Bermuda Sun

What Bermuda Sun does

Bermuda Sun was a privately held Bermudian newspaper company that operated from May 1964 until July 30, 2014. The company published a bi-weekly print newspaper (Wednesday and Friday editions) for the Bermuda market, charging approximately $1 per copy, and operated alongside a digital news website (bermudasun.bm) that reached #5 in the Alexa.com Bermuda rankings and attracted 44,000 unique users with 46% year-on-year readership growth in the nine months before closure. Its product portfolio extended beyond the core paper into sub-brands including Sunshopper (classifieds), Sunemployment (job board), Avertise (advertising platform), Bermemes Exclusives, photo galleries, and RSS feeds, supported by an active social media presence.

Underlying technology was conventional: web offset printing via a long-standing partnership with Island Press, digital image processing for plate-making, a CMS-driven website, Google Analytics for audience metrics, and standard social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn). No proprietary software platforms, APIs, or AI capabilities are documented. The business operated from offices on Elliot Street in Hamilton, Bermuda, and employed 23 staff at the time of closure.

Revenue was generated primarily through print advertising sales to local businesses and government (official notices) and through single-copy and subscription newspaper sales. The company was owned by publisher Randy French, with Lisa Beauchamp as President and Tony McWilliam as Editor. Bermuda Sun differentiated itself as an alternative editorial voice to Bermuda's Royal Gazette under the tagline "Friend to the Community." On July 25, 2014, the closure was announced; the final edition was published July 30, 2014, and all 23 staff were made redundant. The company has been closed since.

Name

Bermuda Sun

Legal name

Bermuda Sun Ltd.

Website

https://bermudasun.bm

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bermuda Sun was a privately held Bermudian bi-weekly print newspaper and digital news site that operated from 1964 to July 2014, serving local residents and advertisers in Bermuda with general-interest news, classifieds, and business coverage before ceasing publication due to financial pressures.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Newspaper Publishing

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (51311)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)

akta.pro primary industry

Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital) (MPAJADAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Alternative/Independent Newsweeklies & Opinion Press (MPAJADAH)

Keywords

• Local newspaper publishing
• Community journalism
• Classified advertising
• Print media distribution
• News media

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamilton

HQ country

Bermuda

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Print Advertising: The primary revenue stream was advertising sales to local businesses, featuring advertiser/client relationships with marketing agencies and local businesses. The paper published features, supplements and special editions that attracted advertising clients.
2. Newspaper Sales: Revenue from selling printed newspapers at newsstands and through subscriptions to Bermuda residents, sold at approximately $1 per edition.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bermuda Sun published a bi-weekly newspaper distributed every Wednesday and Sunday in Bermuda, complemented by a continuously updated online news website. The publication covered local news, sports, opinion, entertainment, and lifestyle content, and operated branded classifieds verticals (Sunshopper and Sunemployment) alongside editorial features such as photography galleries and opinion columns.

Product overview

Bermuda Sun was a traditional newspaper publisher offering a print newspaper (bi-weekly) and an online news website. The company operated multiple branded sub-products including Sunshopper (shopping), Sunemployment (job board), and Avertise (advertising services). The portfolio included print publications across news categories and digital properties featuring photo galleries, videos, and RSS feeds. The company ceased all operations in July 2014 after 50 years of publication.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bermuda Sun Newspaper (print edition) Bi-weekly print newspaper published every Wednesday and Sunday, covering local news, sports, opinion, entertainment, lifestyle, and community features for Bermuda residents. Sold via newsstand and subscription.
• Bermuda Sun Online (bermudasun.bm website)

Quantifiable outcome

• Achieved #5 website ranking in Bermuda (Alexa)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Island PresscoreTechnology or IntegrationIsland Press was the printing partner for Bermuda Sun, handling typesetting, paste-up, camera, plate-making, and printing operations. Horst Augustinovic was instrumental in starting the newspaper in 1964 and managed the preparatory printing processes. Island Press provided the web offset printing technology that allowed the newspaper to print photographs of better quality than competitors.
• TEDx BermudaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTEDx Bermuda team worked with Bermuda Sun as a supporter of their annual TEDx event. The Sun provided coverage, encouragement and promotional support for innovation-related content. Described as a 'true companion in innovation' by the TEDx team.
• Bermuda Hospitals BoardminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBermuda Hospitals Board maintained a long and positive relationship with Bermuda Sun staff, appreciating their professionalism and dedication to journalistic integrity. The Sun provided supportive healthcare coverage in the community.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• The Royal Gazette: Bermuda's other and now sole major newspaper and Bermuda Sun's primary direct competitor; both served Bermuda residents with local news, opinion, and classifieds, and competed for the same advertiser base before Bermuda Sun's closure.
• Cayman Compass: Cayman Islands newspaper that employs former Bermuda Sun journalists and operates a comparable small-island-market local-news model, making it a structural peer for the same audience and revenue dynamics.
• Bernews: Bermuda's leading digital-first local news outlet that emerged as a competitor during Bermuda Sun's final years; directly comparable as a Bermuda-local news publisher chasing the same audience and advertisers.

Regional players

• The Gleaner (Jamaica): Caribbean regional newspaper with comparable legacy-print and digital-news business model serving a small-island market; structurally analogous in addressing local advertising and subscription dynamics.
• The Bermuda Magazine: Bermuda-based lifestyle and local-interest publication; comparable because it serves the same Bermuda audience with editorial coverage and competes for a portion of local advertising spend.

Emerging players

• Local News Now (Village Media): Network of small-market community news sites that pivoted legacy local news to digital; comparable as a model for reviving or transforming a closed small-market newspaper's digital assets.
• Archipel Press: Caribbean/Atlantic island focused publishing initiative serving small island communities with journalism; comparable to Bermuda Sun's mission of providing an alternative voice in a small media market.
• Troy Media: A small-market community/hyperlocal news publisher with a digital-first model; comparable in operating a newsroom of similar scale serving a defined geographic audience with limited headcount.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BDASun
• Facebookfacebook.com/BermudaSun
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bermuda-sun
• Instagraminstagram.com/thebdasun

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Bermuda Sun