Printing News
Printing News, operating as WhatTheyThink, is a privately held B2B media company founded in 1928 that delivers news, data, video, webinars, and quarterly reports to commercial printing service providers and equipment manufacturers and suppliers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1928
- HeadquartersSaint Paul, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Printing News does
Printing News, doing business as WhatTheyThink, is a privately held B2B media company founded in 1928 and headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota, that serves the commercial printing, visual, and graphic arts industries. The company operates a digital content platform built around news, commentary and analysis, an industry data dashboard branded PrintStats, a video center, webinars, quarterly executive reports, and a digital magazine. Underlying technology consists of a B2B media content platform with industry data dashboard and digital publishing capabilities; no APIs, SDKs, or app distribution are disclosed.
The business monetizes through three streams: a freemium + premium subscription/membership model gating exclusive content, research reports, and member-center features; advertising and marketing programs (display ads, media planning, lead generation, sponsored content) sold to equipment manufacturers and suppliers; and custom content development plus video production services offered as professional services engagements. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; subscriptions run on monthly and annual cadences, while advertising and custom services are quote-based.
The company targets two primary segments: print service providers (commercial printers, in-plant, quick, and digital printers) as the primary audience, and printing equipment manufacturers and suppliers (press, ink, substrate, software, and finishing vendors) as the secondary monetizable segment. Distribution is digital-first via the owned website, email newsletters, webinars, video, and industry event presence, supported by a direct sales motion for enterprise marketing programs.
Printing News firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Printing News
- Legal name
- WhatTheyThink
- Website
- https://printingnews.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1928
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Printing News, operating as WhatTheyThink, is a privately held B2B media company founded in 1928 that delivers news, data, video, webinars, and quarterly reports to commercial printing service providers and equipment manufacturers and suppliers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Printing News industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Trade Media
- NAICS
- Periodical Publishers (513120)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Business, Financial & Trade News Publishers (MPAJADAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Newsletters & Email-Based News Publishers (B2B/B2C) (MPAJADAJ), B2B / Industrial Market Research (MPAAALAA)
Keywords
Where Printing News is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saint Paul
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Printing News business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Subscription/Membership: Premium membership providing access to exclusive content, research reports, and member-only resources including the member center for email and notification preferences.
- Advertising & Marketing Programs: Display advertising, media planning services, lead generation programs, and sponsored content opportunities for industry vendors and suppliers targeting printing professionals.
- Custom Content & Video Production: Custom content development and video production services sold to industry partners seeking branded content and marketing materials.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free membership with basic access |
| Subscription | Annual | Premium membership with full access |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Printing News product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Printing News, operating under the WhatTheyThink brand, is a B2B trade media company delivering news, commentary, industry data, video content, webinars, quarterly executive reports, and a digital magazine for the commercial printing and graphic arts industries. It monetizes through premium membership subscriptions, display advertising and lead generation programs, and custom content and video production services sold to industry vendors and suppliers.
Product overview
WhatTheyThink operates as a unified content platform for the printing industry, combining multiple content delivery channels under one umbrella. The core platform includes a news feed, commentary and analysis articles, industry data through PrintStats, video content, webinars, quarterly executive reports, and a digital magazine. These products work together to provide industry professionals with comprehensive coverage of printing technology, market trends, business strategies, and economic data.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- WhatTheyThink News Platform
Companies that use Printing News
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Printing News technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Printing News partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Keypoint IntelligencecoreContent partnership where Keypoint Intelligence contributes industry research reports and market analysis to WhatTheyThink. Includes sponsored research on robotics adoption, wide format trends, labels and packaging insights, and quarterly state of industry updates. Keypoint Intelligence is a leading print industry market research and analysis firm.
- TaktifulminorPartnership announcement for Taktisphere XL, a new community built for the wide format print industry. WhatTheyThink provides coverage and promotion of this industry community platform.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Printing News competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- InkWorld Magazine: Trade publication covering printing inks, coatings, and related raw materials. Comparable to WhatTheyThink as a B2B media outlet serving the broader printing ecosystem with news, technical content, and supplier-marketing programs for an overlapping vendor audience.
