Sun Coast Media Group, INC
The Sun Coast Media Group, Inc. consists of:
The Sun, a daily newspaper with editions in Charlotte, Englewood and North Port and the Venice Gondolier, a twice-weekly newspaper in South Sarasota County; And, the latest acquisitions...the heartland editions...the Polk County Democrat, the Lake Wales News, the Lake Placid Journal, the Fort Meade News, and the Frostproof News, all twice-weekly newspapers. In addition, there are two Welcome Home Real Estate Magazines which cover five counties.
The Sun has a paid circulation and distribution in all the major local outlets, i.e., supermarkets, outside racks, convenience stores, etc., and is the only daily home delivered newspaper covering all of our area. Daily sections consist of Front/Main, Our Town (local coverage), a Sports Edition and Classified. There are several special edition sections: Wednesday, the Heralds...zoned local editions with additional local coverage of events; Thursday — two special sections — Let's Go...our entertainment section, Waterline...a boating and fishing publication which covers water related happenings and, the Arcadian, the zoned local edition for DeSoto County, Friday — Wheels...an auto related section for information and ads; Saturday — a special real estate section — Marketplace...directed to real estate and development; and finally, Sunday — a Feeling Fit edition...medical related stories and ads.
The Venice Gondolier was established in 1946 and acquired by Founder, Derek Dunn-Rankin, who in 1977 began Sun Coast Media Group, Inc. in rented office space and used subcontracted printers. Within a few weeks, the Advertiser in Venice, Englewood Times and North Port Times were added purchases, and in 1979 the Charlotte Sun. By 1985 the company owned its buildings and printing presses in Venice and Port Charlotte and started another mid-week publication, the Desoto County Times. In 1987, the Charlotte Sun began publishing seven days a week and rapidly overtook its competition in both advertising sales and paid circulation. In 1989, the assets of the Charlotte Herald-News, a 97 year old daily newspaper were purchased, and during 1993/1994 the Englewood, Desoto and North Port publications were incorporated into the daily newspaper creating one of the fastest growing dailies in the country. In 2007 and 2008, the heartland papers were purchased and complete the current configuration of newspapers owned by Sun Coast Media Group, Inc.