Capitol Weekly

What Capitol Weekly does

Capitol Weekly is a nonprofit news publication focused exclusively on California state government and politics, published by Open California, a 501(c)(3) organization based in Sacramento. Its core offerings include a news website with articles and analysis columns (Micheli Files, Micheli Minute, Experts Expound, Big Daddy, Rising Stars), a podcast featuring interviews with California political figures, and the Open California Oral History Project, a video and transcript archive of California political and cultural leaders produced with California State Library grants.

The publication complements its journalism with a recurring events business: quarterly California Conferences on public policy issues (housing, healthcare, education, crime, energy, elections, and increasingly AI), co-presented with the University of California Student and Policy Center, and the annual Top 100 Party recognizing the 100 most influential people in California politics. Distribution is primarily digital via the website, podcast platforms, email newsletter, and RSS, with in-person events serving as a major engagement and fundraising channel.

The business model is donation- and membership-driven. Revenue streams include one-time donations ($25 to $1,000+), monthly recurring donations ($5 to $100), annual membership tiers (Individual at $100/year and Gold at $250/year), conference and Top 100 Party sponsorships and ticket revenue, and display advertising. Content is largely free, with monetization dependent on the size and generosity of its California political-professional and engaged-citizen audience rather than paywalls or enterprise contracts.

Name

Capitol Weekly

Legal name

Open California

Website

https://capitolweekly.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Capitol Weekly is a Sacramento-based nonprofit news publication covering California state government and politics. It publishes articles, podcasts, oral histories, and hosts quarterly policy conferences and an annual Top 100 Party, funded by donations and memberships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Political Journalism and Public Policy Media

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (51312)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Government, Public Policy & Regulatory Congresses (THAHAJAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Government & Public Sector Conferences (MPAGAGAH)

Keywords

• Political journalism
• State government coverage
• Public policy media
• Nonprofit news outlet
• California politics reporting

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Membership: Capitol Weekly operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization published by Open California. Revenue is generated through one-time and monthly donations, plus membership tiers including Gold Membership at $250/year and Individual Membership at $100/year.
2. Events and Conferences: Quarterly California Conferences examining public policy issues, plus annual Top 100 Party event. Events serve as major fundraising opportunities and community engagement.
3. Advertising: The publication maintains an advertising section, suggesting display/sponsorship revenue from relevant political and government-oriented advertisers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Capitol Weekly is a nonprofit digital news publication covering California state government and politics, offering in-depth reporting, expert columns, podcasts, oral histories of political figures, and analysis published through its website. It complements the journalism with quarterly policy conferences and an annual Top 100 List of influential California political figures, supported by donations and memberships from readers and political professionals.

