Hollis R. Towns Named VP of Content, Editor in Chief of Alabama Media Group

By Howard Koplowitz | hkoplowitz@al.com Hollis R. Towns has been named vice president of content and editor in chief of Alabama Media Group, the company announced Thursday. A native of Fort Valley, Georgia, Towns comes to AMG from Gannett, where he oversaw 160 daily newspapers and news websites across the country as Gannett’s vice president for local news and regional editor. Under his leadership, newsroom teams won multiple Emmy awards for investigative journalism, were Pulitzer Prize finalists for public service in 2010 and were honored with the National Association of Black Journalists’ Public Service Award in 2018. Towns’ first day at AMG will be March 25. He said AMG’s culture of nationally recognized excellence attracted him to the company. “Seeing the great journalism and bold digital moves taking place at Alabama Media Group was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” Towns said. “What’s not to love about working for a newsroom that has won multiple Pulitzer Prizes, Emmys and other top journalism awards by focusing on issues that impact local communities and where local journalism has led to new policies and laws that have helped Alabamians.” AMG President Natalie Pruitt informed AL.com staffers of Towns’ hiring Thursday morning. “It’s a...