TheBurg

What TheBurg does

TheBurg is a privately held community news organization headquartered at 920 N 3rd St, Suite 101 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, operating under the legal entity Three Bridges Media, LLC. Founded with the publication of its first issue in January 2009, TheBurg serves the greater Harrisburg region and surrounding south/central Pennsylvania counties (Dauphin, Cumberland, Lancaster, Lebanon, York, Adams, and Perry) through a dual-format publishing model: a free monthly print magazine distributed at 500+ physical locations, and a daily-updated online news site at theburgnews.com, supplemented by a FlipDocs-hosted digital edition and weekday Daily and Sunday Weekly Digest email newsletters. Editorial coverage spans local news, business, sports, family, food, culture, and community events, with named bylines producing current reporting on municipal government, tourism, and regional affairs.

The company monetizes through five primary streams: (1) display advertising from local businesses, (2) the Community Publisher program, in which corporate sponsors (including Members 1st Federal Credit Union, Capital Blue Cross, Harrisburg University, UPMC, and the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC) pay recurring fees in exchange for logo placement and recognition, (3) home-delivery print subscriptions at $7/issue monthly or $6.50/issue annually, (4) the Friends of TheBurg membership program with six tiers ranging from $30 (Member) to $1,000 (top Community Pillar) per year, and (5) branded merchandise sold under the Burg Gear label. Distribution operates through free physical pickup, direct website access, self-serve email subscription, and active social media presence on Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram.

TheBurg employs 11–50 people and runs as an independent, privately held company with no disclosed parent, no external funding rounds, and no recorded M&A activity. Its go-to-market is community-led, relying on a tightly integrated network of recurring institutional sponsors, engaged local readers, community events (e.g., the annual FOB Bash at Historic King Mansion and the 3rd in The Burg initiative), and physical print distribution to sustain a free-to-reader local journalism product in a market where traditional advertising-based local news has structurally declined.

Name

TheBurg

Legal name

Three Bridges Media, LLC

Website

https://theburgnews.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TheBurg is a privately held community news organization based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania that publishes a free monthly print magazine at 500+ locations and daily online news coverage across seven central Pennsylvania counties, monetized through advertising, a recurring Community Publisher sponsorship program, individual memberships, print subscriptions, and branded merchandise.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local News Publishing

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (513110), Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Local news publishing
• Community journalism
• Print magazine
• Digital news media
• Regional media

Headquarters

HQ city

Harrisburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advertising Revenue: TheBurg generates revenue through display advertising from local businesses, organizations, and community partners featured throughout the print and digital publication.
2. Community Publishers Program: Local businesses, organizations, and institutions pay to become Community Publishers, providing financial support in exchange for logo placement, recognition, and advertising benefits. This model helps sustain independent local journalism amid challenges facing traditional advertising-based revenue.
3. Print Subscriptions: Monthly print magazine subscriptions offered at $7/issue (monthly) or $6.50/issue (yearly), delivered directly to subscribers' homes.
4. Friends of TheBurg Memberships: Annual membership program with multiple tiers ($30-$1,000/year) offering benefits including tote bags, name recognition in the magazine, invitations to exclusive events like the annual FOB Bash at Historic King Mansion, and email subscriptions.
5. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including TheBurg-logo apparel (t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats) featuring the Walnut Street Bridge design and other branded items.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

TheBurg publishes a free monthly print magazine and daily online news dedicated to the greater Harrisburg, Pennsylvania region. The print magazine is distributed at 500+ locations across seven counties (Dauphin, Cumberland, Lancaster, Lebanon, York, Adams, and Perry), while the digital edition is delivered through a website, FlipDocs digital magazine integration, and daily/weekly email newsletters supported by advertising, memberships, and Community Publisher sponsorships.

