Greek American entrepreneur John D. Georges, CEO of Georges Enterprises and the Georges Media Group, recently purchased The Advocate, one of the nation’s oldest and largest local daily newspaper and digital media outlet that currently serves the Louisiana communities of Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Lafayette and surrounding parishes. The Advocate was first published as a weekly in 1842 and has a daily average circulation of daily households and 500,000 daily unique digital visitors. Asked by NEO magazine why he decided to invest in the print media when it seems they are loosing in the popularity contest against digital forms of information, John Georges thinks that “smaller town newspapers are more stable than big cities. Having said that, the Advocate plans to offer both print and digital. We have an opportunity to grow both our print and digital due to our proximity of New Orleans being less than 40 minutes away.” He’s also confident that his name in the state is a big asset in helping the newspaper to grow. “I have 100 percent name recognition in Louisiana and actually won New Orleans in the governor’s race. My popularity will help me grow circulation and advertisers. Being publisher of Louisiana’s largest daily newspaper is a better way to serve the community. Who knows what lies in the future for me? Right now running the Advocate is my priority.”
