Wilmington StarNews Media

What Wilmington StarNews Media does

Wilmington StarNews Media is a multi-platform local news organization serving the Cape Fear region of southeastern North Carolina, covering New Hanover, Brunswick, and Pender counties. Founded in 1867 as The Morning Star, it is the oldest continuously publishing daily newspaper in North Carolina and operates today as a subsidiary of Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) within the USA TODAY Network. The publication distributes content across print, digital (StarNewsOnline.com), eNewspaper, native mobile apps for iOS and Android, email newsletters, and social media platforms, with a Google Preferred Source designation for Wilmington-area news.

The core product portfolio centers on the main website and eNewspaper digital replica, complemented by email newsletters, push notifications via mobile app, and a daily print edition. Auxiliary products include vertical marketplaces for jobs, real estate, classifieds, and shopping, a 10BEST travel/lifestyle recommendation service, obituaries, interactive puzzles, and video content. The underlying technology is a shared digital content management system with multi-platform publishing capabilities, and the jobs marketplace is powered by a Jobcase integration that syndicates across Jobcase, Indeed, and ZipRecruiter.

The revenue model is diversified across four streams: recurring digital subscriptions (with paywalled premium content), recurring print subscriptions (daily delivery plus Saturday eNewspaper), local advertising (display, job postings, real estate), and classifieds/marketplace transaction fees. The go-to-market is sales-led with a self-serve subscription layer, targeting local residents and local businesses in the Cape Fear region. Brand recognition built over 158 years and the publication's role as a public notice venue provide structural advantages within the defined three-county geographic market.

Name

Wilmington StarNews Media

Legal name

Starnews Media

Website

https://starnewsonline.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1867

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Wilmington StarNews Media is a multi-platform local newspaper and digital news organization serving the Cape Fear region of southeastern North Carolina, operating as a subsidiary of Gannett Co., Inc. within the USA TODAY Network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local News Media

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (51311)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Local newspaper publishing
• Digital news subscription
• Print newspaper delivery
• Local journalism services
• Online classifieds marketplace

Headquarters

HQ city

Wilmington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Digital Subscriptions: Subscription-based model with tiered access to digital content including eNewspaper and premium stories
2. Print Subscriptions: Daily print newspaper delivery with Saturday edition delivered as eNewspaper
3. Advertising: Local advertising through print and digital platforms, including job postings, real estate classifieds, and display advertising
4. Classifieds and Marketplace: Job postings, classified ads, and marketplace listings with online and print options

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Wilmington StarNews Media produces and distributes local news, sports, politics, entertainment, and lifestyle content for the Cape Fear region of southeastern North Carolina across multiple platforms including a daily print newspaper, digital website, eNewspaper, mobile app, and email newsletters. The company also operates a local classifieds marketplace offering job postings, real estate listings, and general classified ads.

Product overview

Wilmington StarNews Media operates as a multi-platform local news organization serving the Cape Fear region of southeastern North Carolina. The portfolio consists of a core website (StarNewsOnline.com) as the primary digital platform, complemented by an eNewspaper digital edition, native mobile applications for iOS and Android, email newsletters, and a daily print newspaper (established 1867). The company also operates vertical marketplace offerings including jobs, real estate, classifieds, and shopping sections. Additional services include 10BEST travel recommendations, obituaries, interactive puzzles, and video content. The organization is owned by Gannett Corp. as part of the USA TODAY Network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• eNewspaper: Digital edition of the newspaper accessible online
• Port City Life

Products and services

• Print Edition Newspaper Daily print newspaper delivered to subscribers in New Hanover, Brunswick, and Pender counties, with Saturday edition delivered as eNewspaper. Covers local news, politics, sports, entertainment, and community events.
• eNewspaper Digital Edition Digital replica of the print newspaper accessible online, providing full digital access to Premium stories and the complete print edition.
• StarNews Mobile App Native mobile application providing news access on iOS and Android devices, available at the Apple Store and Google Play.
• Email Newsletters Email newsletter products delivering curated local news content directly to subscribers, available through newsletter subscription management.
• StarNewsOnline.com Digital Subscription Online subscription providing full access to digital content on StarNewsOnline.com, including premium stories and the eNewspaper, behind a subscription paywall.
• Jobs Marketplace Job board and classified service enabling employers to post positions online and in print, reaching job seekers across the Wilmington area via Jobcase, Indeed, and ZipRecruiter networks.
• Real Estate Listings Dedicated real estate marketplace for property listings in the Wilmington area, available to advertisers and home seekers.
• Classifieds General classified advertising platform for local businesses and individuals in the Cape Fear region, with online and print placement options.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Gannett Corp.coreOthersParent company ownership through USA TODAY Network; provides national media resources, shared technology platform, and operational support while maintaining local editorial identity

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Greater Wilmington Business Journal: Local business news publication serving the Wilmington/Cape Fear region, competing for local advertising and offering an alternative source of regional news for business readers.
• The News & Observer (Raleigh): Flagship regional daily of North Carolina (McClatchy-owned), directly comparable as a multi-platform regional newspaper with print, digital subscriptions, classifieds, and local news coverage in NC.
• The Fayetteville Observer: Gannett/USA TODAY Network-owned daily newspaper serving Fayetteville, NC — a sister publication with shared platforms, technology, and editorial support infrastructure.
• Charlotte Observer: Major North Carolina regional daily newspaper (McClatchy-owned), directly comparable as a multi-platform local/regional publisher covering North Carolina with similar GTM and revenue mix.
• Asheville Citizen-Times: Gannett/USA TODAY Network-owned daily newspaper in western North Carolina — a direct corporate sibling with identical operating model, technology stack, and revenue streams.
• Port City Daily: Digital-native local news outlet covering Wilmington and the Cape Fear region, directly competing with StarNews for the same local readership and advertising dollars in the same geographic market.

Emerging players

• Axios Local: Digital-native local news initiative by Axios focusing on short-form, newsletter-driven local journalism, representing the new wave of digital-native competition against legacy local newspapers.
• Patch: Hyperlocal digital news network with local editors covering communities across the U.S., including Wilmington-area coverage, competing with StarNews for digital audience and local advertising spend.

Regional players

• WHQR Public Radio: NPR-member public radio station serving Wilmington and the Cape Fear region, providing local and national news programming and competing for local news audience attention and underwriting dollars.
• WECT News: NBC-affiliated local TV news station serving Wilmington and southeastern NC, competing for the same local news audience and advertising budget through broadcast and digital platforms.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/StarNewsOnline
• Facebookfacebook.com/StarNewsMedia
• Instagraminstagram.com/starnewsonline

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 Wilmington StarNews Media