The Ripley Bee
The Ripley Bee is a privately-held community newspaper serving Brown County, Ohio, delivering hyperlocal news, sports, obituaries, classifieds, weather, and community event coverage through print and digital subscription editions operated under the Champion Media network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersMount Orab, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Ripley Bee does
The Ripley Bee is a privately-held community newspaper serving Brown County, Ohio and surrounding Southern Ohio communities including Mt. Orab, Ripley, and Georgetown. It publishes hyperlocal coverage of local government, school sports, obituaries, classifieds, weather, real estate, and community events. The publication operates a physical office at 219 High St, Mt. Orab, OH 45154, with parent-network headquarters at 348 W. Main Street, Williamsburg, OH 45176 under Champion Media, whose shared subscription infrastructure (championcarolinas.com) backs The Ripley Bee's account and circulation management.
The product portfolio is centered on a print newspaper delivered via home subscription, complemented by a digital E-Edition replica accessible through web and mobile apps with archival content. Beyond the core paper, the publication runs an online classifieds/real estate section, a community events calendar powered by CitySpark, a local business directory (Local Guide), and a weather utility page. Marketing and distribution are conducted through the ripleybee.com website and organic social channels on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
The business model is subscription-recurring, with three disclosed pricing tiers: E-Edition digital access at $5.00 per month, Print + Digital 26-week at $30.00, and Print + Digital Annual at $45.00. GTM motion is sales-led and traditional, relying on local-news relevance, community-event coverage, and bundled print/digital value to retain and acquire subscribers within a single rural Ohio county. No public revenue, headcount, or ownership-structure disclosures are available, and the publication shows no evidence of AI/ML capabilities, patents, certifications, or M&A activity.
The Ripley Bee firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Ripley Bee
- Legal name
- The Ripley Bee
- Website
- https://ripleybee.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- The Ripley Bee is a privately-held community newspaper serving Brown County, Ohio, delivering hyperlocal news, sports, obituaries, classifieds, weather, and community event coverage through print and digital subscription editions operated under the Champion Media network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Ripley Bee industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Local Newspaper Publishing
- NAICS
- Newspaper Publishers (513110)
- SIC
- Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital) (MPAJADAB)
Keywords
Where The Ripley Bee is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mount Orab
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Ripley Bee business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Subscription Revenue: The Ripley Bee generates revenue primarily through paid subscriptions for its print and digital editions, including E-Edition access and print + digital packages.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | E-Edition Digital Access |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Print + Digital 26-Week Subscription |
| Subscription | Annual | Print + Digital Annual Subscription |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
The Ripley Bee product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Ripley Bee publishes a local community newspaper covering Brown County, Ohio news, sports, obituaries, classifieds, weather, real estate, and community events. It distributes this content through print home delivery subscriptions, a digital E-Edition replica accessible via web and mobile apps, and combined print + digital subscription packages, alongside ancillary services such as a local business directory and a community events calendar.
Product overview
The Ripley Bee is a local community newspaper serving Brown County, Ohio. The publication operates as a unified newspaper product with multiple distribution channels. Its core offerings include the print newspaper (covering local news, sports, obituaries, and community events) alongside a digital E-Edition replica, combined print+digital subscriptions, classifieds/real estate listings, a local event calendar, a local business directory, and weather information. The publication appears to be part of Champion Media/Champion Carolinas network based on subscription and account management system references.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Ripley Bee Print Newspaper Local print newspaper serving Brown County, Ohio, covering local news, sports, obituaries, classifieds, and community events for residents of Mt. Orab, Ripley, Georgetown, and surrounding communities.
- E-Edition Digital Replica Digital replica edition of The Ripley Bee newspaper accessible via web and mobile apps, including access to archival content, offered as a standalone monthly subscription.
- Print + Digital Subscription Combined subscription bundle that delivers the print newspaper to subscribers' homes and provides full digital E-Edition replica access, including coupons, ads, and inserts; available in 26-week and annual terms.
- Classifieds and Real Estate Listings Online classified advertising section of The Ripley Bee featuring real estate listings and other classified advertisements for Brown County residents and businesses.
- Community Events Calendar Local community events calendar allowing Brown County users to view and submit community events through the CitySpark event portal.
