Noozhawk
Noozhawk is an independent, reader-supported digital local news publication serving Santa Barbara County, California, delivering hyperlocal coverage of government, business, schools, sports, and community affairs via its website, newsletters, and social channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersSanta Barbara, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Noozhawk does
Noozhawk is an independent, for-profit digital local news publication founded in 2007 and headquartered in Santa Barbara, California. It serves Santa Barbara County residents with comprehensive local coverage spanning local government, business, schools, sports, arts, real estate, health, obituaries, and community events. The publication operates a unified news website at noozhawk.com supplemented by multiple free email newsletters — a daily A.M. Report (4:15 a.m.), P.M. Report (4:15 p.m.), a Weekly News Report (Sundays), and an Obituaries newsletter (Saturdays) — and distributes content through Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, Tumblr, and Pinterest. Its technology stack is built on Newspack, a publishing platform designed for independent news organizations, with CitySpark integration powering its event calendar and Hop Studios providing site design.
The business model is hybrid and reader-supported. The primary revenue stream is the Hawks Club membership program, offering annual tiers at $120, $180, and $365 plus flexible $10/$15/$25 contributions; these are explicitly not tax-deductible as charitable donations, positioning them as reader subscriptions rather than philanthropy. Secondary revenue comes from advertising sold to local Santa Barbara County SMBs, sponsored features, calendar advertising through CitySpark, and themed Special Sections (Senior Life, ParentNooz, Wellness Guide, Wedding Bliss, School Guide). The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, no funding rounds, and no parent organization. Editorial is led by Founder and Publisher William M. Macfadyen, Editor in Chief Tom Bolton, and Executive Editor Giana Magnoli, supported by regional editors and a small staff of writers. Strategic partnerships include content republishing with CalMatters and industry membership in the Local Media Association.
Noozhawk firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Noozhawk
- Legal name
- Noozhawk
- Website
- https://noozhawk.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Noozhawk is an independent, reader-supported digital local news publication serving Santa Barbara County, California, delivering hyperlocal coverage of government, business, schools, sports, and community affairs via its website, newsletters, and social channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Noozhawk industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Local Digital News Publishing
- NAICS
- Newspaper Publishers (513110)
- SIC
- Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital) (MPAJADAB)
Keywords
Where Noozhawk is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Santa Barbara
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Noozhawk business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Donations and Membership (Hawks Club): Noozhawk relies on reader donations through its Hawks Club membership program. Personal contributions are not deductible as charitable donations. Membership tiers include annual options at $120, $180, and $365, as well as one-time or periodic contribution options at $10, $15, and $25. Alternative subscription by check is available, payable to Noozhawk Hawks Club.
- Advertising: Noozhawk generates revenue through advertising on its website and digital platforms. The site offers advertising options for local businesses and organizations to reach Santa Barbara County readers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Hawks Club Annual Membership - $120 |
| Subscription | Annual | Hawks Club Annual Membership - $180 |
| Subscription | Annual | Hawks Club Annual Membership - $365 |
| Subscription | Monthly | One-time or Periodic Contributions - $10, $15, $25 |
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Noozhawk product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Noozhawk publishes original local news, sports, schools, business, obituaries, real estate, and lifestyle reporting targeted at Santa Barbara County readers via a website and daily/weekly email newsletters. It supplements editorial coverage with community-engagement features such as an event calendar, Photo of the Day submissions, real estate listings, and themed Special Sections. Reader support is solicited through the Hawks Club membership/donation program, with revenue also coming from display advertising and calendar advertising.
Product overview
Noozhawk is a digital local news publication serving Santa Barbara County, California. The company operates a unified news website platform as its core product, supplemented by multiple newsletter products (A.M. Report, P.M. Report, Weekly News Report, and Obituaries Newsletter) that deliver content directly to subscribers. Additional offerings include community engagement features such as Photo of the Day submissions, an Event Calendar with CitySpark integration, Real Estate Listings with property search capabilities, and Special Sections covering themed topics. The company monetizes through reader support via its Hawks Club membership program and advertising.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Hawks Club: Reader membership/donation program supporting Noozhawk's journalism
- BizHawk
- A.M. Report
- P.M. Report
Products and services
- Noozhawk News Website The flagship digital local news publication of Noozhawk, delivering Santa Barbara County news, business, sports, schools, obituaries, real estate, health, and lifestyle coverage to county residents via the noozhawk.com website.
