The Capital Times
The Capital Times is a Madison, Wisconsin-based local newspaper founded in 1917, owned by Lee Enterprises (NASDAQ: LEE), serving Madison and Dane County readers through print, digital, email newsletters, and a branded live-events platform, with revenue from subscriptions, local advertising, and event sponsorships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1917
- HeadquartersMadison, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What The Capital Times does
The Capital Times is a local newspaper and multi-platform media business serving Madison and Dane County, Wisconsin, founded in 1917 by William T. Evjue and now owned by publicly traded Lee Enterprises, Incorporated (NASDAQ: LEE, headquartered in Davenport, Iowa). The publication covers local government, education, elections, health, business, food, entertainment, and sports through a daily newsroom of approximately 86 employees and a century-deep editorial archive, distributing content via print home delivery, the captimes.com digital site, a print e-edition through newsmemory.com, and a Madison.com sub-brand integration.
The core product stack is built on the BLOX Content Management System and includes (i) a tiered News+ Membership program (Platinum, Gold, Silver) with auto-renewal and bundled home delivery plus unlimited digital access, (ii) recurring email newsletters such as Morning Update and Food & Culture reaching 20,000+ subscribers, and (iii) a branded live-events platform comprising the annual Idea Fest, the quarterly Power Hour executive breakfast series, and the quarterly Cooking with the Cap Times culinary series. The company also operates the Evjue Foundation (the paper's charitable arm, which has deployed $74 million to Dane County organizations since 1970) and The Kids Fund, an annual reader-supported drive.
Revenue is generated through three streams: (1) recurring subscription/membership fees, including annual premium publication surcharges up to $5.00 each across roughly 15 premium sections per year and a one-time $6.99 account setup fee; (2) print and digital advertising plus newsletter sponsorships sold to local Madison and Dane County businesses seeking access to the publication's affluent readership (Scarborough 2023 average household income $113,980); and (3) event sponsorships across the Idea Fest, Power Hour, and Cooking franchises. The go-to-market is membership- and sales-led, with multi-channel distribution through Facebook, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, and email.
The Capital Times firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Capital Times
- Legal name
- Lee Enterprises, Incorporated
- Website
- https://captimes.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1917
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Capital Times is a Madison, Wisconsin-based local newspaper founded in 1917, owned by Lee Enterprises (NASDAQ: LEE), serving Madison and Dane County readers through print, digital, email newsletters, and a branded live-events platform, with revenue from subscriptions, local advertising, and event sponsorships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Capital Times industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Local Newspaper Publishing
- NAICS
- Newspaper Publishers (51311), Newspaper Publishers (513110)
- SIC
- Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital) (MPAJADAB)
Keywords
Where The Capital Times is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Madison
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Capital Times business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Advertising: The Cap Times generates revenue by selling advertising to businesses seeking to reach Madison and Dane County's educated and affluent readers. They offer print and digital advertising opportunities including display ads, newsletters, and social media.
- Membership/Subscription: The Cap Times offers News+ membership plans (Platinum, Gold, Silver) with newspaper home delivery and digital access. Members pay recurring subscription fees with auto-renewal.
- Events and Sponsorships: Revenue generated through event sponsorships for properties like Cap Times Idea Fest, Cooking with the Cap Times, and Cap Times Power Hour.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | News+ Membership with home delivery and digital access |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
The Capital Times product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Capital Times is a local newspaper founded in 1917 that provides comprehensive news coverage of Madison and Dane County, Wisconsin, across government, education, health, business, elections, food, entertainment, and sports. It operates a multi-platform journalism business combining a print newspaper with home delivery, a digital news website (captimes.com), email newsletters, and live community events. Revenue is generated through News+ Membership subscriptions (Platinum, Gold, and Silver tiers), advertising sales targeting educated Madison-area consumers, and event sponsorships.
Product overview
The Capital Times is a local news publication offering a multi-platform journalism and media business. The core offerings include a News+ Membership subscription program (with Platinum, Gold, and Silver tiers) providing digital and print access, multiple email newsletters (Morning Update and Food & Culture), and live events (Cap Times Idea Fest, Cap Times Power Hour, and Cooking with the Cap Times). The company also offers advertising services across print, digital, and event channels.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Madison.com: Related digital platform for Madison-area news
- Evjue Foundation
- The Kids Fund
Products and services
- News+ Membership Subscription program offering unlimited digital access to captimes.com plus newspaper home delivery, with Platinum, Gold, and Silver tiers, monthly auto-renewal billing, and a one-time $6.99 account setup fee for new members.
- Morning Update Newsletter Daily email newsletter delivering Madison-area news Monday through Saturday mornings to the Cap Times subscriber list.
