Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times is one of Chicago's two major daily newspapers, now operating as a nonprofit under Chicago Public Media since 2022. It delivers local news, investigative reporting, and Spanish-language content across web, mobile, e-paper, and print to Chicago-metro readers funded primarily by voluntary donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1942
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Chicago Sun-Times does
Chicago Sun-Times is one of two major daily newspapers serving the Chicago metropolitan market, with origins as a broadsheet newspaper (founded 1942; firmographic records show 1948 — the 1942 date is the historically cited founding). Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with 101-250 employees, the publication covers Chicago-area news, politics, sports, entertainment, and investigative reporting through The Watchdogs unit, with Spanish-language coverage via La Voz.
Its core product surface spans a digital news website (chicago.suntimes.com), native iOS and Android mobile applications, an e-paper digital replica, paid home-delivery print circulation, retail/newsstand distribution, and a classifieds marketplace. Editorial verticals include The Watchdogs investigative unit, La Voz Spanish-language content, lifestyle/newsletters, games and puzzles (e.g., Dear Abby, horoscopes), and syndicated features. The technology stack is a conventional publishing platform: CMS-driven website, native mobile apps, and e-paper delivery — no proprietary AI, ML, or platform infrastructure is disclosed.
The business model was fundamentally restructured in 2022 when the Sun-Times was acquired by Chicago Public Media and converted from for-profit to nonprofit. News content is now free to readers and supported primarily by voluntary donations, supplemented by retained digital and print subscriptions, advertising (display, programmatic, and classifieds), and event/community engagement. The organization operates alongside WBEZ Chicago public radio within the Chicago Public Media umbrella, enabling cross-format newsroom integration and shared member/donor revenue mechanics.
Chicago Sun-Times firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chicago Sun-Times
- Legal name
- Chicago Sun-Times Media, Inc.
- Website
- https://chicago.suntimes.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1942
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Chicago Sun-Times is one of Chicago's two major daily newspapers, now operating as a nonprofit under Chicago Public Media since 2022. It delivers local news, investigative reporting, and Spanish-language content across web, mobile, e-paper, and print to Chicago-metro readers funded primarily by voluntary donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chicago Sun-Times industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Local Newspaper
- NAICS
- Newspaper Publishers (51311), Newspaper Publishers (513110), Periodical Publishers (513120)
- SIC
- Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital) (MPAJADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Consumer News & Digital Newsrooms (Web/App-First) (MPAJADAD), News OTT & Live News Streaming Channels (MPABAHAK)
Keywords
Where Chicago Sun-Times is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Chicago Sun-Times business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Membership and Donations: Voluntary donations from readers who become members to support local journalism. The site emphasizes that free content is made possible by community supporters.
- Digital and Print Subscriptions: Paid subscriptions for e-paper and home delivery services. Various subscription tiers including e-paper access and full home delivery.
- Advertising: Traditional newspaper advertising including display ads, classifieds, and digital advertising across the website and various sections.
- Classifieds and Marketplace: Revenue from classified advertisements including death notices, job postings, small business ads, and legal notices.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free access with optional donations |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels4 records
Chicago Sun-Times product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Chicago Sun-Times is a Chicago-focused daily newspaper producing original local journalism across news, politics, sports, arts, and culture. It distributes content through a free digital news website, mobile applications for iOS and Android, a paid e-paper digital edition, and physical home delivery subscriptions, supported by a nonprofit community-funded model under Chicago Public Media.
Product overview
The Chicago Sun-Times is a Chicago-focused digital news platform operated by Chicago Public Media (a nonprofit organization) since its purchase in 2022. The core offering is the suntimes.com website providing comprehensive local journalism across news, politics, sports, crime, education, and entertainment. The portfolio includes a mobile app for iOS and Android, an E-Paper digital edition subscription, physical home delivery, a classifieds marketplace, and branded content verticals including The Watchdogs investigative unit, En Español (La Voz) Spanish-language coverage, and horoscope/entertainment features. The publication generates revenue through subscriptions (digital and print), donations from readers, and advertising.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Chicago Sun-Times Mobile App
- E-Paper Digital Edition
- Home Delivery Subscription
- Classifieds Marketplace
- Newsletter Subscriptions
Companies that use Chicago Sun-Times
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Chicago Sun-Times technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Chicago Sun-Times partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Chicago Public MediacoreChicago Sun-Times was purchased by Chicago Public Media in 2022, marking its conversion to nonprofit status. Chicago Public Media is the parent organization that also operates WBEZ public radio. This partnership transformed the Sun-Times from a for-profit newspaper to a nonprofit news organization similar to the Salt Lake Tribune (2019) and Tampa Bay Times (1978).
