HILLTOP Media Group

What HILLTOP Media Group does

Hilltop Media Group is a privately held, for-profit local media company founded in 2017 that operates two regional city lifestyle magazines - The Bend in Corpus Christi, Texas and 405 Magazine in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - plus a custom publication services arm. The company's core offering is monthly print magazines, each accompanied by dedicated websites (~15,000 unique monthly users), opt-in email newsletters (22,000+ and 48,000+ subscribers respectively), and social media channels (combined following of 74,000+ across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram). The Bend has approximately 73,000+ total readership and 16,200+ print circulation; 405 Magazine has approximately 120,000+ total readership and 20,000+ print circulation, both targeting affluent (HHI $100K-$112K+) consumers aged 25-65.

The company monetizes its audience through two revenue streams. The primary stream is advertising sales: local SMBs - particularly healthcare providers, optical retailers, and wellness practices - purchase print and digital ad placements, with advertisers validated by long-tenure relationships (e.g., Advanced Wellness & Rejuvenation, four-plus years; Physicians Optical citing direct daily response). The second stream is fee-based custom publications, where the editorial and design team produces tailored magazines, visitors guides, and meeting planners for institutional clients such as Visit Corpus Christi (four-plus year relationship), Art Museum of South Texas, Parade of Homes, Hooks Minor League Baseball, and Las Donas. The go-to-market is sales-led, with account executives managing advertiser relationships across both regional markets and third-party audit verification of circulation supporting advertiser accountability.

Hilltop Media Group employs between 11 and 50 people across its Oklahoma City and Corpus Christi offices and operates without disclosed external funding, parent company, or institutional ownership. The technology stack is limited to standard publishing and distribution channels (print, web, email, social) with no disclosed AI, API, programmatic, or proprietary platform capabilities. The business model is fundamentally a traditional regional media company monetizing a niche affluent local audience through direct-sales advertising plus a B2B custom content services line, with no documented expansion into additional markets or product lines beyond the existing footprint.

Name

HILLTOP Media Group

Legal name

Hilltop Media Group

Website

https://hilltopmediagroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hilltop Media Group operates two regional city lifestyle magazines (The Bend in Corpus Christi and 405 Magazine in Oklahoma City) and provides custom publication services for institutional clients, monetizing affluent local audiences through SMB advertising sales and B2B custom content work.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Lifestyle Magazine Publishing

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Travel & Outdoors Magazines (MPAJAEAH)

Keywords

• Magazine publishing
• Custom publication services
• Local advertising sales
• Print and digital media
• City lifestyle publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Oklahoma City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advertising Sales: Revenue generated from local businesses purchasing advertising placements (print, digital) in The Bend Magazine and 405 Magazine publications. Advertisers include healthcare providers, optical stores, and other local businesses seeking direct response from affluent readership demographics.
2. Custom Publications: Fee-based custom publication services where Hilltop Media Group collaborates with clients (Art Museum of South Texas, Visit Corpus Christi, Parade of Homes, Las Donas, Hooks Minor League Baseball) to create customized magazines, visitors guides, meeting planners, and marketing materials.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Hilltop Media Group produces two monthly city and lifestyle magazines—The Bend (Corpus Christi, TX) and 405 Magazine (Oklahoma City, OK)—distributed via print, dedicated websites, email newsletters, and social media to affluent local audiences. The company also offers custom publication services, collaborating with organizations to produce tailored magazines, visitor guides, meeting planners, and marketing materials. Revenue is generated primarily through advertising sales to local businesses and fees from custom publication engagements.

Product overview

Hilltop Media Group operates a portfolio of local lifestyle magazines and custom publication services. The core offerings include two branded publications—The Bend Magazine serving Corpus Christi, Texas (73,000+ readership, 16,200+ circulation) and 405 Magazine serving Oklahoma City (120,000+ readership, 20,000+ circulation)—both distributed via print, online, newsletter, and social media channels. Additionally, the company provides custom publication services for third-party clients, collaborating to produce tailored content across various subjects and media types.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Bend: City and lifestyle magazine serving Corpus Christi, Texas region. Provides content for locals, second home owners and visitors covering local stories, community events, and lifestyle content.
• 405 Magazine

