45 Years. Three Generations. Just the beginning…

W. Miller Montgomery, founder of The Star Reporter, now The Columbia Star

The name The Columbia Star has been synonymous with Columbia's local publishing industry since 1998; however, the history of this community newspaper can actually be traced back over 45 years to October 24, 1963, when Miller Montgomery, and Harold and Mary Booker published the first issue of The Star Reporter at 716 Santee Avenue in Five Points.

Columbia's oldest locally owned weekly newspaper began as The Star Reporter and was originally founded in 1963 by three journalists who shared a collective mission "to print the news of the community, the joys, the achievements, and the sorrows, all of which make up a full life." Forty-five years later, the mission and vision of the newspaper remain the same.

Montgomery and the Bookers were already familiar with the newspaper business before they joined together to establish their own local publication. All had various job experiences from working at other newspapers in Columbia. Mr. Booker left

In the days before computers, Miller Montgomery used to "paste up" the newspaper.

The Columbia Record (a local evening newspaper that is no longer published) where he held a job as city editor. His wife left The State newspaper where she had worked as the society editor to bring her social contacts to the new publication. Miller Montgomery had also previously worked at WIS and WMSC radio and The State selling advertising before taking his new post as advertising manager for The Star Reporter. 

For over 20 years this core team of three people using just three manual typewriters, successfully worked together to write, sell, and publish their newspaper each week to circulate throughout the community.

Harold Booker died in 1986 and his wife, Mary Booker, retired in 1989 leaving Miller Montgomery to run the newspaper alone. At this time neither Warner Montgomery nor his sister Mimi Maddock had ever been involved with The Star Reporter or the newspaper business. Both had been working outside Columbia as seasoned teaching professionals for the previous two decades; however, each was thinking about making a career change.

The Star Reporter was born October 24, 1963.

While walking and talking one afternoon, out of nowhere came the question, "Why don't we go work with Daddy?" Warner said. They realized The Star Reporter had great potential for growth so they jumped into business with their father.

Immediately they began making positive changes to the business such as replacing the newspaper's manual typewriters with Apple Computers. They also helped by working as staff writers.

Miller Montgomery was a charismatic sales person, but not a writer; however, his children were experienced writers and had written books before they moved to the newspaper.

Improvements in technology, resources, and journalism continued to drive The Star Reporter forward. The publication gradually became completely computerized. They were able to lay out the whole publication using a computer- desktop instead of "pasting up" the layout (physically cutting and pasting individual pieces of the paper together to form the final layouts for the newspaper each week on top a light- table at the office.)

The Columbia Star was born May 7, 1998.

Miller Montgomery diligently worked at The Star Reporter until the day he died in 1996 at the age of 83. After some deliberation about what to do next, Warner and Mimi decided to carry the newspaper on. This began with what they now fondly call "the great leap forward" in 1998. Realizing they needed a new space, they decided to move the newspaper away from the 900 square foot Five Points location it had occupied for 30 years. They chose a Shandon location (723 Queen Street, 29205), and the paper continues to operate out of this second location.

Choosing the larger, historic building just off Devine Street for their new office was a carefully calculated decision. Warner Montgomery says they planned to remain close to Five Points but had wanted to move away from being pigeonholed as "the little Five-Points paper." They expanded the coverage to greater Columbia.

The newspaper was then renamed and re-launched as The Columbia Star on May 7, 1998. The word "Star" (representing the original five streets that led to Five Points in a star formation) was kept as part of the newspaper's name to represent its heritage and "Columbia" was added to emphasize that their news coverage reaches past the horizons of Five Points and across the entire Columbia area. They also changed the layout and design of the paper and added color to the Star's previous completely black and white newsprint pages.

Editorial content was also refocused. The society pages that had firstmade The Star Reporter famous were continued.

The new Columbia Star highlighted the good news of community, schools, education, high school sports, everyday happenings, travel, commentary, and opinion, as well as historical feature stories and analysis pieces.

Four years ago two new co- owners joined the newspaper. Linda Sosbee, Warner's wife, became financial manager and advertising manager. Mike Maddock, Mimi's son, became sports and design editor, editorial assistant, and general manager. Linda and Mike joined Warner and Mimi to help drive The Columbia Star forward. Mike, is the third generation involved in The Columbia Star.

Over 45 years and three generations, Columbia's oldest locally owned newspaper has transformed, evolved, and continued on a successful journey serving the Columbia area. It is reason for celebration. Friday, October 24, 2008, commemorates 45 years The Columbia Star (then The Star Reporter) first published the inaugural issue.

Looking back through 45 years and three generations, testifies The Columbia Star newspaper has been a major source of local news and will continue as an important part of this community for many years to come.