The Daily Cardinal
The Daily Cardinal is a student-run, independent newspaper serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Madison, Wisconsin community since 1892. It publishes campus, city, state, sports, arts, opinion, and science journalism across a website, podcasts, newsletter, and print edition, funded by local advertising and donor memberships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1892
- HeadquartersMadison, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What The Daily Cardinal does
The Daily Cardinal is a student-run newspaper serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the surrounding Madison, Wisconsin community, founded in 1892 and headquartered in Vilas Communication Hall at 821 University Avenue. It operates as an independent student media organization, publishing continuous coverage of UW-Madison campus news, Madison city news, Wisconsin state news, Badgers athletics (football, basketball, hockey, and other sports), arts and entertainment, opinion, science, and life & style content. Editorial coverage is led by an annually-rotating student masthead including an Editor-in-Chief, Campus Editor, College News Editor, Sports Editor, and Staff Writers.
Its core product is a digital publication distributed primarily through its website (dailycardinal.com), powered by the SNworks (Solutions by The State News) content management and publishing platform. The publication has expanded its surface beyond text into four podcast series (Cardinal Call, Cardinal Sports, Cardinality, and Others), an email newsletter, multimedia (video and slideshows), and a portfolio of themed long-form "Action Projects" (e.g., Cost of College, Immigration, AI Issue). A print edition is preserved via the Issuu digital publishing platform.
The Daily Cardinal monetizes through three streams: local advertising targeted at Madison-area and UW-Madison-serving businesses, a "Cardinal Wings" paid membership program that offers bonus content in exchange for recurring donor support, and PayPal-based donations. General news content is free to access. The publication has no native mobile application, no public API or SDK, and no documented AI/ML capabilities. Ownership is independent of external investors; there is no parent company and no disclosed funding rounds.
The Daily Cardinal firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Daily Cardinal
- Legal name
- The Daily Cardinal
- Website
- https://dailycardinal.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1892
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Daily Cardinal is a student-run, independent newspaper serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Madison, Wisconsin community since 1892. It publishes campus, city, state, sports, arts, opinion, and science journalism across a website, podcasts, newsletter, and print edition, funded by local advertising and donor memberships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Daily Cardinal industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Student Newspaper / Campus News
- NAICS
- Newspaper Publishers (513110), Periodical Publishers (513120)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Student Media & Publications (Newspaper, Radio, TV) (EDALAHAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital) (MPAJADAB)
Keywords
Where The Daily Cardinal is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Madison
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Daily Cardinal business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Advertising: The Daily Cardinal generates revenue through advertising, with dedicated advertising information and blog sections on their website. Local Madison and UW-Madison area businesses are targeted as advertisers.
- Donations/Membership (Cardinal Wings): The Daily Cardinal accepts donations through PayPal to support UW-Madison student journalism. Cardinal Wings membership offers free bonus content and updates about latest work in exchange for financial support.
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
The Daily Cardinal product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Daily Cardinal is an independent student newspaper that publishes news, sports, arts, opinion, science, and lifestyle coverage for the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus and the broader Madison, Wisconsin community. It distributes content through its main website, three podcasts, an email newsletter, multimedia (video and photo galleries), and a digital print edition on Issuu. The publication is staffed and operated by UW-Madison students.
Product overview
The Daily Cardinal is a single-product digital news publication (a student newspaper) covering UW-Madison and the Madison, Wisconsin community. The publication operates primarily through its main website, supplemented by four podcast shows (Cardinal Call, Cardinal Sports, Cardinality, and Others), an email newsletter subscription service, a membership program (Cardinal Wings), and multimedia content including video and photo galleries. The newspaper does not operate a multi-module platform architecture.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Daily Cardinal Website
Companies that use The Daily Cardinal
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Daily Cardinal technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Daily Cardinal partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- SNworks (Solutions by The State News)coreSNworks provides the content management system and publishing platform powering The Daily Cardinal's website, including digital content delivery, image hosting, and multimedia integration.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Daily Cardinal competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Wisconsin State Journal: The established Madison daily newspaper covering city, state, and UW-Madison news. Competes for Madison-area readers and local advertisers that The Daily Cardinal also targets, but with a much broader professional scope and capacity.
- The Cap Times: Madison-based local newspaper covering Wisconsin politics, city news, and UW-Madison. Overlaps with The Daily Cardinal's city and state coverage and competes for the same Madison reader and advertiser pool.
Direct peers
- The Stanford Daily: Independent student newspaper serving Stanford University with campus, city, sports, and investigative reporting. Comparable student-editorial structure, digital-first distribution, and reliance on advertising and donations.
- The Daily Northwestern: Independent student newspaper at Northwestern University covering campus, city, sports, and arts. Same student-run daily model with advertising and reader-supported revenue streams.
- The Cornell Daily Sun: Long-running (founded 1880) independent student newspaper at Cornell. Closely aligned business model: student staff, local SMB advertising, digital and print editions, and reader-supported programs.
- The Badger Herald: The other independent student newspaper at UW-Madison, founded in 1969. Direct peer for audience (UW-Madison students and Madison readers), content scope (campus, city, sports), advertising model (local SMBs), and operation as a student-run daily.
- The Michigan Daily: Independent student newspaper at the University of Michigan, also founded in the 1890s. Closely comparable model: student-run daily covering campus, city, state, and sports; uses SNworks CMS; ad-and-donation-funded.
- The Daily Pennsylvanian: Independent student newspaper at the University of Pennsylvania, founded 1885. Comparable student-run daily covering campus/city/sports with advertising and membership revenue, also using SNworks infrastructure.
Others
- SNworks: Provider of the content management and publishing platform that powers The Daily Cardinal's website and digital workflows. Ecosystem partner rather than competitor, but indicative of how college newsrooms scale operations through shared infrastructure.
- University of Wisconsin–Madison Official News: Official UW-Madison news and communications outlet. Adjacent in covering UW-Madison news, but institutional rather than independent, and editorially aligned with the university.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
The Daily Cardinal social profiles
Digital presenceThe Daily Cardinal financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Daily Cardinal leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
The Daily Cardinal funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Daily Cardinal 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 Daily Cardinal
What does The Daily Cardinal do?
The Daily Cardinal is an independent student newspaper that publishes news, sports, arts, opinion, science, and lifestyle coverage for the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus and the broader Madison, Wisconsin community. It distributes content through its main website, three podcasts, an email newsletter, multimedia (video and photo galleries), and a digital print edition on Issuu. The publication is staffed and operated by UW-Madison students.
Is The Daily Cardinal a public or private company?
The Daily Cardinal is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was The Daily Cardinal founded?
The Daily Cardinal was founded in 1892. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is The Daily Cardinal based?
The Daily Cardinal is headquartered in Madison, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Daily Cardinal make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Advertising is the primary driver. The others are donations/Membership (Cardinal Wings).
Who are The Daily Cardinal's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Wisconsin State Journal and The Cap Times. Direct peers are The Stanford Daily, The Daily Northwestern, The Cornell Daily Sun, The Badger Herald, The Michigan Daily and The Daily Pennsylvanian. Others are SNworks and University of Wisconsin–Madison Official News.
Does The Daily Cardinal have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Daily Cardinal.
What industry is The Daily Cardinal in?
The Daily Cardinal's product category is Student Newspaper / Campus News. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDALAHAE, Student Media & Publications (Newspaper, Radio, TV), with a secondary code of MPAJADAB, Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital). Its NAICS code is 513110 and its SIC code is 2721.