Selma Newspapers, Inc. announced Friday that Rick Couch has been named news editor of The Selma Times-Journal, and will begin work at the newspaper October 7.

Couch, a native of Butler, was formerly west metro senior editor for The Paulding Neighbor and The Douglas Neighbor, both affiliated publications of Neighbor Newspapers, Inc., a suburban Atlanta community newspaper group.

Prior to his affiliation with Neighbor Newspapers, Inc., Couch was news editor of The Demopolis Times and a reporter with The Greenville Advocate. The Demopolis, Greenville and Selma newspapers are all affiliates of Boone Newspapers, Inc. headquartered in Tuscaloosa.

“I am very happy to have the opportunity to return to the Black Belt with The Selma Times Journal,” said Couch, who graduated from the University of South Alabama in 2003 with a degree in communications. “It is always exciting to come home and through this opportunity I am able to do just that. This region and its people have always been very special to me. I look forward to getting to know the citizens of Selma and Dallas County and working together to promote the area and produce a quality newspaper.”

Editor Tim Reeves said Couch’s arrival brings another excellent journalist in the Times-Journal’s newsroom.

“Rick will be a great addition to our team and will be a great addition to Selma,” Reeves said. “He is very familiar with Alabama’s Black Belt and we are looking forward to getting him on board.”