What Straus News does

Straus News (legal entity Straus Newspapers, Inc.) is a fourth-generation, family-owned hyperlocal newspaper publisher operating 17 weekly newspapers and 15 magazines/special sections across Manhattan, Orange County NY, Sussex and Passaic Counties NJ, and Pike County PA. The company traces its roots to 1945 with Nathan Straus's purchase of WMCA Radio, transitioning into print journalism in 1986 when the family acquired The Warwick Advertiser (founded 1866 and publishing continuously since), The Photo News, The Advertiser, and The Vernon News. The portfolio expanded through serial acquisitions — The Sparta Independent (1988), The Pike County Courier (2005), and four Manhattan titles from Manhattan Media (2013) — and through internal launches including The Chronicle (2001), West Milford Messenger (2003), dirt magazine (2011), Route94.com, and NYCNow.com. The company reaches 150,000+ households weekly with print editions and reports 375,000+ weekly readers across print and digital, supported by 30,000+ email subscribers.

The core technology stack is traditional print publishing augmented by web-based content management across all newspaper brands, with digital extensions delivered via the AdPerfect subscription platform (straussubscriptions.adperfect.com) and the Column.us legal notice publishing platform. Distribution is primarily via US Mail home delivery, supplemented by physical pickup locations and email newsletters. Revenue is generated through five distinct streams: print subscriptions ($49/year in suburban counties, $53/year in Manhattan), digital email subscriptions, display advertising in print and online, classified advertising ($13 base price for 3 lines across 2 editions), and legal/public notice publishing across six counties under qualification on the New York State Comptroller's List of Publishers of Unclaimed Funds. The customer base splits between individual consumers (subscribers and readers), local SMB advertisers, and government/legal entities requiring notice publication.

The company operates with a disclosed 1–10 employee headcount, indicating a lean team supported by an extended network of contributing editors and outsourced production. It is privately held by the Straus family in its fourth generation, with Jeanne Straus as President & Publisher and Becca Tucker (great-granddaughter of founder Nathan Straus) leading dirt magazine. There are no institutional investors, no funding rounds, and no disclosed revenue figures. The company has accumulated 100+ industry awards across the National Newspaper Association, New York Press Association, New Jersey Press Association, and Local Media Association between 2009 and 2024.

Name

Straus News

Legal name

Straus Newspapers, Inc.

Website

https://strausnews.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Straus News is a fourth-generation, family-owned publisher of 17 weekly community newspapers and digital platforms serving Manhattan, Orange County NY, Sussex and Passaic NJ, and Pike County PA. The company reaches 150,000+ households weekly via print and digital, monetizing through subscriptions, local advertising, and regulated legal notice publishing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Newspaper Publishing

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (513110), Periodical Publishers (51312), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Alternative/Independent Newsweeklies & Opinion Press (MPAJADAH), Magazine & Newspaper Subscriptions / Delivery Retail (CRALAAAH)

Keywords

• Local newspaper publishing
• Community weekly newspapers
• Classified advertising services
• Legal notice publishing
• Hyperlocal news media

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Print Subscriptions: Weekly print newspaper subscriptions delivered to homes via US Mail. Print publications serve Manhattan and Orange County in New York, Sussex and Passaic Counties in New Jersey and Pike County in Pennsylvania.
2. Digital Subscriptions & Email Alerts: Digital readership through email newsletters and news alerts. Over 30,000 e-subscribers receive regular updates.
3. Display Advertising: Local businesses advertise in print and online across the network of 17 newspapers and their associated websites. Both digital and print advertising options available.
4. Classified Advertising: Classified ads placed in print and online. Base price of $13 for a 3-line ad running in 2 editions and online with a photo. Separate services for NYC classifieds and county newspapers.
5. Legal & Public Notices: Publishing legal and public notices for New York County, Bronx County, Orange County NY, Passaic County NJ, Sussex County NJ, and Pike County PA. Includes LLC/LLP formation notices, foreclosure notices, unclaimed funds, probate court citations, and liquor licenses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Straus News publishes 17 local weekly newspapers and 15 magazines/special sections delivered to 150,000+ households weekly across Manhattan, Orange County NY, Sussex and Passaic Counties NJ, and Pike County PA. The company sells print and digital subscriptions to local residents, display and classified advertising to local businesses, and legal and public notice publishing services to government and legal entities. Complementary products include the Route94.com event calendar, NYCNow.com Manhattan event site, and dirt eco-conscious magazine.

