The Bradenton Times

What The Bradenton Times does

The Bradenton Times is an independent, digital-first local news publication covering Bradenton and Manatee County, Florida. Founded in 2008 by former Manatee County Commissioner Joe McClash, it operates as The Bradenton Times, Inc., a privately held Florida corporation with no external funding and a workforce of 1-10. The publication shifted from daily to weekly online publishing in April 2017 and currently publishes four editions per week (Sunday, Midweek, Weekend Sounds, Weekend), all of which are emailed to subscribers. Editorial scope includes local government, elections (including a dedicated Elections 2026 section), sports, arts and entertainment, opinion/commentary, obituaries, a community calendar, classifieds, and a business directory, supplemented by a mid-weekly podcast introduced in 2021 and state/national coverage syndicated from Florida Phoenix (States Newsroom) and Suncoast Searchlight.

The platform is built on Creative Circle Media Solutions' CMS, which also handles subscription management, obituary placement, event posting, press release submissions and classified advertising. The site uses SSL, is PCI vulnerability standards compliant, and runs Google Analytics for traffic monitoring alongside Google AdWords and Facebook remarketing for third-party advertising. Payments are processed by third-party providers and are exempt from Florida sales tax under Florida Statute 212.08(7)(w). Generative AI is used to produce visual marketing materials and banner advertisements, with synthetic-media disclosures as required by Florida law.

Monetisation is a diversified, freemium mix with no paywall: voluntary subscription (pricing undisclosed), display and political advertising (governed by Florida Statutes Chapter 106), classifieds via YourQuickAds, obituary placement, partner-program sponsorships, and a Premium News tier spanning 20 lifestyle verticals. Distribution combines the website, an email newsletter (with e-news archives), Facebook, and podcast channels. Political advertising and election-cycle verticals (editorial endorsements, candidate forums, voter guides) represent a meaningful cyclical revenue layer on top of fragmented small-business and self-serve advertising demand.

Name

The Bradenton Times

Legal name

The Bradenton Times, Inc.

Website

https://thebradentontimes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Bradenton Times is an independent, digital-first local news publication serving Bradenton and Manatee County, Florida. Founded in 2008, it publishes four weekly editions, a podcast, classifieds, obituaries, and a premium content tier, monetised via voluntary subscriptions, local advertising, and political-ad cycles.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Online News

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (513110), Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Local online news
• Community journalism
• Digital newspaper
• News publishing
• Community media

Headquarters

HQ city

Bradenton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Digital Advertising: The Bradenton Times generates revenue through display advertising on its website. Paid political advertisements from candidates and committees are also accepted. The publication accepts paid political advertisements from candidates and committees. Google AdWords and Facebook remarketing are used for third-party site advertising.
2. Subscription Revenue: A voluntary paid subscription is encouraged. There is no paywall to view the site, but a voluntary subscription is encouraged to support local journalism. Subscription payments are exempt from sales tax under Florida Statute 212.08(7)(w). Premium News sections cover various lifestyle topics (Books, Automotive, Education, Entertainment, Food, Gardening, Green living, Health, Home improvement, Kids & family, Lifestyle, Money matters, Outdoors, Pets, Real estate, Seniors, Small business, Tech news, Travel, Games).
3. Classifieds: The publication operates a classifieds section with a link to place classified ads via YourQuickAds. The classifieds section includes local businesses via the What's Open business directory.
4. Podcast Content: A mid-weekly podcast introduced in 2021 features interviews conducted by editor Dennis Maley. Podcast episodes feature candidates, community members, and notable personalities (e.g., Liz Arnold, Leland Taylor as Manatee County Commission candidates).
5. E-newsletter Promotion: Email newsletter archives are maintained and newsletter signup is available. Paid subscribers can access commenting features. E-newsletter archives available at us6.campaign-archive.com.
6. Obituary Services: Obituary placement service is available through bradentontimesmemorials.creativecirclemedia.com. Obituaries are published with details of deceased individuals, with obituary submission and placement services offered.
7. Calendar/Event Listings: Calendar of local events is published with free event listings. Event posting service available via bradentontimeseventlink.creativecirclemedia.com.
8. Partner Program/Advertising Rates: An advertising rate card is available (TBT Partner Program). Advertise with us option via PDF rate card. Business directory (What's Open) section for local businesses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Bradenton Times publishes a digital-first local newspaper serving Bradenton and Manatee County, Florida, four times per week (Sunday, Midweek, Weekend Sounds, Weekend editions) with no paywall. The core offering is independent local journalism covering local government, elections, sports, arts & entertainment, opinions, obituaries, and community information, supplemented by an email newsletter, a mid-weekly podcast of editorial interviews, a 20-category Premium News section, classifieds, a What's Open local business directory, and a community calendar. Revenue is generated via voluntary reader subscriptions, display advertising, political advertising, classifieds, and obituary placement services.