- Local Business Directory Local business and community directory for the Brown County, Ohio area, helping residents find nearby businesses and community resources.
- Local Weather Service Local weather information and forecasts for the Ripley and surrounding Brown County, Ohio area, provided as a utility on The Ripley Bee website.
Companies that use The Ripley Bee
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Ripley Bee technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Ripley Bee partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Southern State Community CollegeminorSouthern State Community College partnered with ACRMC for the land next to their campus in Mt. Orab where a new medical facility was constructed, demonstrating community collaboration in Brown County.
- Brown County Chamber of CommerceminorThe Brown County Chamber of Commerce partners with local businesses including holding ribbon cuttings for new businesses and promoting local commerce in the community.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Ripley Bee competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- People's Defender: Community newspaper serving Adams County, Ohio—immediately adjacent to Brown County—with similar hyperlocal coverage of news, sports, obituaries, and community events. Closest geographic and demographic peer in southern Ohio.
- Wilmington News Journal: Community newspaper serving Clinton County, Ohio in the same southwestern Ohio region. Comparable in subscription-based monetization, print+digital product offering, and small-market local news coverage.
- The Robesonian: Community newspaper in Lumberton, NC operated by Champion Media; its subscription infrastructure is referenced directly from The Ripley Bee's website. Most directly comparable peer in scale, community newspaper model, and Champion Media subscription-based GTM.
- Lima News: Gannett-owned community newspaper serving Lima and northwest Ohio. Comparable in subscription-based digital+print community newspaper model, though at larger scale and under a major national chain rather than a regional network.
- Springfield News-Sun: Gannett-owned community newspaper serving Springfield and Clark County, Ohio. Comparable in community newspaper subscription model and Ohio small-to-mid-market coverage, with overlapping reader demographics and product structure.
- The Times-Gazette: Community newspaper serving Highland County, Ohio, covering Hillsboro and surrounding areas. Comparable in subscription-driven model, small-market community newspaper format, and hyperlocal content focus in the same southwestern Ohio region.
Broad incumbents
- Tribune Publishing: Major US newspaper chain operating regional dailies and community papers. Overlaps with The Ripley Bee in the local newspaper subscription and advertising market, though weighted toward larger metropolitan titles and digital transformation investments.
- Ogden Newspapers: Family-owned newspaper group operating community newspapers across multiple states. Comparable in subscription-driven hyperlocal model and small-market focus, with broader portfolio diversification and longer operating history.
- Lee Enterprises: Large US newspaper chain operating community and mid-size dailies across the Midwest. Comparable in subscription-based local news model, with broader geographic reach and a more diversified portfolio of titles.
- Gannett: Largest US newspaper chain (USA TODAY Network), operates hundreds of community newspapers including several in Ohio. Competes broadly in the same community newspaper subscription and advertising space, but at significantly greater scale and portfolio breadth than The Ripley Bee.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Ripley Bee social profiles
Digital presenceThe Ripley Bee financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Ripley Bee leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Ripley Bee funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Ripley Bee 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 The Ripley Bee
What does The Ripley Bee do?
The Ripley Bee publishes a local community newspaper covering Brown County, Ohio news, sports, obituaries, classifieds, weather, real estate, and community events. It distributes this content through print home delivery subscriptions, a digital E-Edition replica accessible via web and mobile apps, and combined print + digital subscription packages, alongside ancillary services such as a local business directory and a community events calendar.
Is The Ripley Bee a public or private company?
The Ripley Bee is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was The Ripley Bee founded?
The Ripley Bee was founded in -1.
Where is The Ripley Bee based?
The Ripley Bee is headquartered in Mount Orab, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Ripley Bee make money?
One revenue line is on record: subscription Revenue.
Who are The Ripley Bee's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are People's Defender, Wilmington News Journal, The Robesonian, Lima News, Springfield News-Sun and The Times-Gazette. Broad incumbents are Tribune Publishing, Ogden Newspapers, Lee Enterprises and Gannett.
Does The Ripley Bee have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Ripley Bee.
What industry is The Ripley Bee in?
The Ripley Bee's product category is Local Newspaper 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.