- A.M. Report Newsletter
Companies that use Noozhawk
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Noozhawk technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Noozhawk partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Local Media AssociationminorNoozhawk is a proud member of the Local Media Association, an organization supporting local news publications across the country.
- CalMattersminorNoozhawk republishes news articles from CalMatters on state and local policy issues that affect Santa Barbara County readers, providing extended coverage on matters like legislation and government transparency.
- CitysparkminorNoozhawk partners with Cityspark for event calendar functionality, allowing submission of events and advertising opportunities in the calendar section.
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights4 records
Noozhawk competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Lookout Santa Barbara: Member-supported digital local news outlet covering Santa Barbara with the same independent, donor-driven model — the closest direct peer in market.
- Santa Barbara Independent: Long-standing alternative weekly and digital news site covering Santa Barbara County news, arts, and culture — overlaps directly with Noozhawk's local news and lifestyle coverage.
- Edhat Santa Barbara: Community-driven Santa Barbara local news and announcements site with neighborhood-level coverage and reader-submitted content, serving overlapping geographic audience.
- Voice of San Diego: Mission-driven, member-supported digital local news outlet — a structurally identical business model (reader-funded, investigative civic journalism) at greater scale in another California market.
Broad incumbents
- Patch: National hyperlocal digital news network covering thousands of U.S. communities including Santa Barbara — competes for the same local audience and SMB advertisers with a much broader footprint.
- CalMatters: California statewide nonprofit newsroom covering policy and government — already a content partner to Noozhawk and a parallel nonprofit/donor-funded news model at broader geographic scope.
- KEYT News Channel 3: Local TV broadcast affiliate serving Santa Barbara County with news and weather — a substantial incumbent competitor for breaking-news audience attention and local ad budgets.
Regional players
- Santa Maria Sun: Alternative weekly covering Santa Barbara County's North County (Santa Maria Valley) — directly adjacent in geographic coverage and editorial scope.
- Lompoc Record: Legacy local daily covering Lompoc and Santa Barbara County's northern region — comparable community-news product in adjacent territory.
- San Luis Obispo Tribune: Regional daily covering the Central Coast adjacent to Santa Barbara County; comparable newsroom structure and regional advertising market overlap.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Noozhawk social profiles
Digital presenceNoozhawk financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Noozhawk leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Noozhawk funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Noozhawk M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Noozhawk
What does Noozhawk do?
Noozhawk publishes original local news, sports, schools, business, obituaries, real estate, and lifestyle reporting targeted at Santa Barbara County readers via a website and daily/weekly email newsletters. It supplements editorial coverage with community-engagement features such as an event calendar, Photo of the Day submissions, real estate listings, and themed Special Sections. Reader support is solicited through the Hawks Club membership/donation program, with revenue also coming from display advertising and calendar advertising.
Is Noozhawk a public or private company?
Noozhawk is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Noozhawk founded?
Noozhawk was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Noozhawk based?
Noozhawk is headquartered in Santa Barbara, United States, in the North America region.
How does Noozhawk make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Membership (Hawks Club) is the primary driver. The others are advertising.
Who are Noozhawk's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Lookout Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Independent, Edhat Santa Barbara and Voice of San Diego. Broad incumbents are Patch, CalMatters and KEYT News Channel 3. Regional players are Santa Maria Sun, Lompoc Record and San Luis Obispo Tribune.
Does Noozhawk have an API?
No public API is recorded for Noozhawk.
What industry is Noozhawk in?
Noozhawk's product category is Local Digital News Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJADAB, Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital). Its NAICS code is 513110 and its SIC code is 2711.