The Beacon Newspapers

What The Beacon Newspapers does

The Beacon Newspapers is a privately held, family-founded regional media company based in Kensington, Maryland, that publishes monthly print and digital newspapers targeted at adults aged 50 and older. Founded in 1990 by Stuart and Judy Rosenthal, the company operates three primary regional editions — DC/Suburban Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Baltimore Metro — with a fourth Howard County edition and a combined monthly print run of 195,000+ copies distributed at 2,300+ physical sites, reaching 450,000+ monthly readers across digital and print channels.

The company's product set spans a WordPress-based website featuring an online PDF flip-style reader with zoom, fullscreen, and page navigation; the Silver Pages Directory, a searchable online directory covering housing, homecare, elder law, and financial planning; an annual Montgomery County Seniors' Resource Guide (print and online flipbook, $6.00 per copy); a Community Events calendar; the annual 50+Expos in Maryland and Virginia; plus recipes, puzzles, and online classifieds. The underlying technology stack is standard off-the-shelf CMS plus a document viewer; there is no proprietary platform technology disclosed.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: print and digital advertising sold to businesses targeting the 50+ demographic (senior living, healthcare, financial services, home care); recurring mailed print subscriptions distributed across the U.S.; and one-time sales of the Resource Guide. The 50+Expos generate additional sponsorship revenue from recurring partners including AARP Virginia, Johns Hopkins Health Plans, Pepco, Adventist HealthCare, and Cogir. In 2026, founder Stuart Rosenthal retired, Gordon Hasenei became publisher, Judy Rosenthal continued as president, and the company merged with Steve Gurney's Positive Aging organization.

Name

The Beacon Newspapers

Legal name

The Beacon Newspapers

Website

https://thebeaconnewspapers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Beacon Newspapers is a privately held Mid-Atlantic regional media company publishing monthly print and digital newspapers, directories, and events targeted at adults 50 and older across the Washington DC, Northern Virginia, and Baltimore metro areas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Senior Media & Newspaper Publishing

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (513110)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Senior media publishing
• Regional print newspapers
• Mature audience content
• Community resource directories
• Print advertising sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Kensington

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, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Print and Digital Advertising: The company sells advertising space to businesses targeting the 50+ demographic including senior living communities, healthcare providers, financial services, and home care companies. Multiple banner ads and sponsored content throughout the website and print editions.
2. Print Subscriptions: Monthly print newspaper distributed at over 2,300 distribution sites with mailed subscriptions available throughout the United States.
3. Resource Guide Sales: The Montgomery County Seniors' Resource Guide is sold as a print publication with single copies at $6.00 each plus postage, and bulk copy sales available by contacting Roger King.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Beacon Newspapers publishes three regional monthly print editions (DC/Suburban Maryland, Northern Virginia, Baltimore Metro, plus Howard County) and corresponding digital editions targeting adults 50+, covering health, money, travel, arts, housing, and local community events. The company distributes 195,000+ print copies monthly across 2,300+ sites and reaches 450,000+ monthly readers across digital platforms, supported by the Silver Pages Directory, Community Events calendar, an annual Seniors' Resource Guide, and 50+Expos events.

Product overview

The Beacon Newspapers is a multi-platform media company offering print and digital newspaper products targeting adults over 50. The company publishes regional print editions (DC/Suburban Maryland, Northern Virginia, Baltimore Metro, Howard County) with combined monthly readership exceeding 450,000. Core offerings include the print newspapers, online digital editions, and the Silver Pages Directory—a searchable resource covering housing, homecare, elder law, and financial planning. Additional products include a Community Events Calendar, annual 50+Expos events, the Montgomery County Seniors' Resource Guide, recipes, puzzles, and classifieds submission services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Silver Pages Directory: A comprehensive, searchable directory covering housing, homecare, elder law and financial planning for seniors.
• 50+Expos
• Montgomery County Seniors' Resource Guide

