The Seattle Medium

Name

The Seattle Medium

Legal name

Tiloben Publishing Company, Inc.

Website

https://seattlemedium.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Newspaper Publishing

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (51311)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Community, Ethnic & Multilingual News Publishers (MPAJADAG), Syndication, Licensing & Content Partnerships (Columns, Features, Photos) (MPAJADAI)

Keywords

• Community newspaper
• African American media
• Local news publishing
• Digital news platform
• Community journalism

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

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. Print Subscriptions: Weekly print newspaper delivered to subscribers. Local subscriptions serve King and Pierce counties. Non-local subscriptions available for readers outside the region.
2. Digital Memberships: Online membership tiers providing digital access to content with tiered contribution levels: Supporter ($5/month), Partner ($10/month), and Investor ($25/month). All tiers include print edition.
3. Sponsored Subscriptions: Community sponsorship program allowing readers to fund subscriptions for individuals in need within King and Pierce counties.
4. One-Time Donations: One-time contribution option for readers wanting to support the publication without recurring commitment.
5. Advertising: Display advertising and branded content partnerships including featured sections and sponsored content.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Seattle Medium publishes a weekly print newspaper and operates a digital news platform delivering original, on-the-ground reporting, editorial commentary, and community coverage targeted at African American and underserved communities in the Pacific Northwest. Its offerings span print subscriptions, tiered digital memberships, a mobile app, an email newsletter, a podcast, and ancillary community services including a business directory, local jobs board, events calendar, and the Best of the Best Northwest Awards program.

Product overview

The Seattle Medium is a news media company operated by Tiloben Publishing Company, Inc., the largest Minority-owned and operated communications company in the Pacific Northwest. The company operates a multi-platform news operation consisting of a weekly print newspaper (The Seattle Medium), an online digital news platform (seattlemedium.com), a mobile application for iOS and Android, email newsletter services, and a podcast series. The product portfolio also includes a business directory, local job board, events calendar, and the Best of the Best Northwest Awards program. The company offers both print subscriptions (local and non-local) and digital membership tiers (Supporter, Partner, Investor). Tiloben Publishing also operates three additional regional newspapers: The Seattle Metro Homemaker, The Tacoma True Citizen, and The Portland Medium.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Seattle Medium Newspaper Weekly print newspaper providing local, national, and international news; entertainment; sports; health; business; religion; and editorial commentary targeted at African American and underserved communities in the Pacific Northwest.
• Seattle Medium Digital News Platform

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Center for MultiCultural HealthminorOthersCommunity organization featured in coverage for STAND youth program addressing tobacco and cannabis prevention in communities of color
• Byrd Barr PlaceminorOthersCentral District community organization; Seattle Medium covers events and provides platform for community visibility
• Seattle Public LibraryminorOthersLocal institution featured in coverage; partnership on community education and literacy programs
• Washington State Commission on African American AffairsminorOthersState commission featured in coverage for Black men's public sector survey initiatives
• League of Women Voters of Seattle-King CountyminorOthersNonprofit organization with job listings featured on Seattle Medium's local opportunities page

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Real Change: Real Change is a mission-driven Seattle weekly publication supported through sales, donations, and community distribution. Its weekly print and digital presence, social-purpose editorial, and local engagement make it comparable to The Seattle Medium.
• Crosscut: Crosscut is a Seattle-focused digital newsroom producing local reporting and newsletters. It is comparable through its local-news coverage, membership-oriented support model, and competition for digitally engaged Seattle readers.
• The Skanner: The Skanner is a Portland-based Black newspaper serving the Pacific Northwest through print, digital, and community-focused coverage. It closely matches The Seattle Medium's regional community-news mission and audience.
• The News Tribune: The News Tribune is a Tacoma-area general-news publication with print and digital distribution. It is comparable through its local reporting, subscriptions, and advertising model serving a nearby Pacific Northwest readership.
• Portland Mercury: The Portland Mercury is a Portland alternative weekly operating across print and digital channels. It is comparable through local news and cultural coverage, audience advertising, and a community-oriented regional publishing model.
• The Stranger: The Stranger is a Seattle alternative weekly with print and digital content spanning local news, arts, culture, and entertainment. It shares a recurring-publication, advertising-supported model and targets a similar Pacific Northwest audience.
• South Seattle Emerald: South Seattle Emerald is an independent local news outlet covering Seattle communities of color through a digital-first platform. It is comparable because it competes for the same community-news audience, reader support, and local advertisers.

Broad incumbents

• Black Press USA: Black Press USA is a national digital news platform focused on African American communities and Black-owned media. It overlaps with The Seattle Medium's editorial mission, audience, and use of syndicated Black-oriented content, although it operates at national scale.
• The Oregonian: The Oregonian is a large Portland-area daily news publisher with digital subscriptions, display advertising, and broad local coverage. It is an established incumbent competing for the same regional reader and advertising ecosystem.
• The Seattle Times: The Seattle Times is an established Seattle news publisher operating across print, web, mobile, subscriptions, and advertising. It competes for Seattle readers and local advertising spend, but serves a much broader audience than The Seattle Medium.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/seattlemedium
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@seattlemedium50
• Facebookfacebook.com/SeattleMedium
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-seattle-medium
• Instagraminstagram.com/seattlemediumnews

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 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 Seattle Medium