- Food & Culture Newsletter Weekly email newsletter covering Madison food and entertainment news, written by food and culture editor Lindsay Christians and delivered every Thursday.
- Print E-Edition
- Cap Times Idea Fest Annual multi-day thought leadership festival held each September, featuring speakers and panels on politics, culture, science, health, and civic causes, with event sponsorships available to local businesses.
- Cap Times Power Hour Quarterly executive breakfast series featuring one-on-one, future-focused conversations with top Wisconsin business leaders about the state's economy, with event sponsorships available.
- Cooking with the Cap Times Quarterly in-person culinary series for Cap Times members hosted by food and culture editor Lindsay Christians, featuring chefs demonstrating signature dishes.
- Advertising Services Print and digital advertising opportunities including full-page and display print ads, digital display units, email newsletter sponsorships, and event sponsorships, sold to Madison and Dane County businesses seeking to reach the Cap Times' educated and affluent readership.
Quantifiable outcome
- Cap Times readers are 21-29% more likely than average to remodel their kitchen or bathroom
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Capital Times
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Capital Times technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Capital Times partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Evjue FoundationcoreThe Evjue Foundation is the charitable arm of The Capital Times, established in honor of Cap Times founder William T. Evjue. It has provided $74 million to charitable, cultural and educational organizations in the Dane County area since 1970. The foundation supports local philanthropy through grants and the annual Kids Fund reader-supported drive.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Capital Times competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Axios: Digital-first news brand built on newsletter and Smart Brevity formats. Competes for the same high-information, professional audience via newsletters and digital subscriptions, with local Axios editions expanding into markets like Madison.
- Politico: Digital-native political and policy news outlet that competes for the same politically engaged, educated readers Cap Times courts in Madison/Wisconsin — a state with outsized political significance.
- Block Club Chicago: Nonprofit digital local news outlet covering Chicago neighborhoods. Operates a membership/donation model with a deep community focus — analogous to the kind of digital-local-news operation Cap Times competes with in Madison.
- The Athletic: Subscription-based digital sports news outlet now owned by The New York Times Company. Competes for the same subscription-paying, affluent local reader dollars within Cap Times' digital/membership funnel.
Broad incumbents
- The New York Times: National news leader with subscription-first digital model and aggressive expansion into local/regional news (Athletic, Wirecutter, Cooking). Represents the gold standard for paid digital news membership monetization that Cap Times is attempting at a local scale.
- The Washington Post: National legacy newspaper with a strong regional Washington D.C. base and successful digital subscription business. Comparable as a legacy print brand pivoting to digital memberships and events.
- Chicago Tribune: Midwest regional daily owned by Alden Global Capital's MediaNews Group. Same industry pressures (declining print, digital transition) and similar subscription + advertising business model in a comparable Midwest metro.
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin's flagship regional daily, also owned by Lee Enterprises. Operates a broader Wisconsin footprint with overlapping editorial coverage, advertising sales force, and shared corporate infrastructure with Cap Times.
- Minneapolis Star Tribune: Upper Midwest regional daily serving the Twin Cities metro with a similar subscription-plus-advertising model. Comparable scale, multi-platform distribution, and reliance on local journalism in a college/state-government-dense market.
Direct peers
- Wisconsin State Journal: The other major daily newspaper serving Madison and Dane County, also owned by Lee Enterprises. Directly competes with the Capital Times for the same local readers, advertisers, and digital subscriptions in the same geography.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Capital Times social profiles
Digital presenceThe Capital Times financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Capital Times leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
The Capital Times funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Capital Times 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 The Capital Times
What does The Capital Times do?
The Capital Times is a local newspaper founded in 1917 that provides comprehensive news coverage of Madison and Dane County, Wisconsin, across government, education, health, business, elections, food, entertainment, and sports. It operates a multi-platform journalism business combining a print newspaper with home delivery, a digital news website (captimes.com), email newsletters, and live community events. Revenue is generated through News+ Membership subscriptions (Platinum, Gold, and Silver tiers), advertising sales targeting educated Madison-area consumers, and event sponsorships.
Is The Capital Times a public or private company?
The Capital Times is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was The Capital Times founded?
The Capital Times was founded in 1917. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is The Capital Times based?
The Capital Times is headquartered in Madison, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Capital Times make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Advertising is the primary driver. The others are membership/Subscription and events and Sponsorships.
Who are The Capital Times's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Axios, Politico, Block Club Chicago and The Athletic. Broad incumbents are The New York Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Minneapolis Star Tribune. Wisconsin State Journal is listed as a direct peer.
Does The Capital Times have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Capital Times.
What industry is The Capital Times in?
The Capital Times's product category is Local Newspaper Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJADAB, Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital). Its NAICS code is 51311 and its SIC code is 2711.