Products and services

• The Beacon Newspapers (Print Editions) Award-winning monthly print newspapers covering health, money, travel, arts, housing, and cover stories tailored for adults 50+, distributed across multiple regional editions in the Mid-Atlantic region.
• Online Digital Editions Digital versions of the print newspapers accessible through an interactive online reader with zoom, fullscreen, and page navigation capabilities, plus PDF download for each regional edition.
• Silver Pages Directory Comprehensive, searchable online directory covering housing, homecare, elder law, and financial planning services for seniors and their families.
• Community Events Calendar Online calendar platform where users can find and submit community events for the Washington DC and Baltimore metro regions.
• Montgomery County Seniors' Resource Guide Annual print resource guide for seniors in Montgomery County, available as single copies at $6.00 plus postage with bulk pricing by contacting the publisher, and also accessible as an online flipbook.
• 50+Expos Annual expo events held in Maryland and Virginia featuring health screenings, exhibitor booths, and educational resources for adults 50+.
• Classifieds Online submission system for print classified advertisements published across the newspaper's regional editions.

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

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered gold sponsor, silver sponsor, core and minor.

• AARP Virginiagold sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor for the 2026 50+Expo events in Virginia, supporting the annual expo that connects older adults with health resources, exhibitors, and community services.
• Johns Hopkins Health Planssilver sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor for the 50+Expo events, supporting senior health and wellness resources in the community.
• Pepcosilver sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor supporting the 50+Expo events, providing utility services information to senior attendees.
• Adventist HealthCaresilver sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor supporting the 50+Expo events, providing healthcare resources for seniors.
• Cogirsilver sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor for 50+Expos, senior living community operator.
• Northern Virginia Senior OlympicscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Beacon Newspapers is a sponsor of the Northern Virginia Senior Olympics, supporting athletic events for adults 50+ with over 1,200 competitors annually.
• Silver Pages Directory PartnersminorOthersLocal businesses and service providers advertised in the Silver Pages Directory covering housing, homecare, elder law, financial planning, medical, and other services for seniors.
• Montgomery County Office on Aging and IndependencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of the Howard County Office on Aging showcase event for Older Americans Month, and partner in the 50+Expo events.
• Howard County Office on Aging and IndependencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual partner for 'Your Circle of Connection' showcase event celebrating Older Americans Month with programs and services for residents over 50.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Tribune Publishing: Major regional newspaper chain operating titles including The Baltimore Sun, directly overlapping Beacon's Baltimore Metro edition. Comparable print+digital publishing model and advertising sales motion, but serves a broad general-interest audience.
• Gannett: Largest U.S. newspaper publisher (USA Today and hundreds of local titles including in DC/Baltimore markets). Overlaps with Beacon in local advertising and senior readership but is a national, public-market chain with broad demographic coverage.
• AARP The Magazine: Largest-circulation magazine in the U.S., published by AARP for the 50+ demographic. Directly comparable audience and advertising base, but AARP operates nationally rather than regionally and is a non-profit membership organization.
• Lee Enterprises: Large U.S. local newspaper operator with daily and weekly publications across multiple states. Comparable in print distribution model and advertising sales motion, but diversified across many markets and not focused on the 50+ niche.
• AARP Bulletin: AARP's news publication for members 50+. Competes with The Beacon for the same senior reader and advertiser pool, though distributed nationally rather than regionally and bundled with AARP membership.

Regional players

• Bethesda Magazine: Monthly regional magazine covering Bethesda, Potomac, and Montgomery County, Maryland, with overlapping readership, advertisers, and distribution geography with The Beacon's DC/Suburban Maryland edition. Similar monthly print + digital model but general-interest rather than 50+-focused.

Direct peers

• Positive Aging Sourcebook: Pre-merger publisher of the Positive Aging Sourcebook and related 50+ resources, founded by Steve Gurney. Now combined with Beacon but historically the most direct peer in senior resource guides and senior-focused events in the Mid-Atlantic.
• Next Avenue: Digital-first public media publication covering health, money, work, and purpose for Americans 50+. Competes directly for the same reader demographic and advertising verticals (healthcare, financial services, senior living) but distributes nationally online rather than through regional print editions.
• Senior Living Magazine: Regional senior-focused print and digital publications targeting 50+ readers with content on health, retirement, and lifestyle. Closely comparable editorial positioning, advertising base (senior living communities, healthcare), and audience as The Beacon.

Emerging players

• Where Magazine (Mobility Media): Monthly travel and lifestyle publication distributed through hotels and hospitality channels. Comparable monthly print distribution model and travel/lifestyle editorial mix that overlaps Beacon's Travel section, but serves a different distribution and demographic.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/the_beacons

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Beacon Newspapers