What The Express News Group does

The Express News Group, operating through legal entity Safe Harbor Publications, Inc., is a privately held local media company headquartered at 135 Windmill Lane in Southampton, New York, that publishes four dedicated community newspapers — The Southampton Press, The East Hampton Press, The Sag Harbor Express, and The Express Magazine — serving residents and seasonal visitors of the Hamptons and the East End of Long Island. Its digital flagship is 27east.com, supplemented by the 27Speaks podcast, Express Sessions audio/video series, e-editions, a Business Directory, a South Fork Nonprofit Directory, Classifieds, and a Calendar of Events. The technology stack is built on the BLOX Content Management System from BLOX Digital, with authentication and subscription management handled by Townnews' Newzware platform.

The company's revenue model is a traditional local-news mix: recurring digital and print subscriptions, display and classified advertising from local businesses and organizations, and directory/classifieds marketplace fees. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, but access to premium content requires subscription authentication. Distribution spans print newspapers, a mobile-friendly website, email newsletters, social channels (Facebook, Twitter/X, YouTube, Instagram), podcast platforms (Apple Podcasts), and Vimeo.

The organization employs 51–100 people, operates only in the U.S. Hamptons/Long Island market, and shows no evidence of institutional ownership, external funding, acquisitions, or geographic expansion beyond its South Fork footprint.

Name

The Express News Group

Legal name

Safe Harbor Publications, Inc.

Website

https://27east.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Express News Group is a privately held local media company that publishes four community newspapers (Southampton Press, East Hampton Press, Sag Harbor Express, Express Magazine) and operates the 27east.com digital platform, podcasts, and directories serving residents and visitors of the Hamptons and East End of Long Island.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Newspaper Publishing

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (51311)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)

akta.pro primary industry

Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital) (MPAJADAB)

Keywords

• Local news publishing
• Community newspapers
• Digital news media
• Print journalism
• Local advertising

Headquarters

HQ city

Southampton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Subscription Revenue: The company generates revenue through digital e-edition subscriptions and print subscriptions. The website offers subscribe options, and premium content requires authentication for subscribers.
2. Advertising: The website features display advertising opportunities and accepts paid advertisements from local businesses. The advertising section is accessible at /advertising/article_c46388ce-60bd-4f2d-8545-6131b695bb0e.html.
3. Classifieds: Revenue generated from classified advertising including yard sales, business directory listings, and community announcements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Express News Group publishes local newspapers and digital news content for the Hamptons and East End of Long Island, New York, operating The Southampton Press, The East Hampton Press, The Sag Harbor Express, and The Express Magazine. The company distributes content through print editions, digital e-editions, the 27east.com website, podcasts (27Speaks, Express Sessions), and social media. Revenue is generated through digital and print subscriptions, display advertising, and classified listings.

Product overview

The Express News Group operates a multi-platform local news and media network consisting of four primary newspaper publications (The Southampton Press, The East Hampton Press, The Sag Harbor Express, and The Express Magazine), two podcast/audio series (27Speaks Podcast and Express Sessions), and various digital services including e-Editions, classifieds, business directory, events calendar, and subscription/advertising services. The company also produces special editorial coverage for events like America 250 and the U.S. Open Championship. The publications are powered by BLOX Content Management System from BLOX Digital, with Newzware handling user authentication.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Southampton Press: Local newspaper serving Southampton, NY area covering news, police & fire, opinion, sports, obituaries, community news, and e-edition
• The East Hampton Press
• The Sag Harbor Express
• The Express Magazine
• 27Speaks Podcast
• Express Sessions

Products and services

• The Southampton Press Local newspaper covering news, police and fire, opinion, sports, obituaries, and community topics for the Southampton area, available in print and digital e-edition.
• The East Hampton Press Local newspaper covering news, government, education, business, health, environment, police and fire, and community topics for the East Hampton area, available in print and digital e-edition.
• The Sag Harbor Express Local newspaper covering news, government, education, sports, and community topics for Sag Harbor, available in print and digital e-edition.
• The Express Magazine Lifestyle magazine covering home and garden, outdoors and recreation, lifestyle, and food and drink topics, available in print and digital e-edition.
• E-Edition Digital replica editions of all Express News Group newspapers and magazines, accessible online to authenticated subscribers.
• Subscription Services Paid digital and print subscription services providing access to content across all Express News Group publications, with recurring monthly billing.
• Advertising Services Advertising placement services for local businesses and organizations across all Express News Group publications, e-editions, website, and digital platforms.
• Classifieds Online classified advertisement listings including yard sales and community postings.
• Business Directory Local business directory marketplace for the South Fork area, connecting local businesses with community readers.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BLOX DigitalcoreTechnology or IntegrationBLOX Digital provides the BLOX Content Management System (BLOX CMS) that powers the 27east.com website and all Express News Group publications. This is the core technology platform underlying all digital operations.
• Townnews (Newzware)coreTechnology or IntegrationTownnews provides Newzware authentication and subscription management technology used for user accounts, subscription processing, and paywall functionality on 27east.com.
• South Fork Nonprofit DirectoryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe company operates a South Fork Nonprofit Directory as part of its community service offerings, linking local nonprofit organizations with community readers.
• Business Directory / MarketplaceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe company maintains a Business Directory/Marketplace section connecting local businesses with the community, serving as both a community service and revenue generation channel.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Patch Media: U.S. hyperlocal digital news network covering thousands of communities — comparable mission (community-level civic news) but with a digital-only, lower fixed-cost model that competes for the same reader attention.

Broad incumbents

• Newsday: Long Island–based regional daily covering the same Long Island geography — comparable Long Island subscriber base and overlap on Long Island government and community coverage, despite its broader regional scope.
• Lee Enterprises: Major U.S. daily and community newspaper operator across dozens of markets — comparable subscription/advertising revenue model at much larger scale, competing with Express News Group indirectly for digital advertising share.
• Alden Global Media (Tribune Publishing): Hedge-fund-owned newspaper operator with major metro dailies and regional titles — broad incumbent with overlapping ad sales playbook and aggressive cost-management discipline that pressures mid-size local competitors.
• Gannett: Largest U.S. newspaper publisher (USA TODAY Network) operating hundreds of local titles — broad incumbent whose community papers compete with Express News Group on local advertising budgets and reader attention.

Direct peers

• Times Review Newsgroup (Suffolk Times / Riverhead News-Review): Family-owned community newspaper group on eastern Long Island publishing The Suffolk Times, Riverhead News-Review, and other local weeklies — closely comparable multi-title community publisher serving adjacent Hamptons-adjacent markets.
• Adams Publishing Group: Privately held operator of community newspapers and digital local-news sites across multiple U.S. states — directly comparable multi-title community-news business model with similar scale and product set.
• Dan's Papers: Long-running independent alternative weekly covering the Hamptons, founded 1960, with print and digital editions across the same South Fork geography and lifestyle/entertainment verticals — directly comparable audience and product mix.
• CNHI (Community Newspaper Holdings Inc.): Community newspaper group operating daily and weekly local papers across the U.S. — closely comparable local-news portfolio operator with the same subscription + advertising revenue mix.
• Straus News: Family-owned community newspaper operator in the Hudson Valley and northern New Jersey — directly comparable model: multiple community print titles, digital editions, and local advertising sales in a regional cluster.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/27east
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@27east-g2y
• Facebookfacebook.com/27east
• Instagraminstagram.com/27east
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-press-newspaper-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 The Express News Group