What Addison County Independent does

Addison County Independent ("Addy Indy") is a family-owned weekly newspaper founded in 1946 in Middlebury, Vermont, after the closure of the Middlebury Register. Angelo Lynn has owned and operated the paper since 1984, and his two daughters currently serve as associate publishers, indicating an active family succession plan. The paper publishes a Thursday print edition of approximately 6,000 copies (100% paid circulation) covering all 23 towns of Addison County, alongside a digital website, four email newsletters (general news, MiniBury kids/family, and Indy News for Middlebury College), a photo/video presence, and 50+ annual special sections.

The product portfolio spans core print and digital news, classified and display advertising, special sections, obituaries and life-event announcements, a community calendar, contests, and the ADDY ALL-STARS donor membership program, plus the MiniBury sub-brand targeting parents. Technology is described as standard newspaper publishing infrastructure for print production and digital content management, with no proprietary platform, API, or AI/ML capability disclosed.

The business model combines three revenue streams: subscriptions (Print + Digital and Digital Only at modest recurring rates that "cover little more than" print and distribution costs), advertising (the historically dominant revenue line, supporting 675 advertisers in 2025 through ROP display, classified, website, email newsletter, and special-section inventory), and donations through ADDY ALL-STARS and the separate 501(c)(3) Addison Independent Trust. GTM is sales-led with a multi-person advertising sales team and direct outreach to local SMBs; the Middlebury College digital gifting partnership and MiniBury newsletter extend reach into student and family segments.

Name

Addison County Independent

Legal name

Addison County Independent

Website

https://addisonindependent.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Family-owned weekly newspaper (founded 1946) serving Addison County, Vermont's 23 towns with print, website, four email newsletters, and community events coverage, funded by subscriptions, local SMB advertising, and reader donations via ADDY ALL-STARS.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Newspaper Publishing

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (51311)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Alternative/Independent Newsweeklies & Opinion Press (MPAJADAH)

Keywords

• Weekly newspaper publishing
• Local community journalism
• Newspaper advertising services
• Digital news subscriptions
• Classified advertising platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Middlebury

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Subscriptions: Subscription prices cover little more than the costs of printing and distributing the newspaper. The Addison Independent offers Print + Digital and Digital Only subscription options with various billing periods.
2. Advertising: Traditionally, advertising revenue has covered most of the additional funding. They offer ROP display ads, classified display ads, classified line ads, website advertising, email newsletter advertising, and special sections. In 2025, 675 advertisers were supported.
3. Donations (ADDY ALL-STARS): A membership/donation program created to diversify revenue streams. Donations help fund editorial team, graphic design, advertising support, and front office operations.
4. Classified Advertising: Classified line ads are $0.25 per word with minimum $2.50 per ad. Classified display ads use column-inch pricing with custom design included.
5. Obituaries: Obituaries charged at $0.25 per word with $10 per photo. Under 100 words is free.
6. Pet Tributes: Pet Tributes formatted in standard uniform way, $0.25 per word with $10 flat fee for photos.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Addison County Independent publishes a weekly print newspaper every Thursday covering local news, sports, arts, obituaries, and community events across all 23 towns in Addison County, Vermont, with a companion digital website, email newsletters, and paid advertising platforms. The company sells consumer subscriptions (Print + Digital and Digital Only), display and classified advertising to local businesses, paid obituaries and life announcements, and solicits reader donations through the ADDY ALL-STARS membership program.

Product overview

Addison County Independent is a family-owned weekly newspaper offering a multi-platform news and media portfolio. The core offering is the weekly print newspaper (published Thursdays) covering 23 towns in Addison County, Vermont, with approximately 6,000 copies and 15,000 weekly readers. Digital presence includes the website and four email newsletters (Addison Independent Newsletter, MiniBury, and Indy News for Middlebury College). The company also provides advertising services (display ads, classifieds, special sections), community features (photo galleries, video content, calendar, Student of the Week), life event announcements (obituaries, weddings, births), and a donor program (ADDY ALL-STARS). MiniBury serves as a companion kids & family events platform. The product portfolio spans print, digital, email, and events, with revenue derived from subscriptions, advertising, and donations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MiniBury: A curated line-up of local child and family events, plus essays on raising kids in Addison County.
• Indy News
• ADDY ALL-STARS
• Addison Independent Trust

