What KM Media Group does

KM Media Group is a multi-platform regional media company headquartered in Rochester, Kent, serving local audiences and businesses across Kent in southeast England. The company operates an integrated media portfolio spanning print publications (newspapers with 135,952 weekly readers plus ten magazines and supplements), digital (KentOnline regional news network with 3.4 million monthly unique visitors plus six specialty websites covering jobs, travel, business, family, lifestyle, and entertainment), radio (kmfm reaching 172,900 weekly listeners), and television (KMTV, Kent's first dedicated county television channel operated as a partnership with the University of Kent). The group also publishes digital editions of its print titles through the IM News app, which delivers page-turning editions to mobile users. Technology infrastructure is a conventional digital publishing stack, with the proprietary IM News app as the only notable platform component for digital edition delivery.

KM Media Group generates revenue primarily through advertising sales across its owned media channels, supplemented by professional services revenue from digital marketing offerings including web design, web development, search engine marketing, social media management, and video/photography production. The company operates a direct sales-led go-to-market model, acting as a consultative marketing partner for local businesses in Kent and bundling advertising, sponsorship, event, and promotional opportunities across all owned media platforms. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; no rate cards or subscription tiers are available in the source data. The primary customer segment is local Kent SMBs seeking integrated multi-channel reach to Kent consumers.

The company is a subsidiary of Iliffe Media Group, a diversified UK media conglomerate, with the legal entity being Iliffe Media Limited (company registration 09967892), incorporated in the United Kingdom with registered offices in Cambridge. KM Media Group employs approximately 274 people and claims more than 300 years of continuous service to Kent communities, operating across the principal dimensions of a regional media business: news, advertising, marketing services, and broadcasting.

Name

KM Media Group

Legal name

Iliffe Media Limited

Website

https://kmmediagroup.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

KM Media Group is a multi-platform regional media company in Kent, UK, operating newspapers, the KentOnline network (3.4 million monthly visitors), kmfm radio, and KMTV television. It sells integrated advertising and digital marketing services to local Kent businesses as part of Iliffe Media Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Media Services

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (51311), Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711), Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832), Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Local News & Weather Stations (MPABACAJ)

Keywords

• Local media advertising
• Regional newspapers
• Radio broadcasting
• Digital news platform
• Marketing services

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Print Advertising: Advertising revenue from newspaper and magazine publications including 10 magazines and supplements with over 135,952 weekly readers
2. Online Advertising: Digital advertising across KentOnline regional news network with 3.4 million monthly unique visitors, plus job, travel, business, family, lifestyle and entertainment websites
3. Radio Advertising: Advertising and sponsorship revenue from kmfm radio station reaching 172,900 weekly listeners playing Kent's Biggest Hits music format
4. TV Advertising: Television advertising and sponsorship through KMTV, Kent's dedicated county television channel
5. Digital Marketing Services: Professional services revenue from web design, web development, search engine marketing, social media management, and video and photography production services

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

KM Media Group is a multi-platform local media company serving Kent, UK, providing news content and advertising solutions across print newspapers and magazines, the KentOnline digital news network, kmfm local radio stations, KMTV local television, and the IM News mobile application. The company also operates a digital marketing services agency that delivers marketing solutions to local businesses in Kent.

Product overview

KM Media Group operates as a multi-platform media company delivering local news and information to Kent through an integrated portfolio of print, online, radio, and television channels. The portfolio includes KentOnline (regional news network with 3.4M monthly visitors), kmfm radio (172,900 weekly listeners), KMTV television (in partnership with University of Kent), and publications reaching 135,952 weekly readers across newspapers and magazines. The group also offers an IM News app for digital publication access and provides digital marketing services including web design, development, search engine marketing, and social media management. Together, these products form a comprehensive local media ecosystem serving over a million Kent residents monthly.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• kmfm: Kent's Biggest Hits radio station entertaining 172,900 listeners weekly
• KentOnline
• KMTV
• IM News app

Products and services

• KentOnline
• kmfm radio
• KMTV
• Print publications (newspapers and magazines)
• IM News App
• Digital Marketing Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Reaches over 1 million people monthly across Kent
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• University of KentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKMTV is a partnership between KM Media Group and the University of Kent, establishing Kent's first dedicated county television channel. The partnership provides educational opportunities and content creation while expanding KM Media Group's multi-platform media reach.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Reach plc: Reach plc is the UK's largest regional newspaper publisher (Mirror, Express, Star and hundreds of regional titles) operating a multi-platform news, digital, and advertising model across print and online. It is directly comparable to KM Media Group as a UK regional media operator monetising local audiences through integrated advertising.
• Archant: Archant was a long-established UK regional newspaper and magazine publisher (regional titles in East Anglia, London, and the South West) before its regional titles were absorbed into Newsquest. It is a historical direct peer to KM Media Group in regional newspaper publishing, though its standalone operations are now limited.
• Tindle Newspapers: Tindle Newspapers is a privately held UK regional newspaper publisher operating local titles across England. It is comparable to KM Media Group as an independent regional print-and-digital newspaper group serving defined local audiences through advertising.
• National World plc: National World emerged from the restructuring of JPI Media (formerly Johnston Press) and now operates a portfolio of regional UK newspapers and digital news brands. It is a direct peer to KM Media Group as a UK regional multi-platform news and advertising operator.
• Newsquest Media Group: Newsquest is one of the UK's largest regional newspaper groups, publishing over 200 titles plus digital platforms. Owned by Gannett, it is directly comparable to KM Media Group in running multi-title regional news portfolios with print, digital, and advertising revenue streams.

Broad incumbents

• News UK Broadcasting (Wireless Group): News UK, via the former Wireless Group, operates talkSPORT and a portfolio of local and national radio stations in the UK and Ireland. It is comparable to KM Media Group as a commercial radio broadcaster monetising local and niche audiences through advertising.
• Bauer Media Audio UK: Bauer Media operates a major portfolio of UK commercial radio stations (Absolute, Kiss, Magic, Hits Radio) plus digital audio brands. It is comparable to KM Media Group's kmfm in commercial radio advertising monetisation and audience-driven broadcast operations.
• Global Media & Entertainment: Global is the UK's largest commercial radio operator (Heart, Capital, Classic FM, LBC, Smooth) and a major digital audio advertising platform. It is comparable to KM Media Group as a UK commercial radio operator monetising broadcast audiences through advertising, though at significantly greater national scale.
• Iliffe Media Group: Iliffe Media Group is the diversified parent of KM Media Group and operates additional regional newspaper and digital titles across England. As KM's parent, it is comparable at the group level as a broader UK regional media portfolio owner, though it spans multiple regions beyond Kent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/km-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 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 KM Media Group