What Arlington Catholic Herald does

Arlington Catholic Herald is the official news outlet of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Arlington, operating as a non-profit diocesan newspaper headquartered at 200 N. Glebe Rd., Suite 615, Arlington, Virginia. It publishes a print newspaper 26 times annually with a circulation of approximately 100,000 households, distributed across the Diocese of Arlington — primarily Fairfax County, the cities of Alexandria and Manassas, the Town of Vienna, and Arlington, Loudoun, and Prince William Counties — reaching a demographic with median household income above $126,000. Bishop Michael F. Burbidge serves as President and Publisher, and the publication has been recognized with multiple Catholic Press Association awards, including first place Best Catholic Newspaper in its class in the U.S. and Canada in 2022, and is the largest paid non-daily in the Virginia Press Association.

The Herald's core products include the print newspaper, the catholicherald.com digital platform, subscription services, advertising, classified ads, photo/video galleries, Bishop Burbidge's Walk Humbly podcast, and the Bishop's Columns. Revenue is generated through two streams: recurring annual subscriptions for the print and digital editions, and advertising sold to local businesses, parish job listings, and national advertisers seeking to reach the affluent Catholic demographic. Distribution is delivered via direct home delivery and the website, supplemented by social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram) and an eNewsletter via Flocknote.

The business model is operationally supported by a small team of 11-50 staff including editorial (Executive Editor, Managing Editor, Staff Writers), sales (Advertising Manager, Advertising Sales), circulation, design/production, and digital/social media. The technology stack consists of a standard content-managed digital news platform and standard print publishing operations; no proprietary technology or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed. The publication's competitive position is anchored by its diocesan affiliation, brand recognition, distribution reach, and award-winning editorial quality rather than by technology differentiation.

Name

Arlington Catholic Herald

Legal name

Arlington Catholic Herald

Website

https://catholicherald.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Arlington Catholic Herald is the official newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Arlington, publishing 26 print issues annually to approximately 100,000 households across Northern Virginia, supplemented by a digital platform, podcast, and subscription and advertising revenue streams.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Catholic Newspaper Publishing

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (51312)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)

akta.pro primary industry

Denominational & Community Periodicals (Church Magazines, Diocesan/Temple Newsletters) (MPAJAHAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital) (MPAJADAB)

Keywords

• Catholic newspaper publishing
• Diocesan print media
• Religious news publication
• Subscription news service
• Local advertising sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Arlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Subscription Revenue: The Arlington Catholic Herald publishes 26 issues annually with a circulation of approximately 100,000 subscribers. Subscriptions are available via the website with phone and email contact options for new/renewing subscribers.
2. Advertising Revenue: The newspaper generates advertising revenue from local businesses, parish job postings, and national advertisers targeting the affluent Catholic demographic. Contact for advertising at 703-841-2594.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Arlington Catholic Herald is the official news outlet of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Arlington, publishing a weekly print newspaper (26 issues annually) and operating the catholicherald.com digital platform that delivers local, national, and international Catholic news, Bishop Burbidge's messages, parish and school news, faith content, arts coverage, and classifieds to approximately 100,000 subscriber households across Northern Virginia.