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Chicago Sun-Times competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Chicago Tribune: Direct competitor based in Chicago, providing print and digital local news, politics, and sports coverage. Both publications serve the same Chicago metropolitan audience and compete for the same advertising, subscription, and reader pool.
- Salt Lake Tribune: Converted from for-profit to nonprofit in 2019 under a similar model, making it the closest structural peer to the Sun-Times. Both are legacy metro dailies relying on community-supported journalism, donations, and digital subscriptions.
- Tampa Bay Times: Nonprofit legacy newspaper (since 1978) and Pulitzer-winning regional daily. Directly comparable to the Sun-Times's nonprofit conversion model and metro-market local journalism focus.
- WBEZ Chicago: Sister organization within Chicago Public Media, operating the public radio station that shares the Sun-Times's nonprofit umbrella. Provides cross-platform local journalism synergy and unified fundraising reach in the Chicago market.
Emerging players
- Block Club Chicago: Digital-first nonprofit Chicago news outlet covering neighborhood-level news. Competes for the same local reader and donor pool as the Sun-Times with a lower-cost structure and community-focused editorial model.
- ProPublica: Nonprofit investigative journalism organization. Comparable in its nonprofit funding model and investigative editorial focus (similar to The Watchdogs vertical), though national in scope rather than Chicago-focused.
Regional players
- Daily Herald (Chicago suburbs): Chicago suburban daily newspaper serving the broader Chicago metro area. Comparable local news, politics, and sports coverage, with overlapping advertiser and reader base across the metro.
Broad incumbents
- The New York Times: Nationally dominant newspaper with subscription-driven digital model. While not a Chicago-focused outlet, it competes for the same digital subscribers and national advertising dollars from Chicago readers.
- The Washington Post: Major national legacy newspaper with digital subscription and advertising business. Comparable in editorial ambition, brand strength, and digital transformation, though focused on Washington D.C./national rather than local Chicago coverage.
- Axios: Digital-first news publisher covering politics, business, and local markets. Competes for digital advertising spend and reader attention in Chicago with a newsletter-heavy, tech-enabled publishing model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Chicago Sun-Times social profiles
Digital presenceChicago Sun-Times financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chicago Sun-Times leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Chicago Sun-Times funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chicago Sun-Times M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Chicago Sun-Times
What does Chicago Sun-Times do?
The Chicago Sun-Times is a Chicago-focused daily newspaper producing original local journalism across news, politics, sports, arts, and culture. It distributes content through a free digital news website, mobile applications for iOS and Android, a paid e-paper digital edition, and physical home delivery subscriptions, supported by a nonprofit community-funded model under Chicago Public Media.
Is Chicago Sun-Times a public or private company?
Chicago Sun-Times is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Chicago Sun-Times founded?
Chicago Sun-Times was founded in 1942. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Chicago Sun-Times based?
Chicago Sun-Times is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Chicago Sun-Times make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership and Donations are the primary driver. The others are digital and Print Subscriptions, advertising and classifieds and Marketplace.
Who are Chicago Sun-Times's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Chicago Tribune, Salt Lake Tribune, Tampa Bay Times and WBEZ Chicago. Emerging players are Block Club Chicago and ProPublica. Daily Herald (Chicago suburbs) is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are The New York Times, The Washington Post and Axios.
Does Chicago Sun-Times have an API?
No public API is recorded for Chicago Sun-Times.
What industry is Chicago Sun-Times in?
Chicago Sun-Times's product category is Local Newspaper. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJADAB, Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital), with a secondary code of MPAJADAD, Consumer News & Digital Newsrooms (Web/App-First). Its NAICS code is 51311 and its SIC code is 2711.