The Daily Progress
Encyclopedia
The Daily Progress is the sole daily newspaper in the vicinity of Charlottesville, Virginia. It has been published continuously since 1892. According to the newspaper history published in the 75th anniversary edition in September, 1967, the paper was founded by James Lindsay. Lindsay's family owned it for 79 years, until the sale to the Worrell Newspaper group which took over on January 1, 1971.
Worrell, of Bristol
, Virginia, owned about two dozen rural weekly newspapers and a few dailies, all with less circulation than the Daily Progress. The DP immediately became the group's flagship paper, and T. Eugene Worrell moved his newspaper group headquarters to Charlottesville. He led his family, especially his son, Tom, into becoming an important source of local philanthropy. Among their contributions was Tom's multi-million dollar nest egg from which The Thomas Jefferson Center For the Protection of Free Expression was created.
Worrell and his wife, Anne, were also major contributors to his North Carolina alma mater, Wake Forest University
, which Worrell had attended in 1936 as recipient of a debating scholarship, according to a Wake Forest news release at the time of Worrell's death April 20, 2006.
Faced with major newspaper industry change, Worrell sold his newspaper properties to Richmond-based Media General
as a part of a larger $230M deal in 1995. Media General still owns it.
In the 21st century, Media General sold the Prog's printing press, and reorganized its operations to print multiple newspapers from other printing plants it controlled. Later it sold the Albemarle County newspaper office building and leased it back.
Worrell, of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, Virginia, owned about two dozen rural weekly newspapers and a few dailies, all with less circulation than the Daily Progress. The DP immediately became the group's flagship paper, and T. Eugene Worrell moved his newspaper group headquarters to Charlottesville. He led his family, especially his son, Tom, into becoming an important source of local philanthropy. Among their contributions was Tom's multi-million dollar nest egg from which The Thomas Jefferson Center For the Protection of Free Expression was created.
Worrell and his wife, Anne, were also major contributors to his North Carolina alma mater, Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
, which Worrell had attended in 1936 as recipient of a debating scholarship, according to a Wake Forest news release at the time of Worrell's death April 20, 2006.
Faced with major newspaper industry change, Worrell sold his newspaper properties to Richmond-based Media General
Media General
Media General, Inc. is a media company based in the Southeastern United States. Its major properties include newspapers such as The Tampa Tribune, the Winston-Salem Journal, and the Richmond Times-Dispatch, as well as numerous television stations, such as flagship station WFLA-TV.The company was...
as a part of a larger $230M deal in 1995. Media General still owns it.