Coconuts Media

Coconuts Media is a privately held digital media company founded by American journalist and entrepreneur Byron Perry in Bangkok in 2011. The business was created as a network of locally oriented city publications serving Southeast Asian and nearby Asian markets. Its editorial model combined rapid online publishing with reporting on local news, food, nightlife, travel, culture, social issues, and urban trends. The company was influenced by metropolitan blog networks and digitally native publishers such as Gothamist, Gawker, BuzzFeed, and Vice, but adapted that approach to multilingual and highly local audiences. The first publication, Coconuts Bangkok, began from Perry's apartment on September 19, 2011. In its early months, Perry reportedly wrote and published much of the material himself. The company then expanded beyond Thailand, opening a Manila operation in November 2012, a Singapore operation in August 2013, and a regional office in Hong Kong the following month. Its wider network subsequently covered cities and markets including Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Bali, and Yangon. The publications generally operated in English, while some material was also produced in Thai and Indonesian. Coconuts Media's distribution strategy emphasized social networks, online video, and mobile-friendly editorial products rather than conventional print circulation. Its video arm, Coconuts TV, produced short reports, documentary pieces, and food and travel programming for international and regional audiences. Content revenue was reported to come from online advertising, sponsored articles and videos, branded editorial packages, pre-roll advertising, and the licensing of selected footage to overseas television outlets. The company also entered content partnerships, including a two-year agreement with ABS-CBN News announced in 2015, through which the parties exchanged news, feature, and video material. The company received industry recognition for editorial and visual work. Its project about street children in Bangkok received an honorable mention in the 2015 Society of Publishers in Asia Awards, while Coconuts Hong Kong managing editor Laurel Chor won a 2016 SOPA award for feature photography. In 2021, Coconuts Media acquired BK Magazine, a Bangkok lifestyle title, broadening its portfolio beyond the Coconuts-branded city sites. On December 19, 2023, Byron Perry announced the closure of Coconuts Tabloid Media, attributing the decision to the difficulty of achieving financial sustainability and the challenges facing regional journalism. The closure affected the namesake Coconuts outlet network, but the holding company continued operating other businesses, including BK Magazine, Soimilk, and Grove. Accordingly, Coconuts Media is best understood as an active media group with a discontinued or substantially wound-down flagship editorial network, rather than as a wholly defunct company.

Coconuts Media was established in Bangkok on September 19, 2011, by American journalist and entrepreneur Byron Perry. Perry had previously worked in magazine and trade journalism, including roles connected with San Francisco Magazine, Variety, and The Phnom Penh Post, before moving to Thailand and working as an editor at Ensign Media. He launched Coconuts after observing the potential of metropolitan blogging networks and emerging digital publishers to cover local subjects more quickly and intimately than traditional media organizations. The initial publication, Coconuts Bangkok, was operated from Perry's apartment. During the first months, he reportedly handled much of the writing and publishing himself. The business model centered on city-specific digital publications with a strong emphasis on local news, cultural developments, food, nightlife, travel, and urban life. Rather than presenting itself as a single national newspaper, Coconuts developed a network of geographically focused editorial brands intended to give readers highly local information in markets where English-language digital coverage was expanding. The company began international expansion with the launch of Coconuts Manila in November 2012. Singapore followed in August 2013, and a regional office in Hong Kong opened one month later. The network later extended its coverage to Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Bali, and Yangon, giving it a presence across several Southeast Asian urban markets. Content was primarily published in English, with additional Thai- and Indonesian-language material. Social media and online video were central to distribution, helping the company reach audiences beyond its websites. Coconuts TV became the group's principal video initiative. It produced short news reports, original documentaries, and food and travel programming, using both in-house and freelance contributors. The company also developed commercial formats around sponsored content, branded video, banner advertising, and pre-roll advertising. Some footage was reportedly licensed to European television channels. A 2015 sponsored package for Singha beer included a 12-episode food-video series, illustrating how the company combined editorial production capabilities with advertising campaigns. In March 2015, Coconuts Media entered a two-year content partnership with ABS-CBN News. The arrangement allowed the organizations to exchange news, features, and video material. ABS-CBN sought more granular coverage of Southeast Asia, while Coconuts aimed to strengthen its reporting in hard news and sports. The company reported a monthly cross-platform reach of 14.6 million unique readers in 2015 and employed approximately 40 people by August 2016, around half of them in editorial roles. Reported fundraising included early angel investment, a further round after the Manila launch, and a more substantial investment round in 2014; the available reference material does not establish complete ownership or transaction details. The company gained recognition from the Society of Publishers in Asia. In 2015, its Bangkok street-children project Hidden in Plain Sight received an honorable mention. In 2016, Coconuts Hong Kong managing editor Laurel Chor won a SOPA award for feature photography. These honors reflected the group's effort to combine fast local digital publishing with longer-form reporting and visual journalism. Coconuts Media expanded its portfolio in 2021 by acquiring BK Magazine, a Bangkok lifestyle publication with print and online operations. The acquisition demonstrated a broader strategy that included established city-media properties alongside the Coconuts-branded network. On December 19, 2023, Perry announced the closure of Coconuts Tabloid Media. He cited the difficulty of sustaining the operation financially and the broader challenges facing journalism in the region. The holding company was reported to continue operating subsidiaries and related brands, including BK Magazine, Soimilk, and Grove. The group's present structure and the exact status of each legacy Coconuts city publication require further verification.

