Herald Dispatch

What Herald Dispatch does

The Herald-Dispatch is a privately held regional newspaper serving Huntington, West Virginia, and the surrounding Tri-State area spanning West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky. Founded in 1909 and operated through its legal entity HD Media Company, LLC, the company publishes a daily newspaper and operates the digital platform herald-dispatch.com, which serves as the primary local news source for the Huntington metropolitan market. Coverage spans local news, Marshall University athletics, high school sports, business, obituaries, opinion, features/entertainment, and community events. The company employs between 101 and 250 staff, including journalists, editors, photographers, and sales personnel, across offices in Huntington, WV.

The Herald-Dispatch product portfolio is anchored on herald-dispatch.com, built on the BLOX Digital / TownNews content management system, with Newzware handling subscriber authentication and billing, and NewsBank providing digital archive access. Around the core news product the company operates several vertical brands: HD Media+ (premium subscription tier with exclusive content and ad-free experience), Health Source (health/wellness content and podcast), HD Homes (real estate marketplace), Herald-Dispatch Jobs (employment classifieds), HD Calendar (community events), HD Classifieds/Tri-State Digital (classifieds and service directory), and a digital e-Edition replica of the print newspaper. Distribution spans print home delivery and retail racks, web and mobile, email newsletters (AM Update, Sunday Morning), and active social channels on Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram.

The business model combines recurring subscription revenue (digital-only, print+digital bundles, and HD Media+ premium) with advertising revenue across display, classifieds, sponsored content, and native advertising, supplemented by transactional revenue from contests (Best in the Tri-State, College Football Challenge) and event promotions. Customer segments are split between individual consumer subscribers (Tri-State residents, Marshall University community, obituary/family readers) and SMB advertisers (local businesses, regional employers, funeral homes). Strategic technology partners include BLOX Digital/TownNews (core CMS), Newzware (SSO/billing), NewsBank (archives), AccuWeather (weather), and the Associated Press (wire content), with a reciprocal GTM relationship with the Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce for local business coverage.

Name

Herald Dispatch

Legal name

HD Media Company, LLC

Website

https://herald-dispatch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1909

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Herald-Dispatch is a privately held regional newspaper and digital media company serving Huntington, WV and the surrounding Tri-State area (WV, OH, KY). Founded in 1909, it delivers local news, sports, classifieds, and community coverage via print, a BLOX-powered website, and verticals including HD Media+, Health Source, HD Homes, and Jobs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Newspaper Publishing

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (513110)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Local newspaper publishing
• Digital news subscription
• Classified advertising platform
• Community journalism
• Regional news coverage

Headquarters

HQ city

Huntington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Subscription Revenue: Print and digital subscriptions including HD Media+ premium tier, providing recurring revenue from individual consumers and families in the Tri-State region
2. Display and Classified Advertising: Traditional newspaper display advertising and classified ads for jobs, real estate, cars, and general merchandise across print and digital platforms
3. Sponsored Content and Native Advertising: Sponsored articles and branded content sections on the website, including special sections and promotional features
4. Digital Products and Services: Revenue from e-Editions, digital archives, photo reprints, podcast content, and Health Source special publications
5. Event and Contest Revenue: Revenue from contests like Best in the Tri-State and College Football Challenge, as well as event promotions and listings

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Herald-Dispatch is a regional daily newspaper that publishes local news, sports, obituaries, business, opinion, and community content for Huntington, WV and the Tri-State region (West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky) through print and digital channels. It operates herald-dispatch.com as a digital-first news platform with premium HD Media+ subscriptions, classified marketplaces (jobs, real estate, merchandise), e-Edition digital replicas, and specialized content verticals such as Health Source. Revenue is generated through print and digital subscriptions, display and classified advertising, and sponsored content targeting local readers and regional businesses.

Product overview

Herald Dispatch operates as a digital-first local newspaper serving the Huntington, WV tri-state area. The company offers a unified digital platform (herald-dispatch.com) as its core product, supplemented by premium subscription service HD Media+, and organized content verticals including Health Source for health coverage. Additional offerings include Marketplace for classifieds, e-Edition for digital replica newspapers, HD Homes for real estate, Herald-Dispatch Jobs for employment listings, HD Calendar for local events, and multimedia sections for photo galleries and local videos. The portfolio provides comprehensive local coverage across news, sports, business, features/entertainment, and opinion sections, with content available via subscription, advertising-supported free access, and e-edition formats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HD Media+: Premium subscription service offering enhanced content access.
• Tri-State Digital
• HD Homes
• Herald-Dispatch Jobs
• Health Source

