Amsterdam News

What Amsterdam News does

Amsterdam News is a privately held, for-profit Black newspaper headquartered in New York City at 2340 Frederick Douglass Blvd., operating continuously since its founding in 1909 as America's oldest continuously published Black newspaper. The publication serves the Black community with local (NYC), national, and international news coverage spanning politics, health, education, business, sports, religion, and arts and entertainment, with a stated editorial focus on racial justice journalism. Its core product is a weekly print newspaper distributed under a tiered subscription model (Digital Only at $6/month, Digital & Print at $8/month, and a $15/month Membership tier including events and obituary discounts), supplemented by three daily newsletters (Editorially Black, Politics Noir, Art + Soul), a podcast, a video library, an events platform, a jobs board, and specialized editorial sections including Blacklight (investigative journalism) and Black To Nature (environmental justice).

The business operates a direct-to-consumer go-to-market across its own website, newsletters, podcast, and social channels, with no app presence. Revenue is generated from recurring subscriptions, display and sponsored-content advertising (including partnerships with JP Morgan Chase and FM Home Loans), reader donations (monthly and annual tiers, plus legacy giving), and classified and legal-notice placement. Distribution is U.S.-only and primarily concentrated in the New York City market, although the publication is also a founding participant in the Word In Black collaborative network of 10 Black publishers nationwide, which extends its editorial and audience footprint beyond the city. The current publisher is Elinor R. Tatum, who also conceived Word In Black, and the organization operates with a small staff (1–10 employees). No funding rounds, acquisitions, or institutional ownership are disclosed.

Name

Amsterdam News

Legal name

Amsterdam News

Website

https://amsterdamnews.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1909

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Amsterdam News is a privately held New York City-based Black newspaper, founded in 1909 and operating continuously as America's oldest Black newspaper, serving the Black community with local, national, and international news through a tiered digital and print subscription product.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Newspaper Publishing

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (513110)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Alternative/Independent Newsweeklies & Opinion Press (MPAJADAH)

Keywords

• Black newspaper publishing
• Racial justice journalism
• Community news media
• Print and digital news
• Local news coverage

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

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, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Subscription Revenue: The publication generates revenue through three subscription tiers: Digital Only at $6/month providing unlimited access and e-editions, Digital & Print at $8/month adding 52 weekly print editions delivered to the door, and Membership at $15/month with full tier benefits plus screenings, Q&As, subscriber events, digital gift subscriptions, and 30% off memorials and obituaries.
2. Advertising: The newspaper generates advertising revenue through display ads on their website and offers a Media Kit for advertisers. They also provide options for legal and public notices placement.
3. Donations and Support: Amsterdam News accepts one-time and recurring donations from readers to support their racial justice journalism mission. Suggested amounts include $5, $10, $15, $25, $50, $75 monthly or $60, $120, $300 annually.
4. Classifieds and Legal Notices: The publication offers classified advertising placement and legal/public notice services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Amsterdam News (New York Amsterdam News) is America's oldest continuously published Black newspaper, founded in 1909. It provides local, national, and international news, opinion, arts, sports, and lifestyle coverage from a Black perspective through weekly print editions, a digital website, daily newsletters, podcasts, and video content. The publication also generates revenue through advertising, sponsored content, classifieds, legal notices, obituaries, and reader donations.

Product overview

New York Amsterdam News operates as a comprehensive digital and print news publication offering multiple subscription tiers (Digital Only at $6/month, Digital & Print at $8/month, and Membership at $15/month), complemented by free content platforms including newsletters, podcasts, videos, and an events service. The publication's product portfolio includes specialized editorial sections like Blacklight (investigative journalism) and Black To Nature (environmental justice), plus collaborative networks such as Word In Black with 10 other Black publishers nationwide. Revenue streams include advertising, sponsored content partnerships, job board listings, and classified/obituary services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Word In Black: A collaboration conceived by AmNews Publisher Elinor R. Tatum with 10 other Black publishers nationwide, dedicated to confronting inequities, elevating solutions and amplifying the Black experience.

