COLUMBUS, Ga. — The Georgia Trust for Local News today announced that Chuck Williams, a highly respected Columbus journalist with more than 43 years of experience in print, broadcast and digital media, will return to the Ledger-Enquirer to take on the newly created role of editor and publisher.
As editor and publisher, Williams will lead the newsroom; build relationships with civic leaders and business owners; and cultivate the community support that guides and sustains the Ledger-Enquirer’s work.
A true multimedia journalist, Williams has gained citywide familiarity and built a strong reputation as a tenacious and trusted reporter at Columbus’ top media outlets. Williams spent more than 30 years at the Ledger-Enquirer before taking on his most recent role at local CBS affiliate WRBL News 3, where he has served as an on-air reporter and investigative journalist. His return marks a true homecoming.
“I’ve been privileged to tell thousands of stories in multiple mediums — in newspapers, online, on the air, in podcasts, in long-form interviews, and on social media as an early adopter,” Williams said. “But everyone knows I’m a newspaper guy.”
“Eight years ago, I brought what I learned over 35 years from the newspaper side to my work on television, and found out it translates,” Williams said. “Now, I get to take it home and apply what I’ve learned on the broadcast side at the Ledger.”
Williams’ hiring comes as the Ledger-Enquirer, under new ownership with the Georgia Trust for Local News, rebuilds and relocalizes for growth. In its first 90 days of ownership, the Georgia Trust for Local News has added four staffers to the Ledger-Enquirer team. In addition to Williams, the Ledger-Enquirer has welcomed:
The Ledger-Enquirer is also in the process of filling a newly created government reporter role.
Interim editor Mark Rice, who skillfully shepherded the publication through the recent ownership transition from McClatchy to the nonprofit Georgia Trust for Local News, will return to his previous role as deputy editor/senior reporter.
“The Columbus community came together to support the Ledger-Enquirer’s return to local ownership, and now we’re building this business with intention,” said Cynthia DuBose, executive director of the Georgia Trust for Local News. “We’re thrilled to have such a respected, local journalist like Chuck at the helm. His strong passion for local news and deep community roots will set the Ledger-Enquirer on a strong path, while advancing an impactful editorial vision and purposeful community engagement.”
Williams began his career in Alabama as a sports reporter and editor at various outlets. He arrived at the Ledger-Enquirer in 1989 as an assistant sports editor. Over time, he had a hand in most of the jobs in the newsroom. As sports editor, he led coverage of the 1996 Olympics. After serving as metro editor from 1997-2000, he returned to his favorite role — reporting.
In 2015, Williams’ story about the first three women to graduate from the U.S. Army Ranger School was nominated by the Ledger-Enquirer for a Pulitzer Prize. Williams embedded with the U.S. Army to closely follow that story — from the mountains of Georgia to the swamps of Florida to nearby Fort Benning. He calls it the most rewarding work he ever did.
Williams has also been recognized several times by the Georgia Associated Press, Georgia Press Association, Georgia Sports Writers Association and Alabama Sports Writers Association for his reporting.
Following its recent acquisition by the Georgia Trust for Local News, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Local News, Williams believes the Ledger-Enquirer is poised for a new chapter and a fresh resurgence.
“The Ledger-Enquirer is the longest continuously operating business in the City of Columbus, founded a few months before the city was chartered,” Williams said. “We have a chance to figure out a new way to do the oldest profession the city has and keep this business relevant. That’s a challenge, and one I have accepted with open arms. I see the value of information and the value of local journalism. As local journalists, we are keenly aware that if we do our jobs right, our community is a better place.”
About The Georgia Trust for Local News:
The Georgia Trust for Local News operates 21 local newspapers and digital platforms across Middle, West and South Georgia — providing quality, hyperlocal community coverage for a geography of more than one million people. The Georgia Trust for Local News is a subsidiary of the National Trust for Local News, a nonprofit that acquires, stabilizes and revitalizes news organizations across the country. Learn more at www.gtln.org.
