Ladysmith News

Name

Ladysmith News

Legal name

The Ladysmith News

Website

https://ladysmithnews.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1895

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Newspaper Publishing

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (51311)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Local news publishing
• Community newspaper
• Print subscriptions
• Digital news media
• Classified advertising

Headquarters

HQ city

Ladysmith

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, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Print Subscriptions: Home delivery print subscriptions for Rusk and Sawyer counties and surrounding areas, with varying rates for in-county, out-of-county in-state, and out-of-state subscribers
2. Online/E-Edition Subscriptions: Digital-only subscription for online access to e-Edition content
3. Classified Advertising: Revenue from classified ads including announcements (anniversaries, births, engagements, weddings, obituaries) and other classified listings
4. Display Advertising: Banner advertisements and promotional placements on the website and in print editions

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ladysmith News is a local newspaper publishing company that produces a weekly print edition delivered by home subscription and a digital e-Edition accessible online. It covers local, area, regional, and state news; school and area-league sports; opinion, editorials, and letters; police/courts; business news; obituaries; and community announcements (anniversaries, births, engagements, weddings) for Ladysmith, Wisconsin and Rusk County. Additional offerings include a companion weekly shopper publication (Rusk County Shopper), a Business Directory, classified advertising, weather forecasts, local video content, and a photo-ordering service integrated with SmugMug.

Product overview

Ladysmith News is a traditional local newspaper serving Ladysmith, Wisconsin and Rusk County since 1895. The company operates a dual product model combining print and digital offerings: the core Print Edition delivered via home delivery subscription, paired with an E-Edition digital version accessible online. Additional products include the Online Subscription for digital-only access, a Business Directory for local commerce, Classifieds for advertising, the Rusk County Shopper companion publication, a Weather Service for local forecasts, Multimedia video content, Photo Ordering via SmugMug integration, and Online Features sections with syndicated lifestyle content. The company also provides submission services for announcements (obituaries, weddings, births, anniversaries) and Letters to the Editor. The publication covers local news, area news, regional news, state news, sports, opinion/editorials, business, police/courts, and obituaries across northwestern Wisconsin.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rusk County Shopper: Weekly shopper publication companion to the main Ladysmith News newspaper

Products and services

• Ladysmith News Print Edition Traditional weekly print newspaper delivered via paid home delivery subscription, covering local, area, regional, and state news; school and area-league sports; opinion and editorials; business news; obituaries; and community announcements for Ladysmith, Wisconsin and Rusk County. Sold to households and individual readers in Rusk County, Sawyer County, Holcombe, and out-of-state subscribers.
• E-Edition (Digital Edition) Online digital replica of the print newspaper delivered to subscribers via web browser, allowing readers to view the complete print edition electronically with search and navigation features. Sold to individual subscribers seeking digital access.
• Online-Only Subscription Digital-only annual subscription providing full online access to the newspaper's digital content, including news articles, archives, and multimedia features, with no print delivery. Sold to individual readers.
• Rusk County Shopper Weekly shopper-style companion publication to The Ladysmith News, providing additional local advertising and community content for Rusk County readers.
• Classified Advertising Paid classified advertising placement in print and online for job listings, vehicles, real estate, business listings, and personal announcements (anniversaries, births, engagements, weddings, obituaries). Sold to local individuals and small businesses seeking to reach the Rusk County readership.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• CNHI (Community Newspaper Holdings Inc.): Operates a large portfolio of community newspapers and associated digital properties across the U.S. Directly comparable business model (local print + digital subs + advertising) at multi-title scale.
• Lee Enterprises: Large publicly traded community newspaper chain operating dozens of daily and weekly local papers across the U.S. Directly comparable as a community newspaper operator, but at significantly greater scale and geographic breadth than Ladysmith News.
• Ogden Newspapers: Family-owned newspaper group with community and daily newspapers across multiple states. Operates a similar model of local news + print + digital subscriptions, making it a comparable incumbent in community journalism.
• Gannett: Largest U.S. newspaper publisher, operating hundreds of local publications including community and regional titles. Comparable in product model (local news + subscriptions + advertising) but vastly larger and digitally focused.

Direct peers

• Hudson Star-Observer: Small-town Wisconsin community newspaper serving Hudson and St. Croix County. Comparable as a rural Wisconsin local news outlet operating the same BLOX Digital platform and similar print + digital subscription model.
• Adams Publishing Group: Family-owned media company operating community newspapers and related publications in small and mid-sized markets, particularly in the Midwest. Closely comparable in geographic and operational profile to Ladysmith News.
• Boone Newspapers: Family-owned company operating a portfolio of small-town community newspapers in the South and Midwest. Closely comparable in scale, business model, and rural market focus to Ladysmith News.
• The Daily News (Iron Mountain, MI): Small-market Upper Midwest community newspaper with print + digital subscriptions covering local news, sports, and obituaries. Comparable as a rural Upper Midwest local newspaper with similar product mix and target audience.
• River Falls Journal: Small Wisconsin community newspaper published via the same BLOX Digital ecosystem, serving River Falls and Pierce County. Directly comparable in scale, technology platform, and local-market business model.

Others

• SmugMug: Photo hosting and print-on-demand platform that Ladysmith News integrates with for its photo-ordering product. Adjacent ecosystem partner rather than a direct competitor, but a relevant comparable for the company's photo commerce offering.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/LadysmithNews
• Facebookfacebook.com/ladysmithnewspaper

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 Ladysmith News