Product overview

TheBurg is Central Pennsylvania's community news organization offering a dual-format publishing model combining a free monthly print publication with daily online news coverage dedicated to the greater Harrisburg region. The core offering consists of the monthly print magazine distributed at over 500 locations across seven counties, alongside TheBurg Daily online news platform. Supporting digital products include digital issues via FlipDocs, TheBurg Daily email newsletter (weekday), and TheBurg Weekly Digest email (Sunday). The organization also operates the Friends of TheBurg membership program and Community Publisher partnership program for monetization, plus branded merchandise under the Burg Gear line. Print subscriptions are available as an additional delivery option.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Monthly Print Publication A free monthly print magazine covering local news, business, culture, sports, food, and community events for the greater Harrisburg region, distributed at more than 500 pickup locations across seven central Pennsylvania counties.
• TheBurg Daily Online News Daily online news coverage featuring breaking local news, features, and community stories published on theburgnews.com with categorized sections including Business, Family Time, Sports & Health, Food, Culture, Around The Burg, Burg Blog/Opinion, and Special Sections.
• Digital Issue Online digital version of the monthly magazine accessible via the FlipDocs platform, allowing readers to view the publication in an interactive digital format.
• Print Subscription Home delivery subscription for the printed magazine available at $7/issue billed monthly or $6.50/issue billed annually, delivered directly to subscribers' homes.
• Friends of TheBurg Membership Program Annual membership program with tiered levels (Member $30, Household $50, Small Business $100, Small Business Plus $250, Community Pillar $500-$1,000 per year) offering benefits including tote bags, name recognition in the magazine, invitations to annual events like the FOB Bash at Historic King Mansion, and email subscriptions.
• Community Publisher Program Paid sponsorship program allowing local businesses and organizations to support TheBurg and gain recognition as community partners, with benefits including logo placement, distribution points, and advertising plans.
• Burg Gear Merchandise Branded merchandise including t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, and tote bags featuring TheBurg branding and designs such as the Walnut Street Bridge logo.

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Members 1st Federal Credit UnioncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFinancial institution and Community Publisher supporting TheBurg for over 75 years. Serves 10 counties with nearly 60 branch locations. Partner provides advertising and financial support to ensure continuation of free community journalism.
• Capital Blue CrosscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHealthcare insurance provider serving central Pennsylvania for over 80 years with nearly 2,000 employees in Harrisburg region. Community Publisher supporting TheBurg and local journalism.
• Harrisburg UniversitycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerScience and technology-focused university established in 2001, first new independent STEM-focused university in Pennsylvania in over 100 years. Community Publisher supporting TheBurg.
• Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDCcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional chamber of commerce and economic development organization representing 900 member businesses and 130,000 employees. Only chamber in the region to receive U.S. Chamber of Commerce's 5-Star Accreditation. Community Publisher.
• WITFmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPublic broadcasting station (PBS/NPR) serving central Pennsylvania. Community Publisher partner with shared mission of community education and information.
• Greenlee Partners, LLCmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPennsylvania government and public policy consulting firm founded in 1985. Community Publisher with deep ties to Harrisburg region and understanding of local political and community dynamics.
• EndersmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business providing insurance services. Community Publisher emphasizing the importance of supporting local journalism and community resources.
• Gunn-MowerymajorGTM or Marketing Partner70 employee, 4 office insurance broker headquartered in Lemoyne, PA. Serves 10,000 personal insurance customers and 1,000 business clients. Community Publisher sharing vision of highlighting positive community developments.
• LCSWMA (Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerMunicipal authority managing refuse for Harrisburg and surrounding Dauphin County, plus municipal solid waste for Lancaster County. Operates waste-to-energy facilities creating renewable electricity for 45,000+ homes. Community Publisher valuing quality publications for community connection.
• UPMC in Central PamajorGTM or Marketing PartnerHealthcare system providing medical services in central Pennsylvania. Community Publisher supporting community health and local journalism.
• Wendell Hoover, Realtor (Iron Valley Real Estate)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerReal estate professional serving Harrisburg area. Community Publisher supporting local journalism and using TheBurg to connect with clients new to the Capitol City Region.
• The Holtzman-Davis Team at Howard HannasupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerReal estate team at Howard Hanna Real Estate Services. Community Publisher advertising since TheBurg's first issue in January 2009, using publication to showcase strength of Harrisburg region to buyers.
• Harristown Development CorporationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerDevelopment corporation managing Strawberry Square and other Harrisburg properties. Community Publisher supporting downtown revitalization and community journalism.
• Historic King MansionsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerHistoric venue and event space in Harrisburg. Community Publisher and host of annual Friends of TheBurg Bash event.
• Midtown Property ManagementsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerProperty management company serving Harrisburg area. Community Publisher supporting local community journalism.
• Color & CulturesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing and advertising firm formed from merger of Latino Connection and PPO&S in November 2022, combining 40 years of experience. Community Publisher passionate about supporting local community.
• The Foundation for Enhancing CommunitiessupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity foundation supporting local organizations and initiatives. Community Publisher partner.
• Penn State HarrisburgsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional campus of Penn State University serving the Harrisburg area. Community Publisher partner.
• 3rd in The BurgmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity event initiative (thirdintheburg.org) partnered with TheBurg for local engagement. Collaborative effort to highlight community events and activities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Block Club Chicago: Block Club Chicago is a nonprofit neighborhood-focused news outlet launched by former DNAinfo Chicago reporters. It is a leading example of a member-supported community journalism model in a mid-size U.S. market, directly comparable to TheBurg's community-led GTM and sponsorship model.
• Spotlight PA: Spotlight PA is a statewide nonprofit investigative newsroom that partners with PA local outlets including TheBurg-adjacent organizations. It represents the emerging member-supported, donor-funded community journalism model that competes with and complements TheBurg's sponsorship-driven approach.
• VTDigger: VTDigger is a nonprofit statewide digital news organization funded by memberships and donations covering Vermont. Its business model (free digital publication + reader/donor support) closely mirrors TheBurg's emerging sponsorship/membership revenue mix, without a print product.
• PublicSource: PublicSource is a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit community newsroom operating on a member/donor funding model very similar to TheBurg's Friends of TheBurg and Community Publisher approach. It is comparable as a mission-driven, recurring-revenue community journalism operation at similar scale.

