The Journal-News
431 S. Main Street
Hillsboro, IL 62049
Phone: 217-532-3933
History
Since 1852, The Journal-News, has served Hillsboro and all the communities of Montgomery County in Illinois. The paper has resided in downtown Hillsboro with its office at 431 South Main Street since 1948. The Journal-News has a second office at 531 North Union Avenue in Litchfield.
The Journal-News has served as “the newspaper of record” recording the history and lives of the people it serves for over 150 years. It is one of the oldest businesses in the county, one of the oldest newspapers in Illinois, and is listed as a Centennial Business by the Illinois Historical Society.
Coverage & Community
The newspaper offers the best in local news coverage, in-depth sports for all four county high school, comprehensive features, and coverage of county, town and village governments. The Journal-News also gives to local businesses and individuals a highly effective means for advertising services and merchandise. The Journal-News is published twice each week on Mondays and Thursdays and is the largest circulation newspaper in the county.
Associated Publications
With a rich history and tradition of service the operation also publishes the Raymond News, the Sorento News, the M & M Journal and the Macoupin County Journal. The Journal-News is the successor to The Hillsboro Journal and Montgomery County News forming in 2004.
WSMI
P.O. Box 10
Litchfield, IL 62056
Phone: 217-532-2066
AM Radio
WSMI (AM) was established on November 2, 1950 by Hayward Talley and his partner Tom Payton. The call letters WSMI were chosen for We Serve Mid-Illinois. Upon Tom’s untimely death in 1952, Hayward and Emma Talley became sole owners.
Studios and offices were established in Litchfield-Hillsboro and on the campus of Blackburn College in Carlinville. Later, the Carlinville studio was moved to the Carlinville square.
Party Line
Early in the 1950’s Hayward Talley established and conducted one of the country’s first telephone talk shows, “WSMI Party Line”. WSMI added a live country band and a gospel quartet. WSMI added a mobile unit, and one of the early broadcasts was of President Harry Truman as his train stopped at the Litchfield depot.
FM Radio
In 1960 a sister station was built: WSMI-FM. At the time there was only a single FM station in St. Louis and FM receivers were few. By broadcasting high school sports, FM sets began to be purchased and the FM audience grew.
News Station
WSMI established a full-time news department, very unusual for small town radio. And later followed a full-time farm department. WSMI became a network news station when it joined the Mutual Radio Network, continuing until Mutual was absorbed by CNN Radio.
Associated Stations
In 1999 a third station was added to the Talley group, WAOX. The station features “Today’s Best Hits” along with ABC news, and local high school sports.