Products and services

• New York Amsterdam News America's oldest continuously published Black newspaper, providing local, national, and international news coverage from a Black perspective through weekly print editions and a comprehensive digital news site. Coverage spans news, politics, Black financial health, education, health, religion, sports, arts and entertainment, opinion, and obituaries.
• Newsletters Free daily email newsletters delivering acclaimed Black-perspective journalism on editorial topics, politics, and arts/culture, including Editorially Black, Politics Noir, and Art + Soul. Designed for readers seeking Black-focused news coverage that mainstream media does not provide.
• AmNews Podcast Audio podcast featuring discussions on current events, racial justice issues, and exclusive interviews with newsmakers, focused on topics affecting Black communities.
• AmNews Videos Video content including news coverage, interviews, and featured reporting on racial justice and Black community issues, distributed on the AmNews website.
• Word In Black A collaborative content network and publishing partnership between Amsterdam News and 10 other Black-owned newspapers nationwide, dedicated to confronting inequities, elevating solutions, and amplifying Black perspectives through shared content on education, finance, health, justice, and climate.
• Events Platform A free community event listing service allowing users to discover and submit local events in the New York area, integrated via Cityspark.
• Jobs Board Job listing service for the Black community, integrated with the Recruitology job board platform, providing employment opportunities targeted at job seekers and employers in the Black community.
• Obituaries and Classifieds Obituary placement, community passings listings, and classified advertising services available through the Amsterdam News platform via the Column.us publishing tool.

Segments1 record

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.

• Word In BlackcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWord In Black is a collaborative platform conceived by AmNews Publisher Elinor R. Tatum in partnership with 10 other Black publishers nationwide. The initiative promises to confront inequities, elevate solutions, and amplify the Black experience. The platform publishes content on wordinblack.com and includes coverage on various topics including education, finance, health, justice, and climate.
• Black To NatureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlack To Nature is listed as an offering/initiative from Amsterdam News, with content available at blacktonature.org. This appears to be an environmental initiative focused on connecting Black communities with nature.
• JP Morgan ChaseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerJP Morgan Chase is listed as a partner for sponsored content in the Black Entrepreneurship section, providing content about Black homeownership, financial literacy, and business growth through partnerships with Chase Community Managers.
• FM Home LoansminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFM Home Loans operates a sponsored section (FM Home Loans - New York Amsterdam News) providing content about homeownership, mortgage rates, and home loan tools targeted at New Yorkers.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• TheGrio: Digital Black news and culture platform that competes with Amsterdam News for the same demographic, with national reach and a strong video and editorial offering.
• The Baltimore Afro-American: Long-running historic Black newspaper serving Baltimore and East Coast readers. Similar heritage, community-focused mission, and operating model to Amsterdam News.
• Pittsburgh Courier: One of the most prominent historic Black newspapers in the United States. Comparable as a legacy Black press institution serving a specific regional audience with national Black-interest coverage.
• The Root: A leading digital-first media brand covering Black news, culture, and politics. Direct competitor to Amsterdam News for the same Black American audience, with a stronger digital-native footprint and no print legacy.
• The Atlanta Voice: Black community newspaper based in Atlanta covering local and national Black news. Comparable regional Black newspaper with similar revenue mix of advertising, subscriptions, and events.
• Chicago Defender: Another historic Black newspaper, now digital-led, covering the Black community. Most directly comparable legacy peer given similar founding era, mission, and pivot to digital.

Broad incumbents

• Essence Communications: Iconic Black media brand spanning magazine, digital, and events. Overlaps with AmNews on Black cultural and political coverage but skews more toward lifestyle and entertainment.
• New York Times: Dominant New York general-interest newspaper with massive national digital subscription base. Competes with AmNews for NYC readers and digital ad dollars, but lacks Black-community focus.
• BET (Black Entertainment Television): Large multi-platform Black media brand spanning cable, digital, and events. Overlaps with AmNews on cultural/political coverage and competes for advertiser dollars targeting Black audiences.

Others

• Word In Black (network): Collaborative national Black news platform co-founded by AmNews Publisher Elinor R. Tatum with 10 other Black publishers. Directly related as AmNews's own network initiative rather than a competitor, but comparable in editorial mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NYAmNews
• Facebookfacebook.com/NYAmsterdamNews
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ny-amsterdam-news

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Amsterdam News