McMinnville, TN - Paxton Media Group, which owns Cookeville Herald-Citizen, has purchased the Southern Standard and Smithville Review from Morris Multimedia.

The Southern Standard was established in 1879 and will continue to be published three times per week. The Smithville Review started in 1892 and is published weekly.

Paxton Media is a family-owned company headquartered in Paducah, Ky. The company publishes daily and weekly newspapers in more than 120 communities in the Midwest and South and operates an NBC-affiliated television station. The company is currently managed by fourth- and fifth-generation family members.

“We are very excited to add the Southern Standard and Smithville Review into the PMG portfolio," said Jamie Paxton, PMG president and CEO. "PMG believes strongly in the value of local newspapers and the vital role they play in the communities that they serve. We appreciate Morris Multimedia for choosing us to be the new stewards of this important community asset.”

The Southern Standard and Smithville Review will join the ten other Paxton-owned newspapers in Tennessee managed by Group Publisher, Jana Thomasson.

"We are excited to serve the readers and advertisers of the Southern Standard and Smithville Review,” Thomasson said. “Our company and staff are committed to providing local news, sports and marketing opportunities to the communities."