The Virgin Islands Daily News
Encyclopedia
The Virgin Islands Daily News is a daily newspaper in the United States Virgin Islands
headquartered on the island of Saint Thomas
. In 1995 the newspaper became one of the smallest ever to win journalism's most prestigious award, the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service
. The newspaper is published six days a week, every day except Sunday. The paper maintains its main office on Saint Thomas and a smaller bureau on Saint Croix
.
. He first produced an updated guide to the island and with the proceeds bought a second hand press. With the profits of the newspaper, he repaid the bank. Melchior was just 21 at the time. The paper was founded with the motto "More and Better Business for St. Thomas." In 1940, Melchior bought out Jarvis's share of the company.
In 1978, after serving as publisher for nearly 48 years, Melchior sold the newspaper to the Gannett Company
for $3.5 million. Melchior is credited with instilling the newspapers aggressive journalism. After the sale, Melchior remained involved with the paper. Under Gannett, the paper won a Pulitzer Prize
, but in 1997, Jeffrey L. Prosser, a businessman of whom the newspaper had been critical offered Gannett $17 million for the paper.
On July 31, 2006 Prosser's company Innovative Communications Corp.
declared bankruptcy after defaulting on loans. In February 2007, a trustee was appointed to manage the assets, including the Virgin Island Daily News. Times-Shamrock Communications
bought the paper in 2008.
The series created a stir on the islands. After the articles ran, a new police commissioner and attorney general were appointed for the U.S. Virgin Islands, and a top narcotics official quit.
In 1995, the series was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service
. The Pulitzer Committee made the citation: "Awarded to The Virgin Islands Daily News, St. Thomas, for its disclosure of the links between the region's rampant crime rate and corruption in the local criminal justice system. The reporting, largely the work of Melvin Claxton, initiated political reforms."
The Virgin Islands Daily News with limited resources, beat out the much larger Charlotte Observer and the Philadelphia Inquirer to claim the prize. The Virgin Islands Daily News is the third smallest newspapers to ever win the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, the smallest being The Point Reyes Light
in Marin County, California
.
The paper has continued to pursue award-winning journalism. In 2003, the Society of Professional Journalists
awarded the Virgin Islands Daily News with its public service award for small circulation newspapers for an investigation into the use of deadly force by Virgin Islands police. In 2007 the paper won the Associated Press Managing Editors Award for Public Service in the small circulation category for its investigation into incompetence and corruption in the police department's major crimes unit. It also won the Capitolbeat in-depth reporting award in 2007, for a special section about outgoing Gov. Charles Turnbull
.
United States Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands of the United States are a group of islands in the Caribbean that are an insular area of the United States. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.The U.S...
headquartered on the island of Saint Thomas
Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Saint Thomas is an island in the Caribbean Sea and with the islands of Saint John, Saint Croix, and Water Island a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands , an unincorporated territory of the United States. Located on the island is the territorial capital and port of...
. In 1995 the newspaper became one of the smallest ever to win journalism's most prestigious award, the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service
Pulitzer Prize for Public Service
The Pulitzer Prize for Public Service has been awarded since 1918 for a distinguished example of meritorious public service by a newspaper or news site through the use of its journalistic resources. Those resources, as well as reporting, may include editorials, cartoons, photographs, graphics,...
. The newspaper is published six days a week, every day except Sunday. The paper maintains its main office on Saint Thomas and a smaller bureau on Saint Croix
Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Saint Croix is an island in the Caribbean Sea, and a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands , an unincorporated territory of the United States. Formerly the Danish West Indies, they were sold to the United States by Denmark in the Treaty of the Danish West Indies of...
.
Business history
The Virgin Islands Daily News was founded by Ariel Melchior Sr. in 1930, with business partner J. Antonio Jarvis and $1,000 borrowed from family and a bank loan cosigned by friend Adolph Achille GereauAdolph Achille Gereau
Adolph Achille Gereau, or Adolph Gereau, was a United States Virgin Islands civil servant who was the principal founder of the Republican Club and one of the committee of founders of the Republican Party of the United States Virgin Islands.Gereau was born December 20, 1893 in Charlotte Amalie, St...
. He first produced an updated guide to the island and with the proceeds bought a second hand press. With the profits of the newspaper, he repaid the bank. Melchior was just 21 at the time. The paper was founded with the motto "More and Better Business for St. Thomas." In 1940, Melchior bought out Jarvis's share of the company.
