What Ocala Star-Banner does

Ocala Star-Banner is a local daily newspaper serving Ocala and Marion County, Florida, founded in 1903 and operating as a property within Gannett's USA Today Network. The publication provides hyperlocal news coverage spanning politics, courts, sports, weather, entertainment, lifestyle, and real estate, distributed through a digital-first platform at ocala.com, supplemented by print home delivery and an eNewspaper digital replica edition. The publication is fully owned and operated by Gannett (NYSE: GCI), the largest newspaper publisher in the United States by circulation, which provides shared technology infrastructure, statewide and national content syndication, and a centralized national advertising sales platform.

The company's product portfolio centers on a core news website and eNewspaper, with supplementary revenue and engagement products including an obituary submission and listings service, real estate listings powered by AddressUSA integration, classifieds (via AdPerfect), public notice and legal advertising, email newsletters, and shopping/deals content. Core technology consists of a digital content management system, eNewspaper platform, Gannett newsletter management, and an online obituary submission system. The platform is integrated with property search tools, a storage auction reference system, and Gannett's shared advertising infrastructure.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model with revenue generated from digital and print subscriptions (monthly digital and annual print+digital billing cadences), display and digital advertising sold to local SMBs and via the USA Today Network's national platform, paid obituary placements, classifieds transaction fees, real estate listing referral/affiliate revenue, and legally mandated public notice publications. Primary customer segments are Marion County residents seeking local news and local businesses purchasing advertising; secondary segments include funeral homes and families (obituaries) and individuals using classifieds.

Name

Ocala Star-Banner

Legal name

Ocala Star-Banner (operated by Gannett)

Website

https://ocala.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1903

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Ocala Star-Banner is a local daily newspaper serving Ocala and Marion County, Florida, owned by Gannett and operating within the USA Today Network. It delivers hyperlocal news, sports, and community information via digital, print, and eNewspaper channels to local residents and advertisers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ocala

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. Subscriptions: Digital and print newspaper subscriptions providing access to premium content including eNewspaper, exclusive stories, and archive access
2. Advertising: Display advertising, digital advertising, and sponsored content sold to local businesses and national advertisers through USA Today Network advertising platform
3. Obituaries: Paid obituary placements and related funeral services advertising
4. Real Estate Listings: Referral fees and advertising revenue from real estate listings featured on the platform through AddressUSA partnership
5. Classifieds: Paid classified advertisements including jobs, vehicles, and general classifieds
6. Public Notices: Legal public notice publications as required by law, generating revenue from government and legal entities

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ocala Star-Banner is a local newspaper publishing company that provides daily local news, sports, politics, entertainment, and lifestyle coverage for Ocala and Marion County, Florida. Its offerings include a digital news website (ocala.com), a digital eNewspaper replica edition, print home delivery subscriptions, obituary publishing services, classified advertising, real estate listings, and legal public notice publication, all operating as part of the Gannett/USA Today Network.

Product overview

Ocala Star-Banner operates as a local news publication providing comprehensive coverage of Ocala and Marion County, Florida. The product portfolio includes a core news website delivering local news, politics, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle content, complemented by an eNewspaper digital edition, obituary services, real estate listings powered by AddressUSA, classifieds marketplace, and public notices/legal advertising. Additional services include subscription-based premium content access, email newsletters, and shopping/deals content integrated with the USA Today Network. The site also publishes public notices as part of the statewide Florida Public Notices network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ocala Star-Banner News Portal (ocala.com) Primary news website providing local news, politics, sports, entertainment, lifestyle, and real estate coverage for Ocala and Marion County, Florida. Operated as part of the USA Today Network.
• eNewspaper Digital replica edition of the print newspaper available to subscribers via user.ocala.com/user/enewspaper/, allowing online reading of the full newspaper edition.
• Print + Digital Subscription
• Obituaries Service
• Real Estate Listings (Buy.Live.Sell.)
• Public Notices / Legals
• Classifieds
• Shopping / Deals

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gannett / USA Today NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOcala Star-Banner is owned and operated by Gannett, the largest newspaper publisher in the United States by circulation. The publication operates as part of the USA Today Network, sharing content, technology, and advertising infrastructure with dozens of other local news properties.
• LocaliQ Digital Marketing SolutionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocaliQ is a digital marketing solutions provider partnered with the USA Today Network to offer local businesses comprehensive digital advertising and marketing services including SEO, social media management, and website services.
• FeatherstitchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatherstitch provides funeral planning and obituary guidance content featured alongside obituary listings, offering readers resources for funeral planning and grief support.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• The Gainesville Sun: A Gannett-owned daily newspaper serving Gainesville and Alachua County, Florida. Operates within the same USA Today Network with virtually identical business model, revenue mix, and product portfolio, making it the most direct comparable for the Ocala Star-Banner.
• Florida Today: Gannett-owned daily serving Brevard County, Florida. Comparable as a mid-size Florida local newspaper within the USA Today Network with parallel digital, print, subscription, and advertising revenue streams.
• The Ledger: Gannett-owned daily serving Lakeland and Polk County, Florida. Closely comparable mid-size Florida community newspaper with similar diversified revenue mix and reliance on the USA Today Network infrastructure.
• Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Gannett-owned daily covering Sarasota and Manatee counties. Comparable Florida local daily within the USA Today Network, operating a similar multi-channel news and advertising business.
• The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Gannett-owned daily serving Volusia and Flagler counties, Florida. Comparable mid-size Florida community newspaper with overlapping product mix including subscriptions, classifieds, and obituaries.
• Naples Daily News: Gannett-owned daily serving Naples and Collier County, Florida. Highly comparable as a single-market Florida community newspaper with similar subscription, advertising, and digital revenue mix.
• Tallahassee Democrat: Gannett-owned daily serving Tallahassee and Leon County, Florida. Direct comparable as a Florida state-capital local newspaper within the USA Today Network with parallel product offerings.
• The News-Press: Gannett-owned daily serving Fort Myers and Lee County, Florida. Comparable mid-size Florida local newspaper within the USA Today Network operating a similar diversified news and advertising business.
• TCPalm (Treasure Coast Newspapers): Gannett-owned publication serving the Treasure Coast region of Florida. Comparable as a multi-county Florida local news property within the USA Today Network with similar revenue structure.

Regional players

• Austin American-Statesman: Gannett-owned daily in a different region (Texas) but highly comparable in operating model — a mid-size single-market daily within the USA Today Network with similar subscription, display advertising, and digital product mix. Provides useful cross-regional benchmark.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ocalastarbanner
• Facebookfacebook.com/ocala.starbanner
• Instagraminstagram.com/ocalastarbanner

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 Ocala Star-Banner