Product overview

Capitol Weekly is a news publication covering California state government and politics. It is published by Open California, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The publication offers a comprehensive suite of journalism and public policy content including: a news website with articles and analysis; the Capitol Weekly Podcast featuring interviews with political figures and policy discussions; an Oral History Project with video interviews of prominent California political and cultural figures; and regularly hosted conferences on topics including housing, health care, education, crime, energy, and elections. The publication also maintains a Rising Stars section profiling emerging California political figures and publishes the annual Top 100 list recognizing influential people in California politics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Capitol Weekly News Website Primary news website covering California state government and politics, with articles, Capitol Briefs, news analysis, opinion pieces, feature stories, and expert columns for lobbyists, policymakers, and engaged citizens.
• Capitol Weekly Podcast Audio and video podcast series featuring interviews with California political figures, policy discussions, and expert analysis on state government matters, aimed at lobbyists, policymakers, and engaged citizens.
• Open California Oral History Project Video and transcript-based oral histories of notable California political and cultural figures such as Barbara Boxer, George Skelton, and Ward Connerly, conducted as part of a project supported by the California State Library.
• Capitol Weekly California Conferences Quarterly in-person policy conferences examining critical California public-policy issues including housing, healthcare, education, energy, crime, and elections, featuring bipartisan panels, keynote presentations, and live filming.
• Top 100 List and Party Annual ranking of the 100 most influential people in California politics (excluding elected officials), released at an end-of-session celebration event and complemented by a published Top 100 Book.
• Gold Membership $250 annual membership offering a one-year individual membership, a seat at each California Conference, one ticket to the Top 100 Party, and a copy of the annual Top 100 Book for supporters of the publication.
• Individual Membership $100 annual membership offering attendance at any one California Conference and a copy of the annual Top 100 Book published in August each year for supporters of the publication.
• Micheli Files In-depth analysis column by Chris Micheli covering California legislative procedures, bill drafting, and government processes, supported by the McGeorge School of Law Capital Center.
• Micheli Minute Weekly legislative preview column by Chris Micheli, a lobbyist and McGeorge law professor, providing quick looks at upcoming Capitol activities and supported by the McGeorge School of Law Capital Center.
• Rising Stars Recurring profile series highlighting emerging political figures and leaders in California politics for readers interested in the next generation of state-level political talent.
• Big Daddy Opinion and advice column by Rich Ehisen offering commentary on California politics for Capitol Weekly readers.
• Donations and Support One-time and monthly donation options supporting the nonprofit public-policy journalism, with various giving levels including suggested one-time amounts from $25 to $1,000 and monthly Evergreen donations from $5 to $100.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• California State LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCalifornia State Library provided grants supporting the Open California Oral History Project, enabling video and transcript oral histories of California political figures. Multiple oral history projects were made possible by these grants, including interviews with Barbara Boxer, Ward Connerly, and other California political leaders.
• University of California Student and Policy CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUC Student and Policy Center co-presents California Conferences with Capitol Weekly, examining public policy issues including affordability, housing, and healthcare. The partnership provides academic credibility and reach for joint events.
• Institute of Museum and Library ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal institute provided grants under Library Services and Technology Act provisions, administered in California by the State Librarian, supporting oral history projects.
• McGeorge School of Law Capital CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe McGeorge School of Law Capital Center provides support for The Micheli Minute column, a regular feature by lobbyist and McGeorge law professor Chris Micheli covering California legislative matters.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Roll Call: Roll Call is a political journalism outlet covering U.S. Congress and federal policy with a strong events business and subscription model. While federal-focused, it is a direct peer in the Capitol-coverage, policy-events, and political-professional-audience categories that Capitol Weekly addresses at the state level.
• CalWatchdog: CalWatchdog is a California-focused nonprofit journalism outlet covering state government, policy, and political accountability. It is a direct peer serving overlapping audiences with similar donor-supported nonprofit funding mechanics.
• Reason: Reason is a nonprofit libertarian magazine covering policy, politics, and government with a strong California and state-policy footprint. It is a direct peer in nonprofit policy journalism, donor-supported funding, and policy-events programming targeting politically engaged readers.
• CalMatters: CalMatters is a California-focused nonprofit news outlet covering state government, policy, and politics, with events and donor-supported funding. It is the closest direct peer to Capitol Weekly, competing for the same audience of California political professionals, policymakers, and engaged citizens, and drawing on overlapping foundation and donor pools.

Broad incumbents

• The Atlantic: The Atlantic is a large independent magazine covering politics, policy, and culture with substantial California and state-policy coverage. It is a broad incumbent peer in independent, donor/subscription-supported political journalism and events.
• Politico: Politico is a national political journalism outlet covering government, policy, and campaigns with significant state-level coverage. It is a broad incumbent peer: Capitol Weekly competes with Politico's California and statehouse verticals for the same political-professional readership and advertiser attention.
• The Los Angeles Times: The Los Angeles Times is the largest California newspaper with extensive Sacramento and state government coverage. It is a broad incumbent peer whose California politics team competes with Capitol Weekly for reader attention, advertisers, and policy-event audiences.

Emerging players

• Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC): PPIC is a nonprofit California policy research organization that publishes research, hosts events, and engages policymakers and the public. While research-led rather than journalism-led, it overlaps with Capitol Weekly in convening California policy audiences and competing for foundation and donor attention.
• Zócalo Public Square: Zócalo Public Square is a nonprofit ideas-and-public-policy publication based in California that hosts events and commissions essays on governance and civic life. It is an emerging peer overlapping with Capitol Weekly on California-focused civic journalism, public-policy events, and nonprofit donor-supported programming.

Regional players

• The Sacramento Bee: The Sacramento Bee is the major daily newspaper serving California's capital region, with deep Sacramento-based state government and political coverage. It competes with Capitol Weekly for Sacramento-based political readers, advertisers, and event audiences.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Capitol_Weekly

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 Capitol Weekly