephone: (912) 233-6128
Address: 916 Montgomery St.
Description: The Tribune, as it is known, is Savannah’s other weekly newspaper devoted to the black community. Publisher and editor Shirley B. James includes local, state, and sometimes national items pertaining to African Americans. The Tribune is published on Wednesday. Subscriptions are predominantly by mail but it does have boxes as well.
4. Coastal Antiques And Art
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Media
Telephone: (912) 236-9511
Address: 1375 Chatham Pkwy.
Description: This monthly tabloid, distributed free throughout town, was purchased by the Savannah Morning News’s parent company in 1999. The ads are more useful than the editorial content if you are antiquing in Savannah.
5. Coastal Senior
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Media
Telephone: (912) 236-9511
Address: 1375 Chatham Pkwy.
Description: This monthly publication, distributed free at racks throughout town, subtitles itself “Lifestyles of the 50+.” Like its sister publication, Coastal Antiques and Arts, it was acquired by the Morning News’s parent company in 1999. Content is all geared toward older readers and includes advice columns from local physicians, schedules of senior-oriented events, and the like.
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Media
Address: 1800 East Victory Dr.
7. La Voz Latina
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Media
Telephone: (912) 925-7308 (English)
Address: 5960 Ogeechee Rd.
Description: This monthly tabloid serves the growing Hispanic population of Savannah and surrounding region. The articles appear in both Spanish and English, although the ads are only in Spanish. (We loved the ones for Chinese restaurants.) Recent articles covered a string of robberies targeting Hispanics, gardening features, travel pieces, and coverage of local Hispanic organizations. La Voz Latina can be picked up free at a variety of locations—we find it at restaurants, both Mexican and otherwise.
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Media
Address: 1375 Chatham Pkwy.
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Media
Address: 1375 Chatham Pkwy.
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Media
11. Wjcl–Abc (Channel 22)Wtgs–Fox (Channel 28)
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Media
Telephone: (912) 925-0022
Address: 10001 Abercorn St.
Description: These stations are jointly managed but separately owned. Traditionally the weakest player in local news broadcasts, the stations have been devoting more effort to news in the last few years. The network affiliations are a clue to what you’ll find in handling of local direction. The Fox affiliate, for example, airs its late news at 10 p.m. instead of the more traditional 11 p.m.
12. Wsav–Nbc (Channel 3)
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Media
Telephone: (912) 651-0300
Address: 1430 East Victory Dr.
Description: WSAV is the city’s major runner-up in the news race and has spent quite a bit of time and money tinkering with its program. The newscast tends to be younger, and the content played more dramatically. The early morning newscast is a particularly good example of folksy without being overly cutesy.
13. Wtoc–Cbs (Channel 11)
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Media
Telephone: (912) 234-1111
Address: 11 The News Place
Description: This station has been the news ratings leader so long, it calls its 6 p.m. broadcast—both arrogantly and accurately—“THE News.” This station also runs a solid 90 minutes of local evening news that serves to remind that one of the virtues of news is that it is selective, not exhaustive. Still, it has the biggest news staff among the local TV stations and can generally be counted on to get local breaking news quickly.