The Gleaner, October 13, 1965
Traditionally the term publishing refers to the distribution of printed works: books, newspapers and journals.
The face of publishing industry has changed because of digital information and the internet. Publishing has now expanded to include electronic books, tweets, blogs, websites as well as other forms of new media.
Printed works can be tracked back in Jamaican history to the early 1700s. The Weekly Jamaican Courant was a 1718 publication. In the 1830s Jamaican newspaper history was made with the launch of The Daily Gleaner.
In the 1990s Jamaica imported US$2.3 million in news-print rolls; by 1996, it had grown to US$7.5 million. Newsprint formed one of the significant import segments for Jamaica.
By the twenty-first century the industry amassed a vast majority of media ranging from daily newspapers, websites and blogs spreading information on Jamaican people and culture. The three major dailies are: the Daily Gleaner known now solely as the Gleaner, the Observer and the Star. Recent additions include the Xnews and the Chat.
Highlighting the controversial issue of Jamaica’s political link with the dons and guns trade, from Gleaner Newspaper cartoonist Clovis.
In addition to local publications; news, comics, gaming, financial, social and lifestyle magazines, along with books and journals from media in the US and UK are often available in bookstores and pharmacies.
Online there are websites like: the Gleaner’s www.Go-jamaica.com, www.Jamaicans.com and www.ackee.com. There is also scores of sites on vacationing that give information on Jamaica.
The Gleaner Company has the strongest footing in the industry. Of Jamaican newspapers, the Gleaner claimed the highest circulation, boasting 100,000 copies printed on Sundays.
The company’s newspapers include The Gleaner, which contains news, views, sports, and reporting for morning reading; The Sunday Gleaner, a weekend newspaper for families; The Star, a tabloid for afternoon shoppers and readers; The Weekend Star that covers Jamaican music, dance, theatre, and social culture news; Track and Pools, designed as a service for the flat racing fraternity; and The Children's Own, a weekly newspaper during school terms to promote creative learning and to develop scholastic endeavors.
The Gleaner targets young, male readers. Of the chain's readers, 43 percent made between US$31,000 and US$45,000 a year; some 32 percent make US$30,000 or less. Only 12 percent earn US$46,000 or more. Its website go-jamaica is in its thirteenth year of operation and has 120 million hits per month.
The Gleaner newspaper archives is another invaluable documented source on Jamaica. For a small fee users can access more than 100 years of the history of Jamaica. The archives web address is http://gleaner.newspaperarchive.com
The Jamaica Observer founded in the early 1990s is its strongest competitor and is doing a good job of rivaling the kind of coverage found in the Gleaner, printed in a smaller more manageable tabloid format with a broadsheet bent.
