''The BVI Beacon'' is a weekly

British Virgin Islands ) , anthem = "God Save the King" , song_type = Territorial song , song = " Oh, Beautiful Virgin Islands" , image_map = File:British Virgin Islands on the globe (Americas centered).svg , map_caption = , mapsize = 290px , image_map2 = Bri ...

newspaper founded in June 1984 and published on the island of

Tortola Tortola () is the largest and most populated island of the British Virgin Islands, a group of islands that form part of the archipelago of the Virgin Islands. It has a surface area of with a total population of 23,908, with 9,400 residents in ...

. The ''Beacon'' is owned and published by local businessman Russell Harrigan, also the publisher of ''Business BVI''. The online version of the newspaper was founded on February 14, 2001. The paper's motto is "The light that comes from wisdom never goes out." The paper is published on Thursdays, and organised into sections: Local News, Business, Weekend and Culture and Sports. The first ''Beacon'' cost 35 cents. In 2018, the price was raised to $1.

History

The first issue of the ''Beacon'' was published on 7 June 1984. At the time, there was only one other newspaper in the territory, the ''

Island Sun ''The Island Sun'' is a weekly newspaper in the British Virgin Islands . Founded on 23 June 1962, it is the oldest continuously published newspaper in the British Overseas Territory. The Sun is published weekly by Sun Enterprises (B.V.I.) ...

'', which held a virtual monopoly on the business since 1962. The first 12-page ''Beacon'' was produced by founders Linnell M. Abbott and her niece, Michelle Abbott. Originally published in black-and-white, the first paper included the lead story "Storm over VI fishing boundaries continues," and the Bulwiss wire, a short article written in local dialect. On 12 February 1998, a Valentine's Day photo of a pink balloon heart, captioned "Love is in the air," heralded the start of regular colour photographs. In 2002, then-Assistant Editor Scott Bronstein began the DATELINE: Paradise column. The ''Beacon'' was originally produced in a small house at 67 Main Street, now the location of the Dove Restaurant. In 1991, the paper moved into a traditional West Indian style house on Russell Hill Road. The office was plagued with errant goats and chickens that would wander into the open-air workspace. Since, a modern expansion has been added, doubling the size of the facility, and air-conditioning installed. The goats and chickens still wander outside the gate. However, in September 2017,

Hurricane Irma Hurricane Irma was an extremely powerful Cape Verde hurricane that caused widespread destruction across its path in September 2017. Irma was the first Category 5 hurricane to strike the Leeward Islands on record, followed by Maria two ...

destroyed half the building. Until 1987, the paper was written on a now-vintage Olympia portable typewriter. The same year, the ''Beacon'' began using computers. In 2006, the paper computerised layout and production of the paper, and in 2009, updated from 1998 iMac G3s to their modern counterpart. In 2009, the newspaper was sold by Linnell M. Abbott and Business Manager Dora L. Harrigan, to its current owner, Russell Harrigan.

References

External links

Official website
Newspapers published in the British Virgin Islands 1984 establishments in the British Virgin Islands Publications established in 1984 Tortola {{caribbean-newspaper-stub