Product overview

The Bradenton Times is a news and community resource platform offering online newspaper content. The core product is The Bradenton Times Online Newspaper (founded 2008), a local news publication covering Bradenton and Manatee County, Florida. This is complemented by TBT Podcasts (introduced 2021) for multimedia content, Premium News for subscription-based specialized content across 20 categories, an E-newsletter for direct subscriber communication, Classifieds for local marketplace activity, a Business Directory for local establishments, and a Community Calendar for events. The platform operates on a freemium model with no paywall but with voluntary subscriptions encouraged.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Bradenton Times Online Newspaper Core digital-first local newspaper covering local, regional, state, and national news for Bradenton and Manatee County, Florida; published 4 times per week and freely accessible on the website with voluntary subscriptions encouraged.
• TBT Podcasts Mid-weekly audio podcast featuring interviews with local candidates, community members, and newsmakers, conducted by editor Dennis Maley; distributed via the website and major podcast platforms.
• Premium News Section Subscription-based premium content spanning 20 categories including Books, Cars & trucks, Education & careers, Entertainment, Food, Gardening, Green living, Health, Home improvement, Kids & family, Lifestyle features, Money matters, Outdoors, Pets, Real estate, Seniors, Small business, Tech news, Travel, and Trivia/history/games.
• E-newsletter Weekly email newsletters delivered to subscribers, including seasonal digital Voter Guides; paid subscribers gain commenting privileges.
• Classifieds Online classifieds section for placing and viewing local classified advertisements by businesses and individuals, accessed through the YourQuickAds platform.
• What's Open Business Directory Local business directory featuring Bradenton/Manatee County establishments, integrated with the classifieds section to help residents find local businesses.
• Community Calendar Online calendar of local events (live music, theater performances, community gatherings) accepting free event postings from organizations and individuals.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Creative Circle Media SolutionscoreTechnology or IntegrationCreative Circle Media Solutions provides the content management system (CMS) powering the The Bradenton Times website. They handle site management, subscription management platform, and various subdomain services including obituary placement (bradentontimesmemorials.creativecirclemedia.com), event posting (bradentontimeseventlink.creativecirclemedia.com), press release submissions (bradentontimesnewslink.creativecirclemedia.com), and classified advertising. The platform also handles subscriber login and account management.
• Google AdWords / Facebook RemarketingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Bradenton Times uses Google AdWords and Facebook remarketing to advertise to visitors on third-party websites after they have visited the publication's site.
• Florida Phoenix / States NewsroommajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Bradenton Times syndicates state and national news content from Florida Phoenix (a nonprofit news organization that is part of the States Newsroom network). Stories from reporters such as Mitch Perry, Christine Sexton, Jay Waagmeester, Kelcie Moseley-Morris, Anna Claire Vollers, Sofia Resnick, and Robbie Sequeira appear on the site. Florida Phoenix is a 501c(3) public charity supported by grants and a coalition of donors. The publication also carries content from the broader States Newsroom network including Stateline.
• Suncoast SearchlightminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Bradenton Times publishes content from Suncoast Searchlight, a regional investigative journalism outlet. Reporter Clinton Engelberger's dolphin story is attributed to Suncoast Searchlight.
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission provides environmental content including Red Tide Status Updates published by The Bradenton Times.
• YourQuickAds (Classifieds Platform)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorClassified advertising is facilitated through YourQuickAds platform (classifieds.yourquickads.com/bradenton/), providing the infrastructure for the classifieds section.
• Stacker (Premium Content)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPremium content including articles like 'Rising costs are moving buyers to used vehicles' is produced by Stacker and distributed through The Bradenton Times premium section.
• Feature Impact (Premium Content)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsored premium content such as 'Sleep Better This Summer with Breathable Bedding' is produced by Feature Impact and distributed through The Bradenton Times premium section.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Orlando Weekly: Florida-based independent alternative digital news publication with a comparable voluntary subscription / advertising revenue mix. Operates in a different Florida metro but shares the digital-first community-news positioning.
• Creative Loafing Tampa Bay: An alternative weekly covering the Tampa Bay area; TBT's editor Dennis Maley previously contributed here. Comparable as a digital-first alternative/community news voice in the same broader Florida media market, with similar advertiser-supported revenue model.
• The Capitolist: Florida-focused independent digital news outlet covering state politics and policy. Comparable as a small, digital-only, Florida-based news publication with a similar lean operation, though with a statewide rather than hyper-local focus.

Broad incumbents

• States Newsroom: A 501c(3) nonprofit network that includes Florida Phoenix and other state-level newsrooms. TBT is a syndication partner. Relevant as a peer ecosystem operator in the digital local news space, though at network rather than single-publication scale.
• Tampa Bay Times: The largest regional newspaper serving the broader Tampa Bay area, including Manatee County. Competes for the same pool of local advertisers and readers, with a fully developed metered paywall model TBT does not employ.
• Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Adjacent regional legacy newspaper (also USA Today/Gannett) covering the Suncoast region that overlaps with TBT's market. Comparable local politics and government coverage area but with vastly greater resources.
• Patch: A nationwide network of hyperlocal digital news sites including coverage of Bradenton and Manatee County. Directly comparable in digital-first, community-news, and ad-supported business model, though at vastly larger network scale with corporate backing.

Emerging players

• Florida Phoenix: A 501c(3) nonprofit digital news outlet (part of States Newsroom network) that is both a syndication partner and a thematic peer. Shares TBT's digital-first, no-paywall approach but at the state level, making it a comparable mission-driven news model.
• Suncoast Searchlight: A regional investigative journalism outlet whose content is published through TBT via syndication. Comparable as a digital-only community news model focused on the Suncoast region, with overlapping geographic and topic coverage.

Direct peers

• Bradenton Herald: The legacy local newspaper for the Bradenton/Manatee County market, now part of the USA Today Network (Gannett). Directly competes with TBT for local news readership and advertising, but with substantially larger newsroom and brand reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thebradentontimes
• Xx.com/BradentonTimes
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-bradenton-times

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 The Bradenton Times