A group of local businessmen met on January 9, 1946, to organize a weekly newspaper for Okaloosa County's southern region. The Okaloosa News-Journal, published at the county seat of Crestview at the northern end of the county for many decades, carried early accounts of the developing region. As the southern communities of Fort Walton, Destin, Shalimar, Cinco Bayou, Mary Esther, Ocean City, Wright, Valparaiso and Niceville expanded, so did the need for local coverage.
A gathering of local entrepreneurs convened on January 9, 1946, to establish a weekly newspaper serving Okaloosa County's southern area. The Okaloosa News-Journal, published at the county seat of Crestview in the northern part of the county for many years, provided early reports on the region's development. As the southern communities of Fort Walton, Destin, Shalimar, Cinco Bayou, Mary Esther, Ocean City, Wright, Valparaiso, and Niceville expanded, so did the need for local news coverage.