In 1978, after serving as publisher for nearly 48 years, Melchior sold the newspaper to the Gannett Company
Gannett Company
Gannett Company, Inc. is a publicly-traded media holding company headquartered in Tysons Corner, Virginia, United States, near McLean. It is the largest U.S. newspaper publisher as measured by total daily circulation. Its assets include the national newspaper USA Today and the weekly USA Weekend...
for $3.5 million. Melchior is credited with instilling the newspapers aggressive journalism. After the sale, Melchior remained involved with the paper. Under Gannett, the paper won a Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
, but in 1997, Jeffrey L. Prosser, a businessman of whom the newspaper had been critical offered Gannett $17 million for the paper.
On July 31, 2006 Prosser's company Innovative Communications Corp.
Innovative Communications Corporation
Innovative Communications Corporation provides landline and mobile telephone, DSL and cable television services in the United States Virgin Islands. It also operates cable TV services in Sint Maarten, Martinique, Guadeloupe, the British Virgin Islands, and France.Innovative also owned the Virgin...
declared bankruptcy after defaulting on loans. In February 2007, a trustee was appointed to manage the assets, including the Virgin Island Daily News. Times-Shamrock Communications
Times-Shamrock Communications
Times-Shamrock Communications is an American media company based in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The company, owned by the Lynett and Haggerty families of Scranton, lists among its assets seven daily newspapers, over 20 weekly newspapers, and 12 radio stations...
bought the paper in 2008.
Journalism awards
In 1994, the paper had a circulation of 16,400 and a staff of 18 full-time editors and reporters. In June 1994 the newspaper began to inquire about why there had been little investigation into the death of a policeman known for his integrity. The reports resulted in a 10-part series "Virgin Island Crime: Who's to Blame?" The series determined that the police were catching too few criminals, that prosecutors were losing too many cases, and that judges were handing out light sentences. The sole reporter of the series, Melvin Claxton, received such severe threats that he relocated his family to the U.S. mainland.The series created a stir on the islands. After the articles ran, a new police commissioner and attorney general were appointed for the U.S. Virgin Islands, and a top narcotics official quit.
In 1995, the series was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service
Pulitzer Prize for Public Service
The Pulitzer Prize for Public Service has been awarded since 1918 for a distinguished example of meritorious public service by a newspaper or news site through the use of its journalistic resources. Those resources, as well as reporting, may include editorials, cartoons, photographs, graphics,...
. The Pulitzer Committee made the citation: "Awarded to The Virgin Islands Daily News, St. Thomas, for its disclosure of the links between the region's rampant crime rate and corruption in the local criminal justice system. The reporting, largely the work of Melvin Claxton, initiated political reforms."
The Virgin Islands Daily News with limited resources, beat out the much larger Charlotte Observer and the Philadelphia Inquirer to claim the prize. The Virgin Islands Daily News is the third smallest newspapers to ever win the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, the smallest being The Point Reyes Light
The Point Reyes Light
The Point Reyes Light is a weekly newspaper published since 1948 in western Marin County, California. The Light gained national attention in 1979 due to its reporting on a cult, Synanon, and the Pulitzer Prize awarded to the paper for this coverage...
in Marin County, California
Marin County, California
Marin County is a county located in the North San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. As of 2010, the population was 252,409. The county seat is San Rafael and the largest employer is the county government. Marin County is well...
.
The paper has continued to pursue award-winning journalism. In 2003, the Society of Professional Journalists
Society of Professional Journalists
The Society of Professional Journalists , formerly known as Sigma Delta Chi, is one of the oldest organizations representing journalists in the United States. It was established in April 1909 at DePauw University, and its charter was designed by William Meharry Glenn. The ten founding members of...
awarded the Virgin Islands Daily News with its public service award for small circulation newspapers for an investigation into the use of deadly force by Virgin Islands police. In 2007 the paper won the Associated Press Managing Editors Award for Public Service in the small circulation category for its investigation into incompetence and corruption in the police department's major crimes unit. It also won the Capitolbeat in-depth reporting award in 2007, for a special section about outgoing Gov. Charles Turnbull
Charles Wesley Turnbull
Charles Wesley Turnbull , was the 26th Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands.He was born on St. Thomas. Prior to being elected in 1998, he was a professor at the University of the Virgin Islands, Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner of the territorial Department of Education, principal and...
.