The Monthly

What The Monthly does

The Monthly is a regional magazine of culture and commerce serving the East Bay area of California — primarily Berkeley, Oakland, and surrounding communities — and has been in continuous publication for approximately 50 years. Operated under the legal entity Oakland Magazine, the publication covers arts and culture, news and politics, home and garden, parenting, books, and local commerce content tailored to East Bay readers. Its core products include a print magazine, a WordPress-based digital website (themonthly.com), email newsletters across editorial verticals, an annual "Best of Berkeley and the East Bay" reader poll, an online community event calendar, and advertising services for local businesses.

The business operates with a very small team (1-10 employees) and generates revenue through three streams: display and classified advertising sold to local East Bay merchants and service providers, recurring print and digital subscriptions (including gift certificates and back issues), and event listing fees tied to reader-submitted community events. Distribution is entirely regional, via print newsstands, the website, email newsletters, and organic social channels (Facebook, Twitter/X under @eastbay365). No public revenue figures, funding, or pricing details are disclosed, and the company is privately held with no parent company or institutional investor identified.

Name

The Monthly

Legal name

Oakland Magazine

Website

https://themonthly.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Monthly is a privately held regional print and digital magazine, operated under Oakland Magazine, covering arts, culture, news, and local commerce for East Bay (Berkeley/Oakland) residents since approximately 1975, with a small team of 1-10 employees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Magazine Publishing

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (51312), Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Culture & Literary Magazines (MPAJAEAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines (MPAJAEAO)

Keywords

• Regional magazine publishing
• Local news media
• Arts culture journalism
• Community event listings
• Lifestyle editorial content

Headquarters

HQ city

Emeryville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advertising Revenue: Display and classified advertising sold to local businesses, readers who advertise with the company, and event sponsors. The magazine serves as an advertising platform for East Bay merchants and service providers.
2. Print and Digital Subscriptions: Readers who have purchased subscriptions, back issues, or gift certificates. Subscription revenue from both print magazine and email newsletter subscribers.
3. Event Listings and Promotions: Revenue from event listings where readers submit events to comprehensive online event listings and provide contact info and event-related information.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Monthly is a regional print and digital magazine that publishes arts, culture, news, politics, parenting, and lifestyle content for the East Bay area of California, particularly Berkeley and Oakland. The publication generates revenue through print and digital subscriptions, display and classified advertising sold to local businesses, event listing services, and event sponsorships.

Product overview

The Monthly is a single, unified regional print and digital magazine publication serving the East Bay community for over 50 years. The core product is the magazine itself, supplemented by its website, email newsletters, an annual Best of Berkeley and the East Bay feature, a community events calendar, and advertising services. The publication focuses on local arts, culture, news, politics, home and garden topics, and lifestyle content tailored to the Berkeley and East Bay region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Monthly Magazine A regional print and digital magazine covering arts, culture, news, politics, and lifestyle content for the East Bay area, including Berkeley and Oakland communities. Published continuously for over 50 years under the Oakland Magazine entity.
• Email Newsletters Email newsletter subscriptions delivering curated editorial content to subscribers, including parenting tips, estate planning advice, and local news updates from the East Bay.
• Calendar Listings Online event calendar where readers submit and discover local arts, culture, and community events in the East Bay area, generating listing and promotional revenue.
• Advertising Services Print and digital advertising packages for local businesses, including display advertising and classified listings, sold to East Bay merchants, retailers, restaurants, and service providers seeking to reach local consumers.

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 highlights3 records

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/eastbaymonthly
• Facebookfacebook.com/oaklandmagazine
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-east-bay-monthly

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Monthly