- Flexo Magazine: B2B trade publication serving the flexographic printing industry with news, technical content, and vendor marketing. Comparable to WhatTheyThink in targeting printing professionals and equipment/supply vendors through multi-format trade media in an overlapping printing-process vertical.
- Package Printing + Converting: Trade publication focused on package printing and converting industries. Comparable as a vertical-adjacent B2B print media platform covering packaging printing topics, supplier marketing, and industry data—overlapping with WhatTheyThink's packaging and converting coverage.
- The Cannata Report: B2B media and research firm covering the business of the printing industry with a focus on financial and strategic intelligence. Comparable as a subscription- and sponsor-driven B2B intelligence provider targeting printing industry executives and suppliers, overlapping with WhatTheyThink's audience and content scope.
- Label & Narrow Web: B2B media brand dedicated to the label and narrow web printing segment. Comparable to WhatTheyThink as a niche B2B trade publication offering news, supplier marketing programs, and industry data to converters and equipment vendors in an overlapping sub-vertical of printing.
- Printing Impressions (NAPCO Media): Long-standing B2B trade media brand for the commercial printing and graphic arts industry. Directly comparable to WhatTheyThink as a multi-format (print magazine, digital, video, events) B2B media platform targeting print service providers and equipment suppliers in the same vertical.
Regional players
- Graphic Arts Magazine: Canadian B2B trade publication covering graphic arts, printing, and related technologies. Comparable to WhatTheyThink as a vertical-focused B2B media brand serving printers and industry suppliers in the same graphic-arts category with multi-format content and supplier marketing.
- PrintWeek (Haymarket Media Group): UK-headquartered B2B trade publication covering the commercial printing industry. Comparable as a print industry trade-media outlet with news, data, and vendor marketing serving an overlapping printing-industry buyer base, although primarily focused on the UK and European markets.
- Print21 (Bauer Media): Australian B2B trade publication for the printing industry, offering news, analysis, and vendor marketing programs. Comparable in business model and audience to WhatTheyThink, but primarily serving the Australian/NZ market rather than North America.
Others
- Keypoint Intelligence: Independent market research and analysis firm producing reports and forecasts for the print, imaging, and document management industries. Compared as an ecosystem participant and core content partner for WhatTheyThink, with overlapping editorial coverage of the same buyer audience.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Printing News social profiles
Digital presencePrinting News financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Printing News leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Printing News funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Printing News M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Printing News
What does Printing News do?
Printing News, operating under the WhatTheyThink brand, is a B2B trade media company delivering news, commentary, industry data, video content, webinars, quarterly executive reports, and a digital magazine for the commercial printing and graphic arts industries. It monetizes through premium membership subscriptions, display advertising and lead generation programs, and custom content and video production services sold to industry vendors and suppliers.
Is Printing News a public or private company?
Printing News is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Printing News founded?
Printing News was founded in 1928. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Printing News based?
Printing News is headquartered in Saint Paul, United States, in the North America region.
How does Printing News make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Subscription/Membership is the primary driver. The others are advertising & Marketing Programs and custom Content & Video Production.
Who are Printing News's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are InkWorld Magazine, Flexo Magazine, Package Printing + Converting, The Cannata Report, Label & Narrow Web and Printing Impressions (NAPCO Media). Regional players are Graphic Arts Magazine, PrintWeek (Haymarket Media Group) and Print21 (Bauer Media). Keypoint Intelligence is listed as an others.
Does Printing News have an API?
No public API is recorded for Printing News.
What industry is Printing News in?
Printing News's product category is Trade Media. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJADAC, Business, Financial & Trade News Publishers, with a secondary code of MPAJADAJ, Newsletters & Email-Based News Publishers (B2B/B2C). Its NAICS code is 513120 and its SIC code is 2721.