The Virgin Islands Daily News was founded by Ariel Melchior Sr. in 1930, with business partner J. Antonio Jarvis leveraging a tourist brochure financed with a bank loan cosigned by friend Adolph Achille Gereau. With the success of the brochure he was able to attract further advertising and convince his family and the bank to extend a larger loan. 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 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. 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.

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As a paper of record and of general circulation, the Source reaches more than 300,000 unique readers each month, attracting not only thousands of V.I. residents and visitors, but also many friends and relatives who have left the islands, visit regularly but rely on us to stay connected online when not “on island.” Since the Source is where smart readers go, so do savvy advertisers who seek to reach readers, not only across the territory but throughout the Caribbean and around the globe. Our powerful new format makes connections that much easier.

Tested over time, our newsroom has earned a reputation for credibility, integrity and community service and is routinely quoted by other media, by government officials and by those in the know. We are also known as an insider’s bulletin board for the latest on community events, organizations, travel, entertainment, statistics, government listings and more; by going to the Source, readers don’t have to wait for print to find out what, why and where.

We strive to stay connected and always welcome press releases, commentary, features of local interest and even news stories from the community. Please go to the contact us section of the new format to send submissions or email visource@gmail.com.

We also ask local organizations, groups and government officials and agencies to issue all press releases to the above email address. You may also fax to (340) 777-8136, but we will not guarantee placement of anything not sent via email unless pre-arrangements have been made. . The V.I. Source is supported solely by advertising. If you are interested in advertising click here for a rate sheet, email visource@gmail.com or call (340) 777-8144.

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