Product overview

The Arlington Catholic Herald operates as a multi-platform Catholic news organization, offering a unified portfolio consisting of its flagship print newspaper (published 26 times annually with ~100,000 circulation), the catholicherald.com digital platform, and associated services including subscription-based access, advertising solutions, classified ads, photo/video galleries, the Walk Humbly podcast, and Bishop Burbidge's official communications. The publication serves as the official news outlet of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Arlington, reaching affluent, educated Catholic households.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Arlington Catholic Herald Print Newspaper Subscription Annual subscription (26 issues) to the official print newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Arlington, reaching approximately 100,000 households across Northern Virginia with Catholic news, Bishop Burbidge's messages, parish/school news, faith content, and classifieds.
• Catholicherald.com Digital News Platform Online digital news platform providing access to local, national, and international Catholic news, Bishop Burbidge's messages, columns, arts coverage, events, and classified ads for Catholic readers and advertisers.
• Advertising Services Advertising placement opportunities in the print newspaper and website targeting affluent, educated Catholic households with median household income exceeding $126,000, sold to local businesses and parish/school employers.
• Classified Ads Section Online classified advertising section serving the Catholic community in Northern Virginia, supporting job postings, services, and other listings.
• Walk Humbly Podcast Podcast series featuring Bishop Michael F. Burbidge's spiritual content and reflections, distributed as part of the Herald's audio content portfolio.
• Photo and Video Gallery with Photo Purchase Online photo and video gallery featuring event coverage with the ability to purchase photos, offered as a media service to readers and the Catholic community.

Quantifiable outcome

• Awarded first place Best Catholic Newspaper in U.S. and Canada in 2022
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Catholic Diocese of ArlingtoncoreOthersThe Arlington Catholic Herald is the official news outlet of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Arlington. Bishop Michael F. Burbidge serves as President and Publisher. The paper supports the Church's mission to evangelize by providing news from a Catholic perspective.
• New TargetminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWebsite design and development partner for catholicherald.com
• Arlington DiocesecoreOthersParent organization connection - Diocese of Arlington
• USCCBminorOthersUnited States Conference of Catholic Bishops - linked as resource
• The VaticanminorOthersOfficial Vatican website linked as resource

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• National Catholic Register: National Catholic news publication with both digital and print editions serving U.S. Catholics. Comparable in product format (Catholic news periodical) and audience, but competing at national scope versus the Herald's diocesan footprint.
• Our Sunday Visitor: National Catholic newspaper publishing news, opinion, and faith content to U.S. Catholics. Closely comparable to the Herald in product (paid Catholic periodical) and mission, though operating at national rather than diocesan scale.
• Catholic News Herald (Diocese of Charlotte): Diocesan newspaper serving Catholics in western North Carolina with print and digital Catholic news. Closely analogous to the Herald as a regional, diocesan-affiliated Catholic publication.
• The Catholic Spirit (Diocese of Metuchen): Diocesan newspaper serving New Jersey Catholics with news, columns, and advertising—directly analogous to the Herald's role for the Diocese of Arlington.
• Catholic News Service: National Catholic news wire that supplies editorial content (including credited photos and articles) to Catholic publications like the Arlington Catholic Herald. Both produce Catholic news content for a Catholic audience, making them functionally comparable.
• Angelus (Archdiocese of Los Angeles): Official news outlet of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, publishing Catholic news across print and digital channels to a large, geographically-concentrated Catholic audience—mirroring the Herald's diocesan-affiliation and multi-platform model.
• Catholic Review (Archdiocese of Baltimore): Official newspaper of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, operating as a diocesan Catholic publication serving a similar affluent Mid-Atlantic Catholic audience. Highly comparable business model: diocesan-backed paid Catholic periodical.

Broad incumbents

• America Magazine: Long-established national Catholic publication covering news, culture, and opinion. Overlaps with the Herald's Catholic editorial mission but operates as a broader Jesuit-affiliated magazine rather than a diocesan newspaper.
• OSV News: Catholic news service affiliated with Our Sunday Visitor, providing wire-style Catholic news content. Comparable to the Herald as a Catholic editorial/news product but operating as a wire service rather than a diocesan publication.

Emerging players

• Crux (Catholic news site): Digital-first Catholic news outlet focused on the Vatican and global Catholic affairs. Overlaps with the Herald's global/national news coverage but is pure digital and global in scope, representing a different competitive channel for Catholic readers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/acatholicherald
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UClBo0SyVZp18Io7eDU3jWQg
• Facebookfacebook.com/ArlingtonCatholicHerald
• Instagraminstagram.com/catholicherald

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Arlington Catholic Herald