The Sun, the UK’s biggest newsbrand, has officially launched in the US with a website dedicated to publishing news for an American audience.
The tabloid, part of Rupert Murdoch’s News UK, which itself is a subsidiary of US company News Corp, has acquired the-sun.com as its URL.
An announcement on the Sun’s main Twitter account earlier today said: “It’s official – the Sun US is here.”
It's official – @TheSunUS is here 🇺🇸https://t.co/xaphDCp9Fe pic.twitter.com/yysjvpMsf4
— The Sun (@TheSun) January 8, 2020
The newsbrand has also set up a separate US Twitter account, with its new social media hires tasked with building a following from nothing.
Press Gazette understands the new website will feature some new content aimed directly at the US market, but will also build on the Sun’s existing entertainment and royal coverage which is already popular in the States.
The website is being run by a team of about a dozen people based in New York, but is managed from the UK.
A number of editorial vacancies for The Sun US are still live, including a head of audience, SEO editor, digital photo editor, digital news reporter, digital entertainment reporter and social media journalist.
One of the job adverts states: “Being part of this initial round of recruitment is an incredible opportunity to help shape our future development from the ground up and the scope for career progression and personal development is huge.”
The adverts share “ambitions plans for growth” and reveal the US brand is “looking to mirror [the] success” of its UK website.
Press Gazette understands the Sun’s UK website reaches 16m monthly unique visitors in the US, which is seen as a strong organic presence that can be built on further.
This will be done by giving US readers a more appealing experience, for example through use of language and cultural references, and ultimately enable News UK to better monetise the brand Stateside.
The Sun first overtook rival Mail Online to become the UK’s most-read online newsbrand in April 2018.
It has continued to grow its online reach since removing its paywall in November 2015 to go free. It reached 34.28m unique monthly visitors in November, according to Comscore.
The Sun’s digital editor, Keith Poole, helped lead the Mail Online’s expansion into the US as the website’s managing editor before joining the Sun in 2016.
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