Products and services

• The Herald-Dispatch newspaper (print and herald-dispatch.com digital edition) The flagship regional daily newspaper and digital publication providing local news, sports, business, features, obituaries, opinion, and community coverage for the Huntington, WV Tri-State region across print and digital (herald-dispatch.com) channels.
• HD Media+ Premium subscription service offering exclusive content, enhanced features, early access, and an ad-free reading experience within the Herald-Dispatch digital newspaper platform.
• e-Edition Digital replica of the printed newspaper edition accessible online, allowing subscribers to view the complete newspaper layout and content in electronic format.
• Health Source Dedicated health and wellness content section featuring articles, podcasts, and special reports on medical topics relevant to the Tri-State region of West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky.
• Marketplace (Classifieds) Classified advertising platform featuring listings for items for sale, rentals, jobs, and other classified categories in the Tri-State area.
• HD Homes Real estate marketplace section featuring home listings, buyer guides, and property search functionality for the Huntington, WV Tri-State area.
• Herald-Dispatch Jobs Local job search and employment classifieds platform connecting job seekers with employers in the Tri-State region of West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky.
• HD Calendar Community events calendar featuring local happenings, concerts, festivals, and activities across the Tri-State area of West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky.
• Photo Galleries and Local Videos Multimedia content collections featuring photographs and videos organized by category including news, sports, historical, Marshall University sports, and youth sports for the Tri-State region.

Quantifiable outcome

• Comprehensive coverage of local news, sports, and community events in the Tri-State region
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BLOX Digital / TownNewscoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides the BLOX Content Management System powering the herald-dispatch.com website, digital publishing platform, classifieds management, and content delivery infrastructure
• NewzwarecoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides subscription management system (SSO) handling subscriber authentication, account management, and subscription billing for herald-dispatch.com
• Huntington Regional Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative relationship covering ribbon-cutting ceremonies for local businesses, business news coverage, and community events in the Huntington area
• ReImagine Appalachia / Marshall Advanced Manufacturing CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for coverage of advanced manufacturing initiatives, workforce development, and economic development news in the Ohio River Valley region

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• McClatchy: Public media company operating a network of local newspapers in mid-size U.S. markets. Comparable as a regional/local newspaper incumbent pursuing digital subscription and audience-revenue strategies.
• Gannett: Largest U.S. newspaper publisher, operating USA TODAY and hundreds of local titles including dailies in similar mid-size markets. Comparable as a major local newspaper chain pursuing digital subscription growth and local advertising.
• Tribune Publishing: Major U.S. newspaper publisher with metropolitan and local titles across multiple states. Comparable as a multi-market local newspaper chain with overlapping subscription, advertising, and digital product portfolios.

Direct peers

• Lee Enterprises: Public company operating one of the largest portfolios of local daily newspapers in the United States. Directly comparable as a multi-title local newspaper operator relying on subscription and advertising revenue with similar digital transformation efforts.
• Ogden Newspapers: Family-owned private company operating dozens of local daily and weekly newspapers across small and mid-size U.S. markets. Closely comparable as an independent, privately held local newspaper group with similar community-focused coverage and revenue model.
• Paxton Media Group: Privately held media company owning local newspapers and digital properties across the Midwest and South. Comparable as an independent local newspaper operator serving similarly sized regional markets with a subscription plus advertising model.
• Adams Publishing Group: Private family-owned publisher of community newspapers, digital platforms, and shoppers in small and mid-size U.S. markets. Directly comparable as an independent multi-title local newspaper operator with combined print and digital monetization.
• CNHI (Community Newspaper Holdings Inc.): Private company owning community newspapers across more than 20 U.S. states. Comparable as a local newspaper chain serving similar small-to-mid metropolitan markets with subscription and advertising revenue streams.
• Boone Newspapers: Family-owned private publisher of local daily and weekly newspapers primarily in the Southeast and Midwest. Comparable as a community-focused local newspaper operator with similar revenue mix of subscriptions, advertising, and digital products.

Regional players

• MaineToday Media: Regional newspaper group serving Maine markets with a similar mix of local news, advertising, and digital subscriptions. Comparable as an independently owned local newspaper operator focused on community coverage in a defined multi-county region.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/heralddispatch
• Facebookfacebook.com/theheralddispatch
• Instagraminstagram.com/heralddispatch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/summit-herald-dispatch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Herald Dispatch