Direct peers

• York Daily Record (Gannett): The York Daily Record serves York County, another one of TheBurg's seven counties, with daily local news, print, and digital distribution. It is a comparable community newspaper competing for the same reader and advertiser pool in south-central Pennsylvania.
• Lancaster Online (LNP Media Group): Lancaster Online operates a daily news site plus weekly print product across Lancaster County, which is one of TheBurg's seven coverage counties. It is a directly comparable community-focused regional news brand with similar revenue mix (digital subscriptions, advertising, events).
• PennLive / The Patriot-News: PennLive is the dominant digital-first local news outlet in the Harrisburg/Hershey market, covering the same Dauphin/Cumberland county footprint as TheBurg. It is the most direct head-to-head competitor for local news readership, advertisers, and Community Publisher-equivalent sponsorships in the region.

Others

• WITF (formerly abc27 partner): WITF is a Harrisburg-based PBS/NPR public broadcasting station that is already a named Community Publisher partner of TheBurg. It is an adjacent media peer (local public-media/journalism) that competes for the same regional audience attention and civic-news mindshare.
• Taproot Pennsylvania: Taproot Pennsylvania is a nonprofit investigative and policy-focused news collaborative working with PA local outlets. It is comparable in mission (civic/community journalism in Pennsylvania) and distribution model (newsletter + partner network) though focused on environmental/policy beats rather than general community coverage.

Broad incumbents

• The Morning Call (lehighvalleylive.com): The Morning Call is a long-established daily/regional news outlet serving the Lehigh Valley under the same Advance Local / Gannett-adjacent digital publishing infrastructure. It is comparable in product scope (daily news, newsletters, local coverage) but operates in a different PA geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TheBurgNews
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheBurgNews
• Instagraminstagram.com/theburgnews
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/theburg

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 TheBurg