Jamaica Gleaner

What Jamaica Gleaner does

The Gleaner Company (Media) Limited, operating commercially as Jamaica Gleaner, is a Jamaican multi-platform media company founded in 1834 by brothers Jacob and Joshua deCordova and headquartered at a five-storey complex on North and East Streets in Kingston. It functions as the print and digital publishing arm of the RJRGLEANER Communications Group following a 2016 merger with Radio Jamaica Limited, and operates The Gleaner daily broadsheet, jamaica-gleaner.com (the first Caribbean newspaper website, launched 1997), the eGleaner digital replica, iOS and Android mobile applications, a dedicated video platform (videos.jamaica-gleaner.com), the zenPHOTO-powered Gleaner Gallery, and the Gleaner Classifieds marketplace. The company also publishes or houses nine major titles including The Star, Flair, Children's Own, Gleaner Vacations, and regional editions such as Gleaner North America and the Weekly Gleaner, with wholly-owned subsidiaries serving the Jamaican diaspora in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

The core technology stack is a multi-platform digital media infrastructure combining a Drupal-style CMS-backed news website, ePaper rendering of the print edition, native mobile applications, a streaming-style video content management system, and a photo gallery running on zenPHOTO. Distribution is anchored domestically by Kingston headquarters and a Montego Bay Western Bureau, and internationally by the USA, Canada, and UK subsidiaries. The business model is hybrid: programmatic and direct advertising (display, classifieds, third-party networks including Google, Burstmedia, Kontera, ValueClickMedia, Amazon), recurring digital and ePaper subscriptions marketed as "Unlimited Access" on an annual cadence, transactional classified listings, and newsletter sponsorships. Customer segments are split between a large horizontal base of Jamaican consumer readers (general news, sports, business, entertainment, lifestyle) and Jamaican diaspora readers in North America and the UK on the demand side, and a relatively concentrated set of domestic and regional business advertisers on the supply side.

Name

Jamaica Gleaner

Legal name

The Gleaner Company (Media) Limited

Website

https://jamaica-gleaner.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1834

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Jamaica Gleaner is Jamaica's newspaper of record since 1834 and a multi-platform media company operating print, website, ePaper, mobile, video, and classifieds products under the RJRGLEANER Communications Group, serving Jamaican consumers, advertisers, and diaspora readers in the USA, Canada, and UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Newspaper Publishing

NAICS

Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131), Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Publishing Aggregators & Distribution (e-book distribution, news syndication) (MPAJAMAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

News & Current Affairs Aggregators (MPACAKAA)

Keywords

• Newspaper publishing
• Digital news media
• News subscriptions
• Multimedia journalism
• Classified advertising

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingston

HQ country

Jamaica

HQ region

Latin America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Advertising Revenue: The Gleaner generates advertising revenue through display advertisements, classified ads, and digital ad placements on its website, ePaper, and other digital properties. Third-party advertising companies including Google, Burstmedia, Kontera, ValueClickMedia, Amazon, and others serve ads on the website.
2. Subscription Revenue: Revenue generated from digital subscriptions for unlimited access to jamaica-gleaner.com content, ePaper subscriptions (digital replica of print), and premium content offerings. Newsletter subscriptions are also offered.
3. Classified Advertising: Revenue from classified advertisements across print and digital platforms, including Gleaner Classifieds website

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Jamaica Gleaner publishes a daily multi-sectioned broadsheet newspaper and a comprehensive digital news platform covering politics, sports, business, entertainment, lifestyle, and world news for Jamaican audiences domestically and the diaspora abroad. The company distributes content through jamaica-gleaner.com, the eGleaner digital replica, iOS and Android mobile apps, a video platform, email newsletters, and sister publications including The Star, Flair, and Children's Own. Revenue is generated through consumer subscriptions, display advertising, and classified advertising.

Product overview

The Gleaner Company (Media) Limited operates a multi-platform media portfolio under the RJRGLEANER Communications Group. The core digital offering centers on jamaica-gleaner.com as the primary news platform, supplemented by eGleaner (ePaper) for digital replicas of the print edition, the Gleaner Mobile App for iOS and Android, and the Gleaner Videos platform for video content. Additional platforms include the Gleaner Gallery for photojournalism and the Gleaner Classifieds for classified advertising. The company also publishes nine major print and digital titles including The Star, Flair magazine, Children's Own, and regional editions for North America and the international Weekly Gleaner serving the Jamaican Diaspora. The portfolio connects audiences across Jamaica, the Caribbean, and worldwide through websites, e-papers, mobile apps, social media channels, and newsletters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• eGleaner: Digital e-paper version of the print publication
• Weekly Gleaner
• The Gleaner Minute
• Jamaica Now
• eProbe

