Philly

What Philly does

Philly, operating as The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC, is a privately held regional media company headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1829, it is one of the oldest continuously published newspapers in the United States and serves the Philadelphia metropolitan area with an emphasis on local news, sports coverage of the Phillies, Eagles, Flyers, and other regional teams, politics, business, food, real estate, health, and opinion content. The company functions as a multi-section daily news outlet with dedicated verticals such as the Philly First investigative unit.

The business operates a digital-first distribution stack anchored by inquirer.com (responsive web), native iOS and Android applications, multiple themed email newsletters (Morning, Outdoorsy, lifestyle segments), and an active social presence on X, Facebook, and Instagram. Underlying technology includes a subscription management system supporting free account registration and premium tiers, a proprietary digital image resizer and content delivery network for optimized media delivery, and integration with print fulfillment for traditional readers. Coverage extends across the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania suburbs, South Jersey, and the broader Mid-Atlantic region.

The revenue model combines digital and print subscription revenue (recurring, with freemium entry and promotional offers), display and programmatic advertising across website and apps, classifieds and legal notices transacted via a marketplace, and advertising-supported event and special-edition content. Customer engagement is driven through newsletter acquisition, mobile app adoption, and SEO-oriented content marketing, while the relationship with the Lenfest Institute for Journalism provides financial support for high-impact local journalism.

Name

Philly

Legal name

The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC

Website

https://philly.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1829

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Philly, operating as The Philadelphia Inquirer, is a privately held Philadelphia-based regional newspaper founded in 1829 that produces local news, sports, business, and lifestyle content distributed via inquirer.com, native mobile apps, email newsletters, and a remaining print edition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

News Media & Publishing

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (513110), Periodical Publishers (513120), Newspaper Publishers (51311)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Business, Finance & Industry Trade Magazines (MPAJAEAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Consumer Lifestyle & Fashion Magazines (MPAJAEAA), Entertainment & Celebrity Magazines (MPAJAEAK)

Keywords

• Local news publishing
• Digital newspaper subscriptions
• Regional journalism
• Display advertising
• Print newspaper distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

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. Subscription Revenue: Digital subscription model with free account registration and premium subscription tiers. Offers special promotional rates for new subscribers.
2. Advertising: Display advertising on website and digital properties, including programmatic and direct ad placements across news, sports, business, and lifestyle sections
3. Classifieds and Legal Notices: Legal notices marketplace and classified advertising services
4. Events and Special Editions: Special event coverage and themed content such as Food Festival and America 250 celebrations

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Philly (The Philadelphia Inquirer) is a regional news publisher producing print and digital newspapers and magazines covering news, sports, business, entertainment, lifestyle, and health for the Philadelphia metropolitan area. It distributes content through its website (inquirer.com), iOS/Android mobile apps, email newsletters, and a print edition, monetized via digital subscriptions and advertising.

Product overview

Philadelphia Inquirer offers a digital news platform providing local Philadelphia news coverage across multiple content categories including news, sports, business, entertainment, food, health, real estate, and opinion. The company distributes content through its website (inquirer.com), mobile applications for iOS and Android, and email newsletters. The product portfolio consists primarily of digital media and content distribution channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Philly First: A section of the newspaper covering local Philadelphia news and stories

Products and services

• inquirer.com Website Responsive web news platform serving as the primary digital hub for Philadelphia-area news, sports, business, food, real estate, opinion, and lifestyle content, with free account registration and premium subscription access.
• Philadelphia Inquirer Mobile App (iOS) Native iOS application providing on-the-go access to Philadelphia local news, sports, business, and entertainment content with push notifications, for individual consumers.
• Philadelphia Inquirer Mobile App (Android) Native Android application providing on-the-go access to Philadelphia local news, sports, business, and entertainment content, for individual consumers.
• Digital Subscription Freemium subscription offering premium access to full content beyond the free registered tier, with special promotional rates for new subscribers.
• Print Edition / Today's Paper Physical daily newspaper and e-edition distribution for traditional print readers in the Philadelphia region.
• Email Newsletters Multiple curated email newsletters (e.g., Morning Newsletter, Outdoorsy Newsletter) covering diverse topics delivered directly to subscriber inboxes.
• Legal Notices & Classifieds Marketplace Marketplace for legal notices and classified advertising services for businesses and individuals in Pennsylvania.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Creative Philadelphia (Department of Commerce)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Philadelphia Department of Commerce partnered with Creative Philadelphia for the Fourth Annual Creative and Nighttime Economy Month celebration, featuring citywide panel discussions and workshops supporting creatives, entrepreneurs, and cultural workers in Philadelphia.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/phillydotcom
• Facebookfacebook.com/phillydotcom
• Instagraminstagram.com/phillyinquirer

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

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 Philly