August 15, 2024 – President and CEO Charles Hill Morris this week announced “Connect Savannah” that the Morris family’s company, Metro Market Media, would immediately cease publication.
The news came as a surprise to the small staff and a number of freelance writers, according to social media posts from several employees and interviews with two staff members.
In January of this year, Morris announced that the company would move from a print strategy to a broader reach with a greater emphasis on digital products.
Charles Hill Morris said today in response to a request from the Savannah Business Journal that more information about the company’s plans for the Savannah market would be released as soon as they are finalized.
Connect Savannah was founded by his father, Charles H. Morris Sr., and has been published in the region for nearly 30 years as an arts and opinion newspaper – later in magazine format.
In 2018, his father began selling some of the company’s Georgia newspapers to Charles Hill Morris and formed a new company called Metro Market Media, headquartered in Gainesville, GA. Connect Savannah became part of the new company.
His father founded Morris Media, Inc. in 1970 after his brother Billy took over the management of the family newspaper, The Savannah Morning News. Billy Morris sold the daily to Gannett in 2019.
The official announcement from Charles Hill Morris on the company’s website this week reads as follows:
“We regret to inform you that Connect Savannah will cease publication of our print magazine and digital news website on August 16, 2024.
Connect Savannah has been proudly the voice of Savannah for nearly three decades, sharing the stories, news, arts, entertainment and events that matter to our community.
However, due to changing reading habits and an evolving marketing landscape, we have been unable to secure the financial support we needed to sustain our local news and information efforts.
As we transition, we are rethinking our role within the community.
Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, we plan to continue our experiences, events and some newsletters such as Flavors, the Fall Festival, the Southeast Georgia Leadership Forum, the Best of Savannah event and other initiatives already underway or in the planning stages.
We want to improve these events and experiences and build on the connections we have fostered.
We want to express our deepest gratitude to each and every one of you – our loyal readers, advertisers, contributors and staff – you have been the backbone of Connect Savannah. Your tireless support and dedication have propelled our mission forward and we are incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together.
While we are closing this chapter of our news and arts coverage, our digital archives will remain accessible, ensuring the community can continue to access past stories and content.
Advertisers will be contacted to discuss next steps and assist with the transition.
Thank you for making Connect Savannah a part of your life. This chapter is coming to a close, but we are excited about the future and look forward to meeting you in person at our upcoming events and experiences.”
