A History of Publishing
The Gleaner Company

THE GLEANER STORY
Few companies in Jamaica today can trace their historical beginnings back 164 years into the nineteenth century. The Gleaner Company Limited is one of these. The original proprietors were Jacob and Joshua DeCordova.

Notable Years in the Life of the Company
1834
  • September 13: first publication was a 4-page weekly newspaper printed at 66 West Harbour Street along with the Merchantile Intelligencer. It began life as The Gleaner and Weekly Compendium of News published on Saturdays only, at a quarterly subscrption rate of 10 shillings in Kingston, and 13 shillings and four pence in the rural areas.
  • December: changed the name to “The Gleaner: A weekly family newspaper devoted to literature, morality, the arts and sciences, and amusements”.
    • 1836 Merger of deCordova’s Advertising Sheet with The Gleaner to produce a 4-page paper, published every day except Sundays.
    1875 The Gleaner was printed on a steam-driven press.
    1882 Fire destroyed the premises at 148 Harbour Street and The Gleaner was printed at The Government Printing Office for 2 weeks.
    1897 June 10: The Gleaner became a public company.
    1902 The Gleaner was increased to 16-pages and sold for one penny.
    1907 January 14: an earthquake and subsequent fire destroyed the building on Harbour Street, four days later the newspaper was on the streets again, and printing was done at the Government Printing Office for a time.
    1908 Rapid expansion with the introduction of 3 linotype machines.
    1912 A Photo-engraving department was installed.
    1917Hoe Rotary Press was installed.
    1920 Motor delivery routes were established.
    1925 ‘The Pink Sheet’ magazine was added to the Saturday Gleaner.
    1939 The first Sunday Gleaner was published, right after World War II.
    1951
  • January: The first Children's Own was published.
  • July: The first Overseas Gleaner (now The Weekly Gleaner) was published.
  • November: The first Star was published.
    • 1959 The Company installed a Crabtree rotary press, which allowed the Gleaner to print 9 colours and the Star 6 colours.
    1962 The Weekend Star was introduced, 24-pages with a 8-page entertainment section, priced at 3 pence.
    1963 The Sunday Magazine was added to the Sunday Gleaner.
    1964 Gleaner shares quoted on the Jamaica Stock Market at 12 shillings per five-shilling share.
    1966 Branch offices were established, the first located in Montego Bay.
    1969 The Gleaner “The Old Lady of Harbour Street” began operating at 7 North Street, its current location where a six unit Crabtree rotary press was installed.
    1982 MajorComputer system upgrade - making it one of the first newspapers in the Caribbean to switch over to new technology.
    1994 The Company installed a 16 unit Goss Urbanite press.
    1994 Installation of a new Pre-Press system with facility to fully paginate each newspaper page.
    1997
  • Februay16: Launch of web site on www.jamaica-gleaner.com
  • June 9, The Gleaner Company Ltd. begun printing of The Miami Herald - International Satellite Edition on a daily basis.
    • 1998 New computer system ‘Compuclass’ installed in the Advertising Department - to upgrade the Classified Advertising system by allowing the placement of logos and graphics in the Ads.

    Today it remains the island's leading newspaper group.

    The Gleaner It's read . . . It reaches.
    The Gleaner Company Ltd.
    7 North Street, P O Box 40, Kingston, Jamaica, WI
    Tel: (876) 922-3400-9 Fax: (876) 922-6297
    Web site: www.jamaica-gleaner.com

    The Company is now completely computerized for accounting and production purposes. Commercial printing on the Goss Urbanite offset press has allowed the Gleaner to offer its advertisers increased colour capacity and a higher standard of print quality in all its publications.

    The Gleaner remains the Island's leading newspaper group, publishing two daily newspapers, The Daily Gleaner andThe Star, and several other regular specialized publications. A number of special features and supplements run within the Gleaner's publications each week. These include a Shipping supplement, special holiday coverages for Carnival andIndependence Day, as well as regular features on Real Estate, Business, Fashion, Health and Religion.

    The Gleaner celebrated its 160th birthday on September 13, 1994.