F+W Media
F+W Media is a Cincinnati-based media production company founded in 2005 that provides content writing, online education, and video instruction services to enthusiast community audiences, employing 501-1000 people across its multi-format content operations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersCincinnati, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What F+W Media does
F+W Media is a Cincinnati, Ohio-based for-profit media production company founded in 2005 that operates across three core service lines: content writing, online education, and video instruction. The company serves enthusiast and community audiences, as reflected in its community-oriented web presence (fwcommunity.com), and maintains a headcount of 501-1000 employees, placing it in the mid-market media company segment.
The company's business model centers on producing and distributing editorial, educational, and video content across its owned media properties. While specific revenue mechanics, pricing models, and customer segment breakdowns are not disclosed in the available data, the scale of operations and the breadth of content modalities suggest a multi-channel monetization approach likely combining advertising, subscriptions, e-commerce, events, and educational program fees typical of vertically-focused enthusiast media companies.
F+W Media has pursued inorganic growth, evidenced by its January 2014 acquisition of New Track Media for an undisclosed amount, indicating a strategy of portfolio consolidation. The company remains privately held with no public ticker, no disclosed parent company, and no recent funding round data available, limiting visibility into its current capital structure and ownership composition.
F+W Media firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- F+W Media
- Website
- https://fwcommunity.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- F+W Media is a Cincinnati-based media production company founded in 2005 that provides content writing, online education, and video instruction services to enthusiast community audiences, employing 501-1000 people across its multi-format content operations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
F+W Media industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Special Interest Media
- NAICS
- Periodical Publishers (513120), Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Language Learning Media (Audio Labs, Pronunciation, Interactive) (EDAGALAE)
Keywords
Where F+W Media is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cincinnati
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
F+W Media business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
F+W Media product offering
Product offeringCore offering
F+W Media is a media production company that produces content in enthusiast and lifestyle categories for consumer audiences. Its offerings span content writing, online education programs, and video instruction aimed at hobbyists and learners in verticals such as music and crafts.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use F+W Media
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles1 record
F+W Media technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
F+W Media partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves1 record
Expansion highlights1 record
F+W Media competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Future plc: Future plc operates a global portfolio of enthusiast media brands (TechRadar, Tom's Guide) with strong video and affiliate monetization, directly comparable to F+W's model of building digital revenue on enthusiast audiences.
- Taunton Press: Taunton Press publishes books, magazines, and videos for hobbyists in woodworking, homebuilding, and fiber arts, directly competing with F+W's craft and hobby instructional titles.
- Quarto Group: Quarto Group publishes illustrated and instructional books across crafts, hobbies, and lifestyle topics globally, comparable to F+W's specialty publishing and educational media operations.
- Trusted Media Brands: Trusted Media Brands (formerly Reader's Digest Association) operates community- and hobby-focused brands such as Taste of Home and Reader's Digest across print, digital and video, mirroring F+W's enthusiast content portfolio.
- Active Interest Media: Active Interest Media produces enthusiast magazines, books, videos and live events across crafts, woodworking, and home categories. Its content portfolio is a close analogue to F+W's craft and hobby instructional focus.
Broad incumbents
- Scholastic: Scholastic is a major publisher of children's books and educational multimedia. It overlaps with F+W in educational publishing and instructional media distribution.
- Hachette Book Group: Hachette publishes instructional, lifestyle, and hobby titles across print and digital channels that compete in the same retail and digital shelves as F+W's book portfolio.
- Bonnier Corporation: Bonnier runs enthusiast magazines and digital properties (Popular Science, Field & Stream) aimed at hobby and lifestyle audiences with editorial and video capabilities comparable to F+W.
- Penguin Random House: Penguin Random House is the world's largest trade book publisher and has acquired specific F+W imprints, making its consumer book and digital publishing apparatus a structural comparator for F+W's trade book business.
- Meredith Corporation: Meredith operates large-scale consumer media brands (Better Homes & Gardens, Martha Stewart) across print, digital, and video, with enthusiast and instructional categories that overlap with F+W.
Market position
Strengths3 records
Weaknesses3 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights4 records
Customer concentration
F+W Media social profiles
Digital presenceF+W Media financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
F+W Media leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
F+W Media funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
F+W Media M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about F+W Media
What does F+W Media do?
F+W Media is a media production company that produces content in enthusiast and lifestyle categories for consumer audiences. Its offerings span content writing, online education programs, and video instruction aimed at hobbyists and learners in verticals such as music and crafts.
When was F+W Media founded?
F+W Media was founded in 2005. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is F+W Media based?
F+W Media is headquartered in Cincinnati, United States, in the North America region.
Who are F+W Media's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Future plc, Taunton Press, Quarto Group, Trusted Media Brands and Active Interest Media. Broad incumbents are Scholastic, Hachette Book Group, Bonnier Corporation, Penguin Random House and Meredith Corporation.
Does F+W Media have an API?
No public API is recorded for F+W Media.
What industry is F+W Media in?
F+W Media's product category is Special Interest Media. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAGALAE, Language Learning Media (Audio Labs, Pronunciation, Interactive). Its NAICS code is 513120 and its SIC code is 2721.