We'll be publishing one newspaper to better meet your needs

The Potomac News and Manassas Journal Messenger will merge into one newspaper seven days a week, effective Oct. 13.

The new newspaper, to be called the News & Messenger, will serve all of Prince William County, as well as the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park. The News & Messenger will be redesigned and will feature additional content from the many communities that make up the region.

"This change will allow our newsroom to refocus its efforts on gathering additional news and feature stories and photographs from the rapidly growing area that we serve," said Bruce Potter, publisher of the newspapers.

The two newspapers are produced by a consolidated staff and have published a combined edition on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays since 2001.

"Although Prince William is one of the most diverse counties in Virginia -- geographically as well as demographically -- roads such as the Prince William Parkway and Route 234 have helped to bring our county together and made it easier than ever to drive from one side of the county to the other," Potter said.

"Issues that affect one part of the county affect all of us, and issues that affect the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park also affect the county, and vice versa," Potter added. "It is our hope that this move will not only help to create an even greater sense of community but also will highlight the many unique features of our neighborhoods."

As part of the change, the newsroom staff is being reorganized to focus on community-oriented

coverage. The change will not result in any layoffs.

"Each news and sports reporter will be assigned a specific geographic region to cover [see list that accompanies this article] and will be responsible for all news and feature content from that area," said Susan Svihlik, executive editor of the newspaper.

"This change will allow us to put more reporters on the street in the communities that make up Prince William County," Svihlik said. "Residents will have a better opportunity to connect with the paper and its reporters. This will help us publish more local news important to residents."

A new feature of the redesigned newspaper will be a community page six days a week, Monday through Saturday. Each community page will highlight activities and features from a specific area and will include content from the "Neighbors" columnists currently featured in the Friday paper.

The newspaper's Web site, www.InsideNoVA.com, is being expanded to allow for additional community content.

The news staff will begin its day much earlier than in the past, and the Web site will be updated throughout the day with the latest news from the region.

Subscribers to the Potomac News and Manassas Journal Messenger will automatically have their subscriptions converted to the new paper, and expiration dates will not change. Subscribers with delivery-related questions should call 703-369-5556. The newspaper will continue to maintain offices in Woodbridge and

Manassas.

The roots of the Manassas Journal Messenger date to 1869, and the Potomac News has been published since 1959. The two newspapers were under separate ownership until bought by Richmond-based Media General Inc. in the mid-1990s.

"We recognize the long and important history of these newspapers in their respective communities," Potter said. "Given the realities of today's marketplace, this move will allow us to continue to serve those communities even more effectively and to provide even more in-depth coverage."

Media General's other products in Northern Virginia, which are not affected by the change, include the daily Culpeper Star-Exponent; several weekly papers, including the Stafford County Sun, the Belvoir Eagle and the PW Pulse; and Prime magazine.