The Pilot (North Carolina newspaper)
{{short description|Newspaper in North Carolina}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox newspaper
| name = The Pilot
| logo =
| caption =
| type = Biweekly newspaper
| format =
| owners =
| publisher = David Woronoff
| editor = John Nagy
| sportseditor =
| maneditor =
| neseditor =
| managingeditordesign =
| opeditor =
| photoeditor =
| staff =
| foundation = 1920
| political =
| language = English
| headquarters = 145 W Pennsylvania Ave, Southern Pines, N.C.
| circulation = 15,000
| oclc =
| website = {{URL|thepilot.com}}
| ceased publication =
| sister newspapers =
}}
The Pilot is an American newspaper established in 1920. It is published Wednesdays and Sundays in Southern Pines, North Carolina and covers Moore County, North Carolina. Its estimated circulation was 15,000 in 2018; its website has over 1.4 million views and 335,000 visitors.{{cite book|title=Editor & Publisher DataBook|date=2018|volume=Weeklies|page=290}}
Ownership history
The first issue of The Pilot was published on November 26, 1920 by Stacy Brewer in Vass, North Carolina. Brewer sold the paper on September 7, 1928 to Nelson C. Hyde of Southern Pines.{{Cite web|url=https://www.digitalnc.org/newspapers/pilot-southern-pines-nc/|title=The Pilot (Southern Pines, N.C.)|website=DigitalNC|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-15}} The Pilot opened a branch office in the Patch Building in Southern Pines for its editorial and advertising staff. The newspaper also opened similar offices in Pinehurst and Aberdeen and moved to Aberdeen in 1929.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thepilot.com/site/about.html|title=About Us|website=The Pilot Newspaper|language=en|access-date=2019-11-15}} Nelson Hyde sold The Pilot to James Boyd on May 23, 1941.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/boyd-james|title=Boyd, James|last=Whisnant|first=David|date=1979|website=NCpedia|access-date=2019-11-15}} Nelson Hyde resigned as editor and Carl Thompson took his position. James Boyd died in February 1944 and his wife, Katharine Boyd, took over the role as publisher and editor.{{Cite web|url=https://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/literary-cultural-heritage-map-pa/bios/Boyd__James|title=James Boyd|last=Browell|first=Robyn|date=2018|website=Pennsylvania Center for the Book|access-date=2019-11-15}} In October 1968, Katherine Boyd sold The Pilot to Sam and Marjorie Ragan.{{Cite web|url=https://pinestrawmag.com/our-katharine/|title=Our Katharine|last=Case|first=Bill|date=2018-02-01|website=PineStraw Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-15}}
In January 1986, The Pilot became a semi-weekly paper and was published on Monday and Thursday. In July 1996, Frank Daniels Jr., Frank Daniels III, David Woronoff, Jack Andrews and Lee Drinks purchased The Pilot.{{Cite web|url=https://localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/posts/2019/09/09/news-leaders-diversification/|title=Diversifying: How a Newspaper Publisher Branched Out|author-link1=Penny Abernathy|last=Abernathy|first=Penny|date=2019-09-09|website=Local News Initiative / Medill News Leaders Project, 2019|language=en|access-date=2019-11-15}} On July 23, 1998, The Pilot launched its website, and in October 1999, The Pilot began publishing three days a week – Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. In May 2013, The Pilot began to print twice weekly – Wednesday and Sunday.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thepilot.com/site/about.html|title=About Us|website=The Pilot Newspaper|language=en|access-date=2019-10-24}}
Circulation
- In 1931, the average weekly circulation was 1,450 copies.
- In 1978, the average weekly circulation was 8,850, and the cost was 15c per issue.{{Cite book|title=Editor & Publisher International Year Book|year=1978|pages=286}}
- In 1998, the average weekly circulation was 15,980.{{Cite book|title=Editor & Publisher International Year Book|year=1998|pages=II, 63}}
- In 2018, the average weekly circulation was 15,000.
Awards
The Pilot won Best Community Newspaper in the United States in 2015, 2016, and 2017 from the National Newspaper Association.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ncbiznews.com/charlotte-observer-sells-southpark-magazine-for-undisclosed-amount/|title=Charlotte Observer sells SouthPark Magazine for undisclosed amount|last=Lipman|first=Rachel|date=2019-03-25|website=NC Business News Wire|access-date=2019-10-21}} In their comments about the 2015 award for General Excellence in the Non-daily Division, with circulation over 10,000, the NNA wrote:
"of all the entries, this one said 'community' loudest to us. Human interest stories and local issue coverage abound. Just as important, The Pilot’s Opinion pages contain insightful, vigorous debate. This is a well-packaged paper with solid photography. The people of Southern Pines, NC, are fortunate to have this strong news source."{{Cite web|url=http://www.nnaweb.org/pub/doc/2015-bnc-supplement.pdf|title=2015 BNEC, BNAC & NAE|website=National Newspaper Association|access-date=2019-11-15}}In 2017, Pilot photographer Ted Fitzgerald won the Hugh Morton Photographer of the Year award for a community newspaper by the North Carolina Press Association. The paper won numerous awards in the category of community newspapers with over 10,000 circulation, including first place in the following categories: Feature Writing, Arts and Entertainment Reporting, Best Niche Publication, and Best Video among others.{{Cite web|url=http://ncpress.staging.communityq.com/uploads/files/9eb554fc04.pdf|title=Editorial Contest Winners for 2017|date=2017|website=North Carolina Press Association|access-date=2020-01-17}}