What Exclaim! does

Exclaim! (legally Exclaim! Media Inc.) is a privately held Canadian entertainment media company founded in 1991 and headquartered at 849A Bloor St. W., Toronto, Ontario. It operates a multi-platform publishing business anchored by Exclaim! Magazine, a monthly print publication with audited circulation exceeding 100,000 copies distributed free at over 4,000 outlets across Canada, alongside exclaim.ca, a Tuesday/Friday email newsletter, and active social media presences on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, YouTube, TikTok, and Spotify (including The Eh! List Canadian artist playlist). The editorial product is organized around three verticals: Music (primary), Film/TV, and Comedy, covering news, reviews, interviews, concert listings, and festival guides, with a particular emphasis on emerging Canadian artists.

The core technology is a conventional digital media publishing stack: a website at exclaim.ca, content syndicated via topic-specific RSS feeds, digital magazine distribution through the PressReader platform, and a live events platform that presents national concert tours and regional showcases for emerging Canadian performers. The company does not operate mobile apps and does not expose a documented public API, SDK, or integration ecosystem. Content production is human-edited, led by Publisher Ian Danzig, Editor-in-Chief Alex Hudson, and a team of section editors and staff writers based in Toronto.

The business model combines advertising (print and digital banners, sponsored content, special advertising features) with a paid home delivery magazine subscription priced at $30 CAD for 6 issues within Canada, and operational support from the Ontario Media Development Corporation's OMDC Magazine Fund. Free home delivery was discontinued as of January 2025, narrowing the subscription offering. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. The audience is primarily Canadian music, film, and comedy enthusiasts, with a secondary use-case segment of Canadian artists and bands seeking editorial exposure. No enterprise customers, named advertisers, or parent company affiliations are disclosed; ownership appears independent and management-led.

Name

Exclaim!

Legal name

Exclaim! Media Inc.

Website

https://exclaim.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Exclaim! is a Toronto-based independent Canadian entertainment media company founded in 1991, publishing a nationally distributed print magazine, the exclaim.ca website, a twice-weekly newsletter, and a live events platform covering music, film, and comedy for Canadian audiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Advertising: Revenue generated from advertising across print magazine and digital platforms, including banner ads, sponsored content, and special advertising features.
2. Magazine Subscriptions: Home delivery subscription service for Exclaim! Magazine at $30.00 for 6 issues within Canada. Note: Free home delivery service was discontinued as of January 2025.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Exclaim! is an independent Canadian media company that publishes a monthly print magazine and operates exclaim.ca, providing news, reviews, interviews, and concert/festival listings focused on emerging and established music, film, and comedy. The company distributes its free print magazine at over 4,000 outlets across Canada with a monthly circulation exceeding 100,000 copies, and extends its content across digital, social, email, and live event channels.

Product overview

Exclaim! is a Canadian entertainment media company operating a multi-platform publishing business. The core offerings consist of Exclaim! Magazine (print publication with 100,000+ monthly circulation), Exclaim.ca (digital website), the Exclaim! Newsletter (Tuesday/Friday email), and an Events Platform for concert tours and showcases. The portfolio spans print, digital, and live event channels, with content organized around three main verticals: Music, Film, and Comedy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Exclaim! Magazine Canada's premier national music culture publication; a monthly print magazine covering music, film, TV and comedy with over 100,000 copies distributed free across more than 4,000 outlets nationwide.
• Exclaim.ca Exclaim!'s flagship digital platform covering streaming music, news, reviews, interviews and original video content for music, film, TV and comedy across web and mobile.
• Exclaim! Newsletter Free email newsletter delivered every Tuesday and Friday featuring the biggest stories and latest coverage in music, film and entertainment.
• Exclaim! Events Platform National concert tours and regional showcases featuring up-and-coming Canadian performers, plus concert and festival listings compiled and curated by Exclaim!.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• PressReaderminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclaim! Magazine available digitally through PressReader platform, extending reach to digital readers who prefer reading on the PressReader platform.
• CCAB (a division of BPA worldwide)minorOthersExclaim!'s magazine circulation is audited by CCAB (BPA worldwide), providing verified audience data and media knowledge verification.
• OMDC Magazine FundminorOthersOntario Media Development Corporations provides assistance through the OMDC Magazine Fund, supporting the publication's operations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The FADER: Independent US-based music and culture magazine covering emerging artists across music, style, and film. Comparable to Exclaim! as a similarly positioned indie culture publication with print+digital and live event presence.
• NME: Iconic UK-based music and entertainment publication with print heritage transitioning to digital. Comparable to Exclaim! as a country-anchored music publication with national readership and editorial authority.
• Paste Magazine: Independently operated US music, film, and culture magazine with multi-platform editorial and events. Closely comparable to Exclaim! as a similarly sized indie culture publication relying on advertising, subscriptions, and live events.
• SPIN: Long-running US indie music magazine covering rock, indie, and alternative music. Directly comparable to Exclaim! as an independent music publication with similar editorial verticals and audience demographics.
• BrooklynVegan: Independent music publication covering indie, punk, and live music events, with strong live-event integration. Comparable to Exclaim!'s mix of editorial coverage and live event platform.
• NOW Magazine: Toronto-based alternative weekly covering arts, music, film, and culture. The closest geographic and editorial parallel to Exclaim! within Canada, competing for the same Toronto entertainment-news audience.
• Pitchfork: One of the world's leading digital music publications, covering reviews, news, and features across indie and mainstream music. Comparable to Exclaim! in core editorial mission but operating globally with significant scale and now owned by Condé Nast.
• Stereogum: Long-running independent music blog/publication focused on music news, reviews, and indie culture. Directly comparable to Exclaim!'s digital editorial product in audience and coverage.
• Consequence of Sound: Independent digital music and entertainment publication covering music, film, and TV reviews. Direct editorial peer to Exclaim! across overlapping verticals of music, film, and culture coverage.

Broad incumbents

• Billboard: Major US-based music industry trade and consumer publication covering charts, business, and entertainment. Overlaps with Exclaim!'s music and entertainment coverage but operates at much greater scale and as part of a larger media portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/exclaimnews
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@exclaimdotca
• Facebookfacebook.com/exclaimdotca
• Instagraminstagram.com/exclaimdotca
• TikToktiktok.com/@exclaimdotca

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Exclaim!