“We’re Moving On Up!”

“Yes, we’re moving on up to the Eastside!” Publisher Joe Karl proudly announced to his staff at the Seymour Herald. “After a very successful year of publishing Seymour’s foremost weekly newspaper, definite plans have been formulated to open another newspaper publication in January that will reach the residents of Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, Kodak, Gatlinburg, and everything in between.”
The Seymour Herald is an independent locally owned and operated newspaper serving the 30,000 residents of Seymour, Maryville, and South Knoxville.
“We have received so many requests from our advertiser’s throughout other Sevier County cities requesting more coverage of their business activities and local news,” Karl reflected, “that we will open the Smoky Mountain Herald on or about January 23, 2003 since that will mark our one year anniversary for the Seymour Herald.”
Karl, his wife, Michele, and their two children, moved to Seymour in September of 2000, from Clearwater in Central Florida, and immediately saw the need for a newspaper in this East Tennessee community. Now, they plan bigger and better things for the news industry with the establishment of the Smoky Mountain Herald.
“Our base of operations will still be in Seymour,” Karl continued, “since we have built a 10,000 square foot publishing and printing plant in the Seymour Business Park on Maryville Hwy.” His new plant will house a 50-foot Goss Community Newspaper Web color press which weighs 50,000 pounds, and Karl plans to invite school tours once they’re in complete operation.
“Anthony Lambert, our Production Manager, has worked diligently for more than a year in the 1,800 sq. foot office,” Karl smiles, “paginating and designing advertisements. I know he’s anxious to set-up headquarters in our new facility, and expand his graphic design, typesetting, pre-press and production capabilities.”
The initial plan is to continue the Seymour Herald as a weekly publication, which is distributed on Wednesdays. He will have 20,000 copies of the new Smoky Mountain Herald distributed free to residences on a weekly basis for eight weeks. In the meantime, he plans to establish home subscriptions, and incorporate over 100 paid news rack locations throughout the business communities of Sevier County.
“Within three months,” Karl’s eyes lit up, “we’ll distribute the Smoky Mountain Herald twice a week. Then within six months we forecast publishing a newspaper that will incorporate local, national and international news, and reach a daily circulation exceeding 9,000 copies.” Karl’s long-range plan is to expand into other counties with weekly newspapers. “I guess I just have that nose for news,” he chuckles.

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