Products and services

• The Bend Magazine A monthly local lifestyle magazine serving Corpus Christi, Texas for locals, second-home owners, and visitors, with approximately 73,000+ readership and 16,200+ print circulation. Available via subscription, retail pickup, dedicated website, email newsletter, and social media channels, providing content on dining, shopping, entertainment, health services, and lifestyle for an affluent audience with HHI of $100,000+.
• 405 Magazine Central Oklahoma's definitive monthly city and lifestyle magazine serving the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, with approximately 120,000+ readership, 20,000+ print circulation, 48,000+ newsletter subscribers, and 50,000+ social media followers. Provides affluent Oklahomans (HHI $112,500+) with relevant lifestyle content through print, website, email newsletters, and social media.
• Custom Publications A fee-based custom publication service in which Hilltop Media Group collaborates with clients to create tailored publications including customized magazines, visitor guides, meeting planners, and marketing materials regardless of subject matter, audience, or media type. Clients have included Art Museum of South Texas, Visit Corpus Christi, Parade of Homes (Coastal Bend HBA), Las Donas de la Corte, and Corpus Christi Hooks Minor League Baseball.

Quantifiable outcome

• 73,000+ readership for The Bend, 120,000+ readership for 405 Magazine
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 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.

• Art Museum of South TexascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCustom publication client for whom Hilltop Media Group produces newsletters and marketing materials. Emily Zertuche from Visit Corpus Christi testimonial references their collaborative custom publication work.
• Visit Corpus ChristicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary custom publication client for whom Hilltop produces customized visitors guide and meeting planner. Testimonial confirms collaborative 4+ year relationship with professional support throughout the process.
• Corpus Christi Hooks (Minor League Baseball)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCustom publication client for whom Hilltop Media Group produces promotional and marketing publications as part of their client portfolio.
• Parade of HomesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCustom publication client operating under Coastal Bend HBA. Hilltop Media Group produces their Parade of Homes publication materials.
• Las Donas de la CorteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCustom publication client - a local organization for whom Hilltop produces custom publications.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Emerging players

• Axios Local: Digitally native local news and lifestyle newsletter publisher expanding across U.S. metros. Competes with Hilltop for local advertiser dollars and affluent reader attention via newsletters and short-form digital content.
• GearPatrol Media: Digital-first men's lifestyle publisher with adjacent affluent demographic targeting and similar local-meets-national advertising model. Partially overlapping audience and advertiser base with Hilltop's 405 Magazine and The Bend.

Direct peers

• Where Magazine: Morris Media Network's Where Magazine is a city/travel lifestyle publication distributed in multiple U.S. cities, monetized through advertising. Comparable as a multi-market city lifestyle publication with similar affluent, tourism-oriented reader demographic.
• Times Media Group: Times Media Group publishes multiple lifestyle and regional magazines in the Phoenix/Arizona market (e.g., Phoenix Magazine, Arizona Highways). Comparable as a multi-title regional lifestyle magazine publisher monetized via advertising and custom publications.
• Modern Luxury Media: Modern Luxury operates a portfolio of affluent-demographic city lifestyle magazines across dozens of U.S. metros. Comparable to Hilltop in targeting affluent readers, premium advertising positioning, and multi-market regional city magazine strategy.
• SagaCity Media: SagaCity Media publishes multiple city lifestyle magazines across U.S. metros (e.g., Portland Monthly, Seattle Met, Cincinnati Magazine). Closest direct peer to Hilltop because of its multi-market regional city magazine portfolio and advertising-driven revenue model.
• Emmis Publishing: Emmis Communications' publishing arm operates city and regional magazines (e.g., Indianapolis Monthly, Los Angeles Magazine via its California division). Comparable as a multi-market city lifestyle magazine publisher with advertising-driven revenue.

Broad incumbents

• Meredith Corporation (Dotdash Meredith): Large incumbent publisher of lifestyle and regional magazines (e.g., Better Homes & Gardens, People, Midwest Living). Operates broadly in the same lifestyle publishing category as Hilltop but at national scale; represents competitive and potential acquirer context.

Regional players

• Austin Monthly: Single-market city lifestyle magazine serving Austin, TX with similar audience (affluent residents, local advertisers). Comparable in editorial format, distribution model, and advertiser base to Hilltop's flagship publications.
• Tampa Bay Magazine: Single-market city lifestyle magazine serving the Tampa Bay region with a similar affluent-demographic, local advertising model. Comparable product offering and advertiser base to The Bend's Corpus Christi magazine.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hilltopmediagroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 HILLTOP Media Group