Product overview

Straus News is a hyperlocal newspaper publishing company operating a portfolio of 17 local weekly newspapers and 15 magazines/special sections across New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The core products are the individual local newspapers (Our Town Eastsider, Our Town Downtown, West Side Spirit, Chelsea News, The Warwick Advertiser, The Photo News, The Chronicle, Advertiser-News North/South, Sparta Independent, Township Journal, West Milford Messenger, Pike County Courier) that are distributed to 150,000+ households weekly with 375,000+ weekly readers. These newspapers are supported by digital products including email news alerts (30,000+ e-subscribers), event calendars (Route94.com, NYCNow.com), and a magazine (dirt magazine). Additional revenue streams include classified advertising, legal and public notice publishing, and community event sponsorship. The publications focus on local issues that matter to residents' everyday lives including schools, medical expenses, infrastructure, and community activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• dirt magazine: Award-winning eco-conscious magazine for readers in and around New York's Black Dirt Region, featuring green-inspired content and local stories.
• Route94.com
• NYCNow.com

Products and services

• Our Town (Eastsider) Local weekly newspaper serving Manhattan, focusing on local issues that matter to residents' everyday lives including schools, infrastructure, community news, and local sports.
• Our Town Downtown Local weekly newspaper serving downtown Manhattan neighborhoods, delivering hyperlocal news and community coverage.
• The West Side Spirit (Westsider) Local weekly newspaper serving Manhattan's West Side, covering local news, community events, and neighborhood stories.
• Chelsea News

Quantifiable outcome

• 150,000+ homes served weekly with print newspapers
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature1 record

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Gannett Co. Largest US newspaper publisher (USA TODAY network) operating hundreds of daily and weekly titles. Overlaps in the weekly community newspaper category but at far greater scale and with national rather than regional focus.
• Tribune Publishing: Major US newspaper publisher with metropolitan dailies and some community publications. Overlaps in print newspaper operations but skewed toward larger metro markets rather than hyperlocal weeklies.

Direct peers

• Schurz Communications: Family-owned regional media company operating community newspapers, broadcast stations, and digital media properties. Comparable as a multi-generational operator of local news assets.
• Lee Enterprises: Public community newspaper publisher operating hundreds of local daily and weekly titles across the US with a similar subscription and local advertising model. Directly comparable in market positioning, though at much larger scale.
• Patch Media: Hyperlocal digital news network covering thousands of US communities including Manhattan and New Jersey. Comparable in hyperlocal community coverage model and geographic overlap, though digital-native rather than print-anchored.
• Community Newspaper Holdings Inc. (CNHI): Acquirer and operator of community newspapers across the US, focused on weekly and small-daily titles in non-metro markets. Comparable in scale and hyperlocal model.
• Ogden Newspapers: Family-owned community newspaper group operating daily and weekly publications across multiple states. Closely comparable as a multi-generational, family-controlled operator of small-market and community titles.
• Adams Publishing Group: Private family-owned publisher of community newspapers, magazines, and digital products across the US Midwest and East. Comparable in family ownership structure and hyperlocal community title portfolio.
• Manhattan Media: Former publisher of the Manhattan community newspapers that Straus acquired in 2013 (Our Town, West Side Spirit, etc.). Still operates adjacent NYC community publications and is the most direct historical competitor in Straus's Manhattan footprint.

Emerging players

• Riverdale Press: Independent hyperlocal community newspaper serving the Riverdale area of the Bronx in NYC. Comparable as a small, family/community-run weekly focused on neighborhood news, though significantly smaller in scale than Straus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/valenicec
• Facebookfacebook.com/ourtowneastsidemanhattan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/straus-news

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries9 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 Straus News