Madison.com

What Madison.com does

Madison.com is the digital news platform for the Wisconsin State Journal, serving Madison and Southern Wisconsin with local news, sports, weather, lifestyle, and classified content. It is operated by Lee Enterprises, Incorporated (NASDAQ: LEE), a publicly traded local media company headquartered in Davenport, Iowa, with origins of the Wisconsin State Journal dating back to 1852. The platform serves primary audiences including local news readers, Wisconsin sports fans (UW-Madison Badgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Bucks, Green Bay Packers, and high school athletics), real estate seekers, and local businesses advertising through classifieds and display placements.

The platform's technology foundation is the BLOX Content Management System from TownNews (bloxdigital.com), supporting a responsive website, native iOS and Android applications, and an E-edition digital replica of the print newspaper. Notable product features include LocalHomes.ai MLS integration for real estate search, podcast content, an events calendar, Puzzmo puzzle games, and a dedicated BadgerExtra vertical for Badgers athletics. Distribution extends across social media (Facebook, Twitter/X, Bluesky, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram), email newsletters, and the broader Lee Enterprises newspaper network.

Madison.com monetizes through four primary revenue streams: digital subscriptions (digital-only and bundled print+digital plans), display advertising on web and mobile, classified advertising (obituaries, jobs, real estate, marketplace), and print edition subscriptions of the Wisconsin State Journal. Standalone revenue for Madison.com is not separately disclosed by parent Lee Enterprises, which reported $717.5M in FY2024 total consolidated revenue. The company employs between 251 and 500 people and operates its headquarters at 1901 Fish Hatchery Rd, Madison, WI 53713.

Name

Madison.com

Legal name

Lee Enterprises, Incorporated

Website

https://madison.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1852

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Madison.com is the digital news platform for the Wisconsin State Journal, serving Madison and Southern Wisconsin readers with local news, sports, classifieds, and real estate content, operated by publicly traded parent Lee Enterprises (NASDAQ: LEE).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Digital News & Media

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (513110)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Newsstand & Aggregation Platforms (Magazine/News Apps, Bundles) (MPAJAKAE)

Keywords

• Local news publishing
• Digital newspaper
• Sports journalism
• Classified advertising
• Online media

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Digital Subscriptions: Subscription-based access to online news content, including breaking news, local coverage, and premium articles. Offers digital-only and combined print/digital subscription options.
2. Display Advertising: Banner advertisements and sponsored content placements on the website and mobile platforms
3. Classified Advertising: Obituaries, job listings, real estate listings, and marketplace/buy-sell advertisements
4. Print Edition Subscriptions: Physical newspaper delivery and print advertising revenue through Wisconsin State Journal

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Madison.com is a digital local news, sports, and entertainment platform that publishes the Wisconsin State Journal online and via mobile apps. It provides breaking news, comprehensive Badgers/Brewers/Bucks/Packers and high school sports coverage, classifieds, MLS real estate listings, podcasts, events, puzzles, and obituaries for Madison and Southern Wisconsin readers. The platform is supported by digital and print subscriptions plus advertising revenue through Lee Enterprises' network.

Product overview

Madison.com, operated by Lee Enterprises, is a digital news and media platform for the Wisconsin State Journal. The platform operates as a multi-section news website offering a primary digital news product alongside an E-edition digital replica of the print newspaper. Additional offerings include podcast content, a mobile application, a classifieds and marketplace service, real estate listings sourced from LocalHomes.ai, events calendar, and puzzle/entertainment features. The platform uses BLOX Content Management System from TownNews for site infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wisconsin State Journal digital news platform Madison.com's primary news publication delivering local news, politics, sports, business, and community events coverage for Madison, WI and Wisconsin. Accessible via website, mobile apps, and E-edition, the platform serves as the digital flagship of the Wisconsin State Journal.
• Wisconsin State Journal E-edition Daily-updated digital replica of the print Wisconsin State Journal newspaper, providing the full print edition experience online for desktop and mobile reading.
• Madison.com Mobile App Native iOS and Android mobile applications providing Madison.com readers with a customized mobile news-reading experience, including breaking news alerts and offline reading.
• Madison.com Podcasts Audio podcast content including 'The Ethical Life' covering news commentary, opinion, and current events discussions for Madison and Wisconsin audiences.
• Classifieds & Marketplace Online classifieds marketplace for job listings, real estate, obituaries, public notices, deals, and local buy-and-sell advertisements serving the Madison and Southern Wisconsin area.
• Real Estate Home Search (LocalHomes.ai) MLS-powered home search and real estate listing aggregation sourced via LocalHomes.ai integration and the REALTORS® Association of South Central Wisconsin, allowing users to browse Southern Wisconsin property listings on Madison.com.
• Events Calendar Local events calendar featuring Wisconsin community events, festivals, and activities for Madison-area residents and visitors.
• Digital Puzzles (Puzzmo) Daily digital puzzles and puzzle games hosted via Puzzmo on the Madison.com platform, alongside traditional newspaper puzzles.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lee EnterprisescoreOthersParent company that owns and operates Madison.com and the Wisconsin State Journal. Lee Enterprises is a leading provider of local news and digital marketing solutions across the United States.
• WiscNewscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSister digital publication network within Lee Enterprises, providing statewide Wisconsin news coverage and content syndication with Madison.com
• Wisconsin State JournalcoreOthersThe flagship print publication of Madison.com, serving as the primary source of local journalism for the Madison area since the 19th century
• Destination MadisonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal tourism and destination marketing organization partnership for covering Madison-area events, attractions, and sports including Rally Madison FC and Forward Madison FC

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cap Times: Madison, Wisconsin's other major daily newspaper and direct local competitor, covering the same Madison/Southern Wisconsin market with overlapping editorial coverage of government, UW-Madison, and local news.
• Isthmus: Long-standing Madison alt-weekly newspaper covering local news, arts, and culture in the same Madison/Southern Wisconsin market, competing directly for local readers and advertisers.

Regional players

• Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin's largest daily newspaper and fellow Lee Enterprises property, serving the Milwaukee metro with similar digital subscription, classifieds, and sports coverage models adapted to a different regional market.
• Star Tribune: Major Midwest regional newspaper serving Minneapolis-St. Paul with comparable digital subscription, classifieds, and sports coverage models for a different but structurally similar Upper Midwest market.

Emerging players

• The Daily Cardinal: UW-Madison student-run newspaper covering campus news and Badgers athletics, operating at smaller scale but serving an overlapping Madison-area audience with a distinct editorial perspective.
• Patch: Digital-native local news platform operating across thousands of U.S. communities including Wisconsin suburbs, competing for hyperlocal readership and local advertising dollars with a tech-forward model.

Others

• WiscNews.com: Sister Lee Enterprises statewide Wisconsin news network that syndicates content with Madison.com rather than competing directly, but shares infrastructure, CMS, and ownership.
• Des Moines Register: Fellow Lee Enterprises flagship regional newspaper, operating the same digital subscription and classified business model in Iowa, illustrating the shared network playbook applied at Madison.com.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/madisondotcom
• YouTubeyoutube.com/madisondotcom
• Facebookfacebook.com/madisondotcom
• Instagraminstagram.com/madisondotcom
• Pinterestpinterest.com/madisondotcom
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/madison-com

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Madison.com