Products and services

• Jamaica Gleaner Website (jamaica-gleaner.com) Main online news platform offering daily coverage of politics, sports, business, lifestyle, entertainment, and world news for Jamaican and diaspora audiences, with subscription options for unlimited access.
• eGleaner (ePaper) Digital replica of the print Gleaner newspaper maintaining the same look and feel as the print product, including print ads, classifieds, and career ads in an interactive format.
• Gleaner Mobile App Mobile application available on Google Play and App Store providing news content access on iOS and Android devices.
• Gleaner Videos Video platform hosting news clips, special reports, The Gleaner Minute, Jamaica Now segments, and feature video content across categories including news, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle.
• Gleaner Gallery Photo gallery platform powered by zenPHOTO showcasing photojournalism, event coverage, and archival images from Gleaner photographers.
• Gleaner Newsletters Email newsletter offerings including morning and evening top stories summaries, The Classics, Women of Distinction, Our Jamaica, The Inside Opinion, and Stranger than Fiction newsletters.
• Gleaner Classifieds Online classified advertising platform for jobs, real estate, vehicles, and other classified listings.
• The Star Sister publication under the RJRGLEANER Communications Group offering additional Jamaican news coverage.
• Weekly Gleaner International edition serving Jamaicans in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, one of the earliest media connections to the Jamaican diaspora.
• Flair Magazine Lifestyle magazine covering fashion, beauty, food, and lifestyle content.
• Children's Own Publication dedicated to children's content and the Gleaner's Children's Own Spelling Bee.
• Gleaner North America Regional digital edition serving North American audiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% reader market share in Jamaica
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Radio Jamaica LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFollowing the 2016 merger, Radio Jamaica Limited and The Gleaner Company (Media) Limited combined to form the RJRGLEANER Communications Group. The group now includes TVJ, RETV, JNN, IRC, Power 106FM, Music 99FM, and other subsidiaries, anchoring a powerful multimedia network.
• The Gleaner Co. (UK) Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSubsidiary company serving the UK market and Jamaican diaspora in the United Kingdom.
• The Gleaner Co. (USA) Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSubsidiary company serving the US market and Jamaican diaspora in the United States.
• Gleaner Media (Canada) Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSubsidiary company serving the Canadian market and Jamaican diaspora in Canada.
• Independent Radio Co. Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSubsidiary operating Power 106FM and Music 99FM radio stations as part of the RJRGLEANER multimedia network.
• The StarcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Star (jamaica-star.com) is a sister publication and part of the Gleaner Company websites network.
• Flair MagazinecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFlair (flairja.com) is a lifestyle magazine brand under the Gleaner Company, part of the 15+ print publication brands.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Jamaica Observer: Jamaica's other major daily newspaper and the Gleaner's principal domestic competitor, offering parallel print and digital news coverage of Jamaican politics, business, sports, and lifestyle to the same Jamaican readership and advertiser base.
• One Caribbean Media (OCM): Caribbean media group operating daily newspapers including the Trinidad Express, with a multi-island print and digital publishing model highly comparable to the Gleaner's portfolio approach across print, ePaper, and web.
• Nation News (Barbados): Long-standing Caribbean daily newspaper serving Barbados with print, ePaper, and web distribution, comparable to the Gleaner as a national newspaper of record navigating similar print-to-digital transitions in a small island market.
• Trinidad and Tobago Guardian: Another historic Caribbean broadsheet serving Trinidad and Tobago with parallel print and digital operations, providing a directly comparable regional peer in legacy national newspaper publishing transitioning to digital subscriptions.
• Cayman Compass: Caribbean community newspaper operating across print and digital in the Cayman Islands, comparable as a small-market national newspaper that has invested in digital subscription and ePaper distribution similar to the Gleaner.

Emerging players

• Loop Caribbean News: Digital-first Caribbean news aggregator and publisher spanning multiple island markets, comparable to the Gleaner's digital news and video platforms but without the legacy print and printing-plant infrastructure.
• Barbados Today: Digital-native Caribbean news outlet serving Barbados with online-first publishing, comparable to the Gleaner as a competitor for Caribbean digital advertising spend and reader attention across the region.

Broad incumbents

• New York Times Company: Large legacy newspaper that has executed a successful digital subscription transformation, comparable to the Gleaner as a benchmark for how a national newspaper brand can monetize digital subscriptions and bundle adjacent products (cooking, games, audio).
• BBC News: Global public-service news organization competing for international and Caribbean reader attention with free, ad-light digital news, comparable to the Gleaner as an incumbent news brand expanding into multi-platform (web, app, video) distribution.
• CNN International: Global cable and digital news incumbent with broad international coverage including Caribbean reporting, comparable to the Gleaner as a multi-platform news brand competing for advertiser budgets and audience attention across the region.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/jamaicagleaner
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@jamaicagleaner
• Facebookfacebook.com/gleanerjamaica
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-gleaner-company-u-k-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Jamaica Gleaner