Founded in 1880, The Lebanon News is one of Southwest Virginia’s oldest community newspapers, serving as the primary source of local information for Russell County for over 140 years. The publication was established by first editor E.S. Finney and first publisher Thomas W. Comann. In its earliest days, it was a weekly broadsheet that documented the growth of the Town of Lebanon and provided a record of legal notices, agricultural developments, and regional events. 

The newspaper saw its most enduring legacy begin in 1886 when it was purchased by James Bausell, marking the start of nearly a century of ownership by the Bausell family. For generations, members of the family, including Henry F. Bausell and Ellwood B. Bausell, managed the paper’s operations through major historical events like the World Wars and the evolution of the regional coal and agricultural industries. This era of local stewardship solidified the paper’s reputation as “Russell County’s Family Newspaper,” a slogan it carried for decades while maintaining its weekly Wednesday publication schedule. 

In 1970, a group of local businessmen led by Jerry Lark purchased the paper from Ellwood B. Bausell. Lark, who had started at the paper as a high school student in 1964, served as editor and publisher for 53 years, overseeing the transition from traditional printing to the digital age. In April 2023, Lark sold the 143-year-old publication to HD Media LLC, a Huntington-based company that also owns other major regional outlets like the Charleston Gazette-Mail. Today, The Lebanon News continues to operate as a weekly Wednesday publication, balancing its deep-rooted history with modern media demands.