Products and services

• Print Newspaper Subscription Weekly Thursday print edition of the Addison County Independent delivered to subscribers' homes, covering local news, sports, arts, obituaries, and community events across all 23 towns in Addison County, Vermont. Approximately 6,000 copies printed weekly with an estimated 15,000 weekly readers.
• Digital Subscription Digital-only or print-plus-digital subscription tier giving access to the Addison County Independent website, breaking news, archives, classifieds, calendar, and PDF editions. Pricing available at $3/week, $8/month, $75/year, or $67.50/year for seniors.
• Email Newsletters Four email newsletters delivered to subscribers: the Addison Independent Newsletter (Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays), MiniBury kids and family newsletter (Tuesdays), and Indy News for Middlebury College (Fridays), with a 4,000+ subscriber list and 55%+ open rate.
• Display Advertising Run-of-Paper (ROP) display ads, classified display ads, and website banner advertising with multiple placement options including Banner/Big Box ($199/month), Super Box ($249/month), and Leaderboard ($349/month) formats, sold to local businesses to reach Addison County consumers.
• Classified Advertising Classified line ads ($0.25 per word, minimum $2.50 per ad, minimum two insertions, 50-cent web surcharge), classified display ads (column-inch pricing with custom design included), and business directory listings published in print and on the website.
• Special Sections Advertising Over 50 sponsored special sections published annually including Home Improvement, Health & Wellbeing, Senior Lifestyles, Parks & Recreation Guides, Profiles in Community, and seasonal guides, offering businesses targeted themed advertising opportunities to reach Addison County readers.
• Paid Obituaries and Life Announcements Paid obituary service priced at $0.25 per word with a $10 per photo fee, plus free placement for obituaries under 100 words. Also includes wedding, engagement, birth, and pet tribute announcements, and change of address services.
• ADDY ALL-STARS Donor Membership Donor/membership program that allows readers to support the newspaper through weekly, monthly, or annual donations, providing feedback opportunities, community forums, story idea sharing, and exclusive content for donors. Recognized with NENPA Business Innovation award in 2024.
• MiniBury Companion sub-brand site and newsletter providing a curated line-up of local child and family events plus essays on raising kids in Addison County, delivered via a weekly Tuesday newsletter.
• Email Newsletter Advertising Email newsletter advertising placements sold to local businesses with volume-tiered pricing: $75 per ad for 1 ad, $50 per ad for 3-5 ads, and $25 per ad for 6+ ads, reaching the newspaper's 4,000+ newsletter subscriber list with a 55%+ average open rate.

Quantifiable outcome

• General Excellence Award #1 among New England's largest non-daily newspapers in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Middlebury CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership launched in 2025 to gift every Middlebury College student a four-year digital subscription to the Addison Independent. The newspaper also publishes a weekly 'Indy News' newsletter that reaches every Middlebury College student.
• Addison Independent TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Addison Independent Trust is a qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds reliable, quality local news in Addison County. Donations to the Trust are tax-deductible and support the newspaper's mission.
• MiniBuryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMiniBury offers a curated line-up of local child and family events plus essays on raising kids in Addison County. Newsletter delivered every Tuesday.
• The Middlebury CampusminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndy News newsletter delivers local news in partnership with the Middlebury College student newspaper, The Middlebury Campus.
• Independent Digital MarketingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRelated digital marketing service operated by the Addison Independent to serve local businesses with digital advertising needs.
• Middlebury Maple RunminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal running event sponsored/promoted through the Addison Independent platform.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Seven Days: Vermont's flagship alternative weekly newspaper covering news, arts, and culture, with print and digital channels — directly comparable product format and weekly publishing cadence targeting Vermont readers and advertisers.
• Stowe Reporter: A Vermont-based weekly newspaper serving a local town and surrounding area with print and digital editions and local advertising — same weekly print-and-digital model as the Addison Independent.
• The Barton Chronicle: A long-running independent weekly newspaper in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom covering local news, sports, and community events — nearly identical format and small-town community newspaper operation.
• Manchester Journal: A Vermont-based weekly community newspaper covering local news, sports, and lifestyle in southern Vermont — directly comparable small-market weekly print operation with local advertising revenue.
• Newport Daily Express: A Vermont local newspaper covering news, sports, and community affairs in the Northeast Kingdom — comparable product offering and SMB advertiser base in a similarly sized Vermont market.
• Brattleboro Reformer: A Vermont daily/print newspaper serving a single town and surrounding region with print and digital subscriptions and local advertising — comparable operating model for a single-county Vermont news market.
• Bennington Banner: A long-established Vermont regional newspaper serving Bennington County with print, digital, and newsletter channels — closely comparable structure in terms of subscriptions, local advertising, and community coverage.

Emerging players

• VTDigger: A Vermont-focused nonprofit digital news organization covering statewide and local news — competes for Vermont readers and donor dollars but operates on a digital-first nonprofit model versus Addison Independent's for-profit weekly print legacy.

Regional players

• Rutland Herald: A larger Vermont regional daily newspaper covering multiple counties with print, digital, and subscription products — broader geographic footprint but comparable industry positioning and revenue model.
• Valley News: A regional daily newspaper serving the Upper Valley along the NH/VT border with print and digital channels — broader regional scope but analogous community newspaper business serving a comparable New England small-market demographic.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AddisonIndependent
• Instagraminstagram.com/addisonindependent
• Xx.com/addyindy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Addison County Independent