MiddletownJournal.com

The Middletown Journal traces its roots to January 1857 when brothers C.H. and A.C. Brock pulled the first copy of their new newspaper, "The Western Journal," from a handpress in Middletown, Ohio. The newspaper proclaimed itself to be "Independent in its Tone and Character -- Devoted to Literature, Science, Agriculture, General Intelligence and Local News -- Open to All Parties." This was the birth of the Middletown Journal, a name which was adopted and placed on the nameplate in 1859. The Journal became a daily newspaper in 1891.

Today, The Journal is still the best source of local news for residents of Middletown, Franklin, Monroe, Trenton, Carlisle and eastern Preble County, and offers its readers a lively forum to sound off about issues and concerns.

The Middletown Journal is committed to providing our readers in Middletown, Franklin, Monroe, Trenton, Carlisle and eastern Preble County the most relevant daily report on the events, people and issues that shape and reflect their lives. Through its editorial voice, The Journal provides well-reasoned community leadership.

The Journal is now a member of Cox Ohio Publishing -- its sister newspapers include the Dayton Daily News and (Hamilton) Journal-News -- and the Cox Newspapers family, a privately held division of Cox Enterprises Inc. of Atlanta, Ga. Interestingly, Cox Newspapers was started by James Cox, a native of the Middletown area who was Ohio's governor for three terms and an unsuccessful presidential candidate.

The newspaper publishes seven mornings a week, and its daily circulation is about 22,000. Sunday circulation totals more than 23,000.

In its circulation class, The Journal has been recognized in the "general excellence" category of the Associated Press Society of Ohio's annual newspaper competition three of the past five years.