The Spokesman Review

What The Spokesman Review does

The Spokesman-Review is a daily newspaper founded on May 19, 1883, headquartered in Spokane, Washington, and the largest news and information provider in the Inland Northwest region of Eastern Washington and North Idaho. The publication operates as a multi-platform media organization distributing content through a flagship print edition, the Spokesman.com digital platform, an e-Edition digital replica, the Morning Review podcast (Apple Podcasts and Spotify), topic-specific email newsletters, photo and video galleries, interactive puzzles, the Northwest Passages literary book club, a digital classifieds marketplace, and a separate Spokesman Digital sub-brand offering advertising, website development, and SEO services to local businesses.

The business model blends consumer subscription revenue (monthly-billed print home delivery, digital-only, and combined print+digital packages) with advertising revenue (display, classifieds, sponsored content from partners including UnitedHealthcare, Premera Blue Cross, and AtWork! Spokane), supplemented by transactional income from photo reprint sales and copyright/reprint licensing (commercial reproduction rates of $0.07 per copy with a 100-copy minimum, and $25 per article per year for website use). Reach metrics cite 4.54M monthly pageviews, 1.62M monthly unique visitors, and audience composition of 55% aged 35–64, 57% homeowners, and 58% with household income over $50,000, which it sells to regional advertisers at a claimed 60% market reach.

The company is privately held under Cowles Publishing Company, a diversified media conglomerate; in 2026 the publication announced plans to transition to nonprofit status, a structural shift from commercial to mission-supported operation. Leadership comprises William Cowles as President and Rob Curley as Editor.

Name

The Spokesman Review

Legal name

The Spokesman-Review

Website

https://spokesman.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1883

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The Spokesman-Review is a privately held (Cowles Publishing Company) daily newspaper and multi-platform local news operation founded in 1883, serving Eastern Washington and the Inland Northwest with print, digital, podcast, e-edition, and newsletter products, and is transitioning to nonprofit status in 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Newspaper / Regional Journalism

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (513110), Newspaper Publishers (51311)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Newsletters & Email-Based News Publishers (B2B/B2C) (MPAJADAJ), Investigative & Nonprofit News Organizations (MPAJADAF)

Keywords

• Local newspaper
• Regional journalism
• Digital news subscription
• Print media
• Community news

Headquarters

HQ city

Spokane

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Subscription Revenue: Print and digital newspaper subscriptions sold to individual readers, including home delivery and e-edition access.
2. Advertising Revenue: Digital and print advertising across the Spokesman-Review platform, including display ads, sponsored content, and Spotlight Ads.
3. Classifieds and Marketplace: Classified advertising including employment, auto, real estate, and general classifieds.
4. Sponsored Content: Partnered branded content and sponsored articles from organizations like UnitedHealthcare, Premera Blue Cross, and AtWork! Spokane.
5. Photo Sales and Reprints: Sale of newspaper photos and reprints through the S-R Shop.
6. Copyright Licensing: Fees for reprinting or reproducing newspaper articles commercially, with rates of $0.07 per copy (100 copy minimum) or $25 per article per year for website reproduction.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Spokesman-Review is a daily regional newspaper serving Eastern Washington and the Inland Northwest, offering a print edition, a digital news platform (Spokesman.com), e-Edition replica, podcasts, and newsletters. It monetizes primarily through reader subscriptions and local/regional advertising, with secondary revenue from classifieds, photo reprints, and copyright licensing.

Product overview

The Spokesman-Review operates as a unified multi-platform media organization consisting of a flagship print newspaper (established 1883), the Spokesman.com digital platform, and multiple digital companion products. The core offerings include the daily print edition and its e-Edition digital replica, supported by value-add modules such as The Morning Review Podcast, topic-specific newsletters, photo/video galleries, the Northwest Passages Book Club, and interactive puzzles. The organization also operates Spokesman Digital as a sub-brand offering advertising and web development services, and provides archival research capabilities. All products collectively serve the Eastern Washington and Inland Northwest regional audience with comprehensive local journalism, entertainment, and community information.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Spokesman-Review (Print Edition) The flagship daily print newspaper serving Eastern Washington, delivering local news, business coverage, entertainment, sports (including Gonzaga, WSU, EWU, and high school teams), and weather. Published daily with a history dating back to May 19, 1883, and available through home delivery subscription.
• Spokesman.com (Digital News Platform) The online digital news platform for The Spokesman-Review, providing online news articles, multimedia content, breaking news alerts, and digital subscription access for readers in Eastern Washington and the Inland Northwest. Receives over 4.54M monthly pageviews and 1.62M monthly unique visitors.
• The Morning Review Podcast A daily audio news podcast for subscribers providing a morning overview of headlines, weather, and sports coverage to start the day. Available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• e-Edition A digital replica of the print newspaper accessible online, allowing subscribers to read the full newspaper in electronic format with layout and design preserved.
• Spokesman Digital (Advertising & Web Services) A sub-brand of The Spokesman-Review offering digital advertising, website development, and SEO optimization services to local businesses and advertisers in the Spokane and Eastern Washington market.
• Classifieds Digital classified advertising platform featuring jobs, real estate, autos, rentals, pets, and public announcements for the Eastern Washington region.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Seattle Times: A privately held regional daily newspaper serving the Pacific Northwest with print, digital subscriptions, and local advertising — the most direct large-market peer to The Spokesman-Review in the same geography.
• The Salt Lake Tribune: Regional daily newspaper that recently converted to nonprofit status — directly comparable to the Spokesman-Review in business model transition, regional daily format, and local advertising reliance.
• The Oregonian / OregonLive: Major Pacific Northwest regional daily with print and digital subscriptions serving Portland and Oregon — directly comparable in product mix, regional focus, and audience scale to the Spokesman-Review.
• The Denver Post: Regional daily newspaper with combined print and digital subscriptions, classifieds, and local advertising sales — comparable in operating model and revenue mix to The Spokesman-Review.
• Minneapolis Star Tribune: Privately held regional daily serving the Upper Midwest with a multi-platform print + digital subscription business — directly comparable in scale, ownership structure, and product mix.
• Tampa Bay Times: Independent regional daily with print and digital subscriptions, classifieds, and local advertising — closely comparable in operating model and mid-sized market positioning to the Spokesman-Review.
• The Oklahoman: Mid-sized regional daily newspaper serving Oklahoma with print + digital subscriptions, classifieds, and local advertising — comparable in market size, product mix, and revenue model.
• The Philadelphia Inquirer: Major regional daily owned by a nonprofit institute — closely comparable in the for-profit-to-nonprofit transition model the Spokesman-Review is pursuing, with similar subscription and advertising revenue mix.

Broad incumbents

• Lee Enterprises: Publicly traded owner of a large portfolio of mid-sized U.S. daily newspapers — a broad incumbent peer that operates the same type of regional daily newspaper business as The Spokesman-Review at portfolio scale.
• Gannett | USA TODAY Network: Largest U.S. newspaper chain operating hundreds of regional dailies including many in similar mid-sized markets — directly comparable business model at significantly greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SpokesmanReview
• Facebookfacebook.com/spokesmanvoices
• Instagraminstagram.com/spokesmanreview/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@thespokesmanreview
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/22517

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Spokesman Review