What Springfield News-Sun does

Springfield News-Sun is a local newspaper founded in 1898 that serves Springfield, Ohio and surrounding southwest Ohio communities including Clark County and Greene County. The publication is operated by Cox First Media, a division of Cox Enterprises, Inc., and is part of a regional network that includes affiliated properties Dayton Daily News and Journal-News. It targets local residents seeking community news, crime and public safety reporting, local government coverage, high school sports, and regional Ohio sports (Bengals, Reds, Browns, OSU Buckeyes), with a secondary audience of local businesses purchasing advertising placements.

The product offering spans multiple distribution channels: a flagship print newspaper, the springfieldnewssun.com website built on the TownNews (Blooom) content management system, an ePaper digital edition, and native iOS and Android mobile applications. Revenue is generated through six distinct streams: digital subscriptions, print subscriptions, digital advertising, print advertising, sponsored content, and classifieds and legal notices. Digital subscription pricing begins at 99 cents for new subscribers, with customer service supported via a toll-free line (800-441-6397). Marketing and distribution leverage social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter/X, TikTok, Instagram), email newsletters, and organic search.

The company maintains a direct-to-consumer go-to-market motion with a horizontal segmentation approach across general consumers, local businesses/advertisers, and sports enthusiasts. Its competitive positioning rests on comprehensive local coverage, decades of archival content, and the operational backing of Cox Enterprises' corporate infrastructure. No AI capabilities, public APIs, or proprietary technology platforms beyond the standard CMS are documented.

Name

Springfield News-Sun

Legal name

Cox First Media

Website

https://springfieldnewssun.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1898

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Springfield News-Sun is a local newspaper founded in 1898 serving Springfield, Ohio and southwest Ohio communities via print, website, ePaper, and mobile apps. Operated by Cox First Media (a Cox Enterprises division), it generates revenue from subscriptions and local advertising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Newspaper Publishing

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (51311), Newspaper Publishers (513110)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Online Article & Blog Publishing Platforms (MPAJAMAF)

Keywords

• Local newspaper publishing
• Digital news subscriptions
• EPaper digital edition
• News advertising sales
• Community news reporting

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Digital Subscriptions: Paid digital subscriptions providing access to premium content, ePaper, and exclusive articles
2. Print Subscriptions: Physical newspaper delivery subscriptions
3. Digital Advertising: Banner advertisements, sponsored content, and display ads on the website and mobile apps
4. Print Advertising: Classifieds, display ads, and obituaries in the print edition
5. Sponsored Content: Paid promotional content in designated sponsored content sections
6. Classifieds and Legal Notices: Revenue from classified advertisements and public legal notices

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Springfield News-Sun publishes a local newspaper and accompanying digital editions covering Springfield, Ohio and surrounding southwest Ohio communities. The core offering combines a print newspaper with a website, ePaper digital edition, and native iOS and Android mobile applications, distributing local news, sports, crime, government, and community content to subscribers and readers. Revenue is earned through paid digital and print subscriptions, advertising, sponsored content, classifieds, and legal notices.

Product overview

Springfield News-Sun is a local newspaper operated by Cox First Media (a division of Cox Enterprises) serving Springfield, Ohio. The publication offers a multi-platform news operation combining its print newspaper with digital products including the ePaper online edition and native mobile apps for iOS and Android. The company provides subscription-based digital access to premium content alongside free content offerings, with news coverage spanning local, crime, business, schools, government, politics, health, sports, and entertainment categories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Springfield News-Sun ePaper: Digital version of the newspaper accessible via desktop and mobile platforms

Products and services

• Springfield News-Sun (print and website newspaper) The primary local newspaper serving Springfield, Ohio, providing news coverage across categories including local news, crime, business, schools, community, government, politics, health, military, and national/international news; available in print and via the website springfieldnewssun.com.
• ePaper Digital Edition A digital replica of the print newspaper accessible online, allowing subscribers to read the full newspaper in electronic format via web browser on desktop and mobile devices.
• iOS Mobile App Native iOS application for accessing Springfield News-Sun content on Apple mobile devices, available for download from the iOS App Store.
• Android Mobile App Native Android application for accessing Springfield News-Sun content on Android mobile devices, available for download from Google Play Store.
• Subscription Services Digital subscription offerings that provide access to content unavailable to non-subscribers, including premium news coverage, ePaper access, and exclusive articles, with new-subscriber pricing starting at 99 cents.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Cox First MediacoreOthersCox First Media is a division of Cox Enterprises, Inc. that operates the Springfield News-Sun along with affiliated properties including Dayton Daily News, Journal-News, and other regional news outlets. The company is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dayton Daily News: Sister publication within the Cox First Media network serving the Dayton, Ohio metro. Directly comparable as a regional Ohio daily newspaper with the same digital/print model, shared CMS, and shared reporting resources.
• Journal-News (Butler County): Another Cox First Media-affiliated Ohio regional daily covering Butler County. Comparable as a local/regional Ohio newspaper sharing the same parent, technology stack, subscription, and advertising model.
• Cincinnati Enquirer: Major regional Ohio daily newspaper serving the Cincinnati metro and southwest Ohio. Closely comparable in geographic market overlap (southwest Ohio), audience, and regional sports coverage including the Bengals and Reds.
• Columbus Dispatch: Regional Ohio daily newspaper serving the Columbus metro. Comparable as a statewide Ohio local-news competitor with overlapping Buckeyes and Ohio-focused coverage and a similar print + digital subscription model.
• Toledo Blade: Privately-held regional daily newspaper serving Toledo and northwest Ohio. Comparable as a privately-owned Ohio local newspaper competing in the same statewide local-news category.
• Akron Beacon Journal: Regional Ohio daily serving the Akron metro. Now part of Gannett's USA TODAY NETWORK but historically a standalone local paper; comparable in coverage of Ohio State, regional sports, and local government.

Broad incumbents

• USA TODAY NETWORK / Gannett: Largest U.S. local newspaper operator (USA TODAY plus hundreds of community papers). Competes with Springfield News-Sun for digital audience and advertiser spend across Ohio and nationally; broad incumbent rather than niche peer.
• Lee Enterprises: Large publicly-traded local newspaper chain operating dozens of dailies across the U.S. Broad incumbent peer with overlapping business model — subscription + advertising — applied at scale across multiple local markets.
• Cox Media Group: Sister division of Cox Enterprises alongside Cox First Media. Operates television and radio stations plus digital advertising. Comparable as a Cox-affiliated media business, though it operates in broadcast rather than print/digital local news.

Emerging players

• Dayton.com (Dayton.com / Cox First Media digital properties): Cox First Media's digital-only local news platform covering the Dayton region. Comparable as a digital-first, hyperlocal news property serving overlapping southwest Ohio audiences with Springfield News-Sun.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/springfieldnews
• Facebookfacebook.com/springfieldnewssun
• Instagraminstagram.com/springfieldnewssun
• TikToktiktok.com/@springfieldnewssun
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1353329

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Springfield News-Sun