Epigram
Epigram is the University of Bristol's independent student newspaper, founded in 1988 and operated by unpaid student volunteers. It publishes monthly print editions, a website, and social media content, generating revenue through advertising and affiliate partnerships serving Bristol's student community.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1988
- HeadquartersBristol, United Kingdom
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Epigram does
Epigram is the University of Bristol's independent student newspaper, founded in 1988 by James Landale (now BBC Diplomatic Correspondent) and operated entirely by unpaid student volunteers across editorial and executive teams that transition annually. The publication delivers news, comment, features, community, arts, film & TV, music, science & technology, and sport content to the University of Bristol community, reaching approximately 2,500 print readers per issue through 1,000 monthly copies distributed across campus buildings, libraries, cafes, and student accommodations. Its award-winning website serves 31,000+ unique monthly visitors and 49,000+ monthly page views, almost entirely from University of Bristol students and staff. Despite a listed headcount range of 501–1000, all contributors are volunteers; no formal paid staff structure exists.
Epigram operates a multi-platform content and distribution stack: a WordPress/Ghost.io-hosted website (epigram.org.uk) with full archive access via Issuu, monthly print editions, campus digital advertising screens, and active social media accounts across Instagram, TikTok, Twitter/X, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Operations are coordinated through 11 section-specific WhatsApp groups (News, Comment, Features, Community, Arts, Film & TV, Music, SciTech, Sport, Photographers, Illustrators) where editors post commissions and contributors engage. Technology integrations include Google Analytics for traffic analysis, Google Adsense for programmatic display advertising (with personalized ads opted out), and Skimlinks for affiliate monetization. Croft, a companion lifestyle magazine covering fashion, well-being, politics, arts, music, and travel, operates as a sub-brand with its own editorial team and publishes alongside Epigram print editions and online.
Epigram generates revenue through two streams: (1) advertising sales across print editions of both Epigram and Croft, website display ads, 10–20 second digital screen slots on campus, and social media features (sponsored editorial articles are explicitly not offered), with rates available only via a downloadable media pack; and (2) affiliate referral income via Skimlinks tracking links. The paying customer base consists of local Bristol small and medium businesses seeking access to the student market, while the reader base is concentrated almost entirely within the University of Bristol's ~30,000+ student population and staff. The publication is editorially independent from both the University and Bristol Students' Union, though it is registered as a society with the SU which provides organizational support and complaint mediation. As of June 2025, Epigram had produced 385 print editions and received multiple Student Publication Association awards, most recently Best Publication in 2025.
Epigram firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Epigram
- Legal name
- Epigram
- Website
- https://epigram.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1988
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Epigram is the University of Bristol's independent student newspaper, founded in 1988 and operated by unpaid student volunteers. It publishes monthly print editions, a website, and social media content, generating revenue through advertising and affiliate partnerships serving Bristol's student community.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Epigram is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bristol
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Epigram business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Advertising Revenue: Epigram generates revenue through selling advertising space across its multi-platform presence including print editions, website, digital screens, and social media. The publication offers various advert sizes in print editions of both Epigram and Croft lifestyle magazine, as well as website advertisements and digital screen slots on campus.
- Affiliate Links: The publication uses Skimlinks affiliate tracking links to generate income when readers click through to partner sites from Epigram content.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Other | Advertising packages across print and digital platforms |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Epigram product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Epigram is the University of Bristol's independent student newspaper, producing print and digital news, opinion, and feature content for the university community. It also publishes the lifestyle magazine sub-brand Croft. Distribution spans print issues, a website, social media channels, and digital screens across the campus.
Product overview
Epigram is a multi-platform student media organization operated by and for students at the University of Bristol. Its core offerings consist of the monthly Epigram print newspaper — the university's independent student newspaper founded in 1988 — and its award-winning website, which together deliver news and journalism to students and staff. The publication also publishes Croft, a lifestyle magazine available both online and alongside print copies of Epigram. Epigram generates revenue through advertising products spanning its print editions (both Epigram and Croft), its website, campus digital screens, and social media channels including Instagram and TikTok.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Epigram Newspaper Independent student newspaper of the University of Bristol, covering campus news, opinion, and feature content for the university's student community; distributed in print and digitally.
- Croft Magazine Lifestyle magazine sub-brand of Epigram covering student lifestyle content for the University of Bristol community.
Companies that use Epigram
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Epigram technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Epigram partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Bristol Students' UnioncoreEpigram is an affiliated media product of Bristol Students' Union while maintaining editorial independence. The SU provides organizational support and mediation for complaints, while Epigram retains full editorial control over content.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Epigram competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Tab: The Tab is a national network of student news sites covering multiple UK universities, monetized via advertising and branded content. It is the closest scaled, professionally-staffed counterpart to Epigram in the UK student-media category.
- The Student: The Student is the University of Edinburgh's independent student newspaper, with multi-section coverage, print issues and a digital presence similar to Epigram's structure.
- Cherwell: Cherwell is the University of Oxford's independent student newspaper, operating with a comparable editorial-independence model, multi-section coverage, and print/digital distribution at a single university.
- Palatinate: Palatinate is Durham University's independent student newspaper, operating with a print + digital format and editorial-independence framing analogous to Epigram.
- Impact: Impact is the University of Nottingham's independent student newspaper, with a print + digital + social model and student-editorial team comparable in scope and operations.
- The Cambridge Student: The Cambridge Student is Cambridge University's student newspaper, operating a print and online newsroom with student editorial leadership — directly comparable in product and audience.
- Varsity: Varsity is the University of Cambridge's independent student newspaper, with a similar print + digital + social model. It is directly comparable in mission, governance (editorially independent society) and product mix.
- The Boar: The Boar is the University of Warwick's independent student newspaper, with a similar print + online + social media presence and a society-based, student-run operating model.
- Felix: Felix is Imperial College London's student newspaper, combining print and online publishing with society-style governance, making it structurally comparable to Epigram.
- Nouse: Nouse is the University of York's independent student newspaper, with a print + online + social model and society-based student governance analogous to Epigram.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Epigram social profiles
Digital presenceEpigram financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Epigram leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Epigram subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Epigram funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Epigram 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 Epigram
What does Epigram do?
Epigram is the University of Bristol's independent student newspaper, producing print and digital news, opinion, and feature content for the university community. It also publishes the lifestyle magazine sub-brand Croft. Distribution spans print issues, a website, social media channels, and digital screens across the campus.
Is Epigram a public or private company?
Epigram is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Epigram founded?
Epigram was founded in 1988. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Epigram based?
Epigram is headquartered in Bristol, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Epigram make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Advertising Revenue is the primary driver. The others are affiliate Links.
Who are Epigram's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Tab, The Student, Cherwell, Palatinate, Impact, The Cambridge Student, Varsity, The Boar, Felix and Nouse.
Does Epigram have an API?
No public API is recorded for Epigram.