• 2023

  Closure of Coconuts Tabloid Media

  [1]Coconuts Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  The namesake Coconuts Tabloid Media operation is announced closed, while other group businesses continue.

• 2021

  BK Magazine acquisition

  [1]Coconuts Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  Coconuts Media acquires Bangkok lifestyle title BK Magazine.

• 2015

  ABS-CBN content partnership

  [1]Coconuts Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  Coconuts Media and ABS-CBN News agree to exchange editorial and video content.

• 2014

  Substantial investment round reported

  [1]Coconuts Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  Reference material reports that the company raised a $2 million funding round.

• 2013

  Singapore and Hong Kong expansion

  [1]Coconuts Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  Coconuts launches in Singapore and establishes a regional office in Hong Kong.

• 2012

  Manila expansion

  [1]Coconuts Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  The company opens its first international branch in Manila.

• 2011

  Coconuts Media is founded in Bangkok

  [1]Coconuts Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  Byron Perry launches Coconuts Media and its first city publication, Coconuts Bangkok, from his apartment.

A digitally native, city-focused Southeast Asian media group combining local reporting, lifestyle discovery, social video, and commercial branded content.

• Digital news and city media · 2011

  Coconuts city publications

  A network of locally focused websites covering cities and markets in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong. Editorial topics included breaking and local news, food, nightlife, travel, culture, social issues, and urban trends. The publications were designed for fast digital distribution and often used social platforms to extend reach. The network's operating status varied over time, and the namesake Coconuts Tabloid Media operation was announced closed in 2023.

• Online video

  Coconuts TV

  The group's video production arm, producing short reports, original documentaries, and food and travel programs. Coconuts TV used staff and freelance contributors and targeted regional and international online audiences. Its output also supported sponsored-content packages, pre-roll advertising, and possible third-party footage licensing.

• Lifestyle magazine and city guide

  BK Magazine

  A Bangkok-focused lifestyle publication covering restaurants, nightlife, events, entertainment, and city culture. Coconuts Media acquired the print and online magazine in 2021, adding a more established lifestyle title to its portfolio.

• Digital lifestyle media

  Soimilk

  A related digital media property identified as one of the businesses continuing after the 2023 closure announcement. The available reference material does not provide sufficient detail to describe its full product scope.

• Media property

  Grove

  A related Coconuts Media business reported to remain in operation after the closure of Coconuts Tabloid Media in 2023. Further product and market details are not established by the supplied sources.

• 2015Singha sponsored food-video series

  Thailand

  Coconuts Media produced a sponsored content package for Singha beer, including a 12-episode food series made through Coconuts TV.

  Outcome. The campaign demonstrated the company's use of editorial video capabilities for branded commercial work.

  Source
• 2015Hidden in Plain Sight

  Thailand

  A reporting project examining the lives of street children in Bangkok.

  Outcome. The project received an honorable mention in the 2015 SOPA Awards for Excellence.

  Source

• 2023

  Close Coconuts Tabloid MediaStrategy

  Background

  The company cited difficulty achieving financial sustainability and broader challenges affecting regional journalism.

  Action taken

  Chairman Byron Perry announced the closure of Coconuts Tabloid Media.

  Aftermath

  The namesake outlet operation ended or was substantially wound down, while the holding company continued with businesses including BK Magazine, Soimilk, and Grove.

  Source

• 2021

  Acquire BK MagazineM&A

  Background

  The acquisition expanded Coconuts Media's portfolio beyond its network of digital city publications.

  Action taken

  Coconuts Media acquired the Bangkok print and online lifestyle magazine BK Magazine.

  Aftermath

  BK Magazine became one of the group's continuing businesses and strengthened its position in Bangkok lifestyle media.

  Source

• 2015

  Enter a content partnership with ABS-CBN NewsStrategy

  Background

  Coconuts Media was seeking wider distribution and stronger coverage of hard news and sports, while ABS-CBN wanted more detailed local reporting across Southeast Asia.

  Action taken

  The parties entered a two-year agreement to exchange news, features, and video content.

  Aftermath

  The partnership broadened the potential editorial reach of both organizations, although the supplied sources do not document its full long-term results.

  Source

• Unconfirmed

  Reported2026.10.26

  Coconuts Media acquires Asia City Media Group's Thailand businesses[2]Coconuts Media收购Asia City Media Group在泰国的业务marketing-interactive.com

  Coconuts Media acquired all Thailand brands and businesses from Asia City Media Group, including BK Magazine, Asia City Studio, Soimilk, Top Tables, BK Restaurant Week and Top Spots Thailand. Coconuts Media said it would manage their ongoing publication and operation effective immediately.

Read more

1. 1Coconuts Mediaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Coconuts Media收购Asia City Media Group在泰国的业务marketing-interactive.com