Tega Cay, S.C. – The publishers of the Tega Cay Sun, Thomas Hyslip and Patrick Byrne, have announced the formation of Liberty Media Group that will oversee both the Tega Cay Sun and their latest venture, YoCo News.
“We started the Tega Cay Sun to provide free local news to the residents of Tega Cay and Fort Mill. The support we’ve received from the community has been incredible,” said Hyslip. “It’s been so great, in fact, that we decided to offer the same free service to the residents of York and Lancaster counties.”
Launched in June 2023, the Tega Cay Sun has grown rapidly, reaching 73k unique website visitors every month. This online success is mirrored in their strong social media presence, with 2000 Facebook followers and an average of 20k engagements (likes, comments, shares) per month, demonstrating active community interaction. The publication is available both online and in a monthly print edition distributed throughout Tega Cay and Fort Mill. Their NewsBreak presence has also contributed significantly to their reach, garnering over 400k views per month.
Building on that success, YoCo News debuted in December 2024, already drawing over 34k unique website visitors every month. YoCo News has also quickly built a substantial Facebook following, with over 420k views per month, signaling strong early interest across York and Lancaster counties. Currently an online-only publication, a print edition is set to launch in early Spring 2025, providing free local news to residents across York and Lancaster counties.
Byrne emphasized the importance of keeping local news accessible. “We feel the paywall model, where you ask people to pay to read local news, is both outdated and unfair. Local news should be free and available to anyone who wants to read it. We’re excited to expand beyond Tega Cay and offer this service to a larger number of people.”
Both newspapers sustain their free model through affordable advertising partnerships with local businesses, allowing them to deliver hyper-local reporting without subscription fees.
For more information, visit TegaCaySun.com and YoCoNews.com.
