Riverside-Brookfield Landmark

What Riverside-Brookfield Landmark does

Riverside-Brookfield Landmark is a hyperlocal nonprofit news organization serving the Riverside, North Riverside, and Brookfield communities in Illinois. The publication operates as a weekly print newspaper supplemented by a continuous digital presence, with editorial coverage focused on municipal government, schools, local businesses, and community events. The organization is staffed by a small team of 51-100 employees and is structured as a 501(c)-style nonprofit with community service as its stated mission rather than profit maximization.

The publication is built on Newspack technology, a WordPress-based publishing platform purpose-built for news publishers that bundles editorial CMS, subscription/paywall infrastructure, and advertising operations. On top of this base, Riverside-Brookfield Landmark distributes content across print, web, social platforms, and email newsletter, giving advertisers and readers multiple touchpoints within its defined suburban footprint. The organization also operates as part of the Growing Community Media network of local news outlets and joined NEWSWELL, a nonprofit media organization, in 2026.

The business model combines three revenue streams: direct reader donations, paid digital and print subscriptions (including a standalone newsletter product), and advertising sold across print display, digital, special advertising sections, and public-notice placements. Public notices function as a quasi-mandated revenue line tied to local government advertising requirements. The revenue mix is highly dependent on the local economy and civic activity within the three-town coverage area.

Name

Riverside-Brookfield Landmark

Legal name

Riverside-Brookfield Landmark

Website

https://rblandmark.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Riverside-Brookfield Landmark is a nonprofit hyperlocal news outlet serving Riverside, North Riverside, and Brookfield, Illinois, producing a weekly print newspaper and continuous digital coverage funded by donations, subscriptions, and local advertising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Oak Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Digital Subscriptions: Readers can subscribe to receive the physical copy of the newspaper each week or digital access
2. Donations: Monthly and one-time donor contributions supporting local journalism. Donation amounts include $10, $25, $50 monthly options and $120, $180, $300 annual options
3. Advertising: Digital and print advertising options available including special sections and community guides

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Riverside-Brookfield Landmark is a hyperlocal news outlet that produces and publishes original local journalism covering Riverside, North Riverside, and Brookfield, Illinois. It distributes this content through a digital website, a weekly print newspaper, and an email newsletter, and monetizes it through paid subscriptions, reader donations, and digital and print advertising. The publication also sells advertising placements and accepts public notices.

Product overview

Riverside-Brookfield Landmark is a hyperlocal news website and weekly print newspaper serving Riverside, North Riverside, and Brookfield, Illinois. The organization operates as part of NEWSWELL, a nonprofit dedicated to sustaining community news. Its core product is comprehensive local news coverage spanning local government, police and fire, education, business development, sports, arts, events, and obituaries. The publication is available both digitally through its website and as a weekly print edition. Supporting offerings include newsletter subscription services for direct email delivery, advertising solutions (digital and print), and donation-based community fundraising to support local journalism. The site also publishes public notices and maintains coverage of community events like Riverside Arts Weekend.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Riverside-Brookfield Landmark News Coverage Hyperlocal digital news coverage covering Riverside, North Riverside, and Brookfield, Illinois, including local government, police and fire, education, business, sports, arts, and community events.
• Print Edition Weekly physical newspaper providing print journalism covering local news, sports, obituaries, and community content for Riverside and Brookfield, available by subscription and at local newsstands.
• Advertising Services Digital and print advertising solutions including digital advertising, print advertising, and special sections and community guides, available to local businesses and organizations.
• Public Notices Platform for publishing and accessing public notices including government announcements, legal notices, and community announcements.
• Email Newsletter Subscription Free email newsletter delivering top local news and community happenings straight to subscribers' inboxes for the Riverside and Brookfield area.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• NEWSWELLcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarlier this year, the Landmark became part of NEWSWELL, a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening and sustaining community news across the country. That transition positions the publication for greater long-term stability.
• Growing Community MediacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Growing Community Media, a community media organization that includes Austin Weekly News, Forest Park Review, and Wednesday Journal (Oak Park). GCM supports hyperlocal news coverage across the greater Chicago area.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Others

• Newspack: The WordPress-based publishing platform powering the Landmark's digital operations. Relevant as the underlying technology enabler and ecosystem of small news publishers the Landmark operates within.

Direct peers

• Forest Park Review: Another Growing Community Media sibling title covering Forest Park, Illinois with weekly print and digital news. Directly comparable as a community newspaper operating under the same GCM umbrella and revenue mix.
• Patch.com: National hyperlocal news network operating thousands of community sites. Comparable as a hyperlocal competitor vying for the same local-news audience and local advertising budgets, albeit at vastly greater scale.
• Block Club Chicago: Chicago-based nonprofit digital-first hyperlocal news outlet funded by donations and memberships. Direct comparable to the Landmark as a community-supported, mission-driven local news operation serving specific Chicago-area neighborhoods.
• Austin Weekly News: A sister publication within the Growing Community Media network alongside the Landmark. Operates as a hyperlocal community newspaper serving a specific Chicago-area neighborhood with the same nonprofit distribution and editorial model.
• Wednesday Journal (Oak Park): Wednesday Journal, also a Growing Community Media sister publication serving Oak Park and River Forest, Illinois. Comparable community weekly newspaper with overlapping geographic proximity in the western Chicago suburbs.

Regional players

• The Mendota Reporter: Weekly community newspaper serving small-town Illinois outside Chicago. Comparable as a legacy small-market weekly newspaper with print + digital + advertising + subscriptions mix.
• The Daily Line: Subscription-based Chicago-area outlet covering local government and civic news. Comparable as a paid, local-government-focused news product competing for similar civic-minded Chicago suburban readers.

Emerging players

• City Bureau: Chicago-based nonprofit journalism organization focused on civic accountability and local reporting. Comparable as a mission-driven, donation-supported journalism nonprofit serving the Chicago area.

Broad incumbents

• WTTW News: PBS Chicago regional broadcaster covering broader Chicago-area news. Comparable as an established nonprofit news producer serving Chicago-area audiences but operating at much larger scope than the Landmark.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RBLandmark
• Facebookfacebook.com/riversidebrookfieldlandmark
• Instagraminstagram.com/riversidebrookfield_landmark
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hispanic-organization-of-north-riverside-inc-nfp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Riverside-Brookfield Landmark