Watertown Public Opinion
Watertown Public Opinion is a local newspaper serving Watertown and the Glacial Lakes Region of South Dakota since 1887, delivering print, digital, eNewspaper, and mobile-app coverage of community news, high school sports, and civic affairs. It operates under Gannett's USA TODAY Network and monetises via subscriptions, advertising, and legal notices.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1887
- HeadquartersWatertown, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Watertown Public Opinion does
Watertown Public Opinion is a privately held local newspaper serving Watertown, Codington County, and the Glacial Lakes Region of northeastern South Dakota, in continuous operation since March 25, 1887. The publication is one of the oldest continually operating businesses in its city and predates South Dakota statehood, transitioning from a weekly to a daily paper in June 1893 and operating under Way-family stewardship for 92 years before successive ownership transitions. It currently sits inside Gannett's USA TODAY Network, having been acquired with Schurz Communications in 2016 and then absorbed in the 2019 Gatehouse-Gannett merger into the Center for Community Journalism. A staff of roughly 13 employees (per firmographics) produces a print edition mailed five days a week Tuesday through Saturday, a continuously updated website, native iOS and Android apps, an eNewspaper digital replica with multilingual translation and text-to-speech, and ancillary classifieds, public-notice, and obituary services.
The product surface is multi-platform but standardised across the USA TODAY Network: a free mobile app with push alerts, topic personalization, and access to 200+ network eNewspapers; a web portal aggregating local, state, and national content; an eNewspaper replica with article clipping and adjustable text size; a jobs marketplace powered by Jobcase and distributed to Indeed and ZipRecruiter; and a print edition delivered by mail. Core technology consists of the Gannett shared CMS and publishing infrastructure rather than proprietary systems, and the publication operates as a community-journalism hub rather than a tech-forward product company.
Monetisation rests on four streams: recurring print and digital subscriptions (bundled, with mail-delivered paper plus full digital and archive access), display and classified advertising through the USA TODAY advertising platform, legal-notice and public-notice revenue from local government and courts (a structurally sticky regulatory channel), and transaction-style fees from job listings and classifieds marketplace. GTM is sales-led for subscriptions (phone 1-888-561-5214 and website) and self-serve/PLG-style for digital, with no publicly disclosed pricing. Customers are split across consumer subscribers, local SMB advertisers, and government/regulatory buyers, with the primary segment being Watertown and Glacial Lakes Region residents served by hyperlocal news, high school sports, and civic coverage.
Watertown Public Opinion firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Watertown Public Opinion
- Legal name
- Watertown Public Opinion
- Website
- https://watertownpublicopinion.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1887
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Watertown Public Opinion is a local newspaper serving Watertown and the Glacial Lakes Region of South Dakota since 1887, delivering print, digital, eNewspaper, and mobile-app coverage of community news, high school sports, and civic affairs. It operates under Gannett's USA TODAY Network and monetises via subscriptions, advertising, and legal notices.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Watertown Public Opinion industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Local Newspaper
- NAICS
- Newspaper Publishers (513110)
- SIC
- Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital) (MPAJADAB)
Keywords
Where Watertown Public Opinion is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Watertown
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Watertown Public Opinion business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Print Subscription: Mail delivery subscription for the print edition published Tuesday through Saturday, five days a week.
- Digital Subscription: Full access to online news content, mobile apps, eNewspaper, and digital archives. Digital subscription included with print subscription.
- Advertising: Local advertising opportunities available through the publication including display ads, classifieds, legal notices, and obituaries. Advertising is handled through USA TODAY advertising platform.
- Classifieds and Marketplace: Job listings, real estate listings, and general classifieds marketplace. Job listings powered through partnership with Jobcase and integration with Indeed and ZipRecruiter.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Print Subscription with Digital Access |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Watertown Public Opinion product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Watertown Public Opinion is a local newspaper serving Watertown and the Glacial Lakes Region of South Dakota. It publishes a print edition Tuesday through Saturday delivered by mail, alongside a continuously updated online news portal, mobile applications for Apple and Android, an eNewspaper digital replica, and email newsletters. The publication sells bundled print-plus-digital subscriptions, local advertising (display, classifieds, legal notices, obituaries) via the USA TODAY Network advertising platform, and operates an integrated job marketplace and online classifieds.
Product overview
Watertown Public Opinion operates as a multi-platform local news organization offering both print and digital products. The core offering is the local newspaper, which is published in print five days per week (Tuesday through Saturday) and continuously updated online seven days a week. Digital products include a mobile application for Apple and Android devices, an eNewspaper digital replica with multilingual translation capabilities, and the online news website. Additional services include a jobs marketplace integrated with major employment platforms and classified advertising. The organization is part of the USA TODAY Network's Center for Community Journalism.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Print Edition Subscription Traditional newspaper print edition published Tuesday through Saturday, delivered by mail to subscribers in the Watertown and Glacial Lakes Region. Bundled with full digital access including eNewspaper and mobile apps.
- Online News Website (thepublicopinion.com) Continuously updated web-based news portal providing 24/7 access to local, regional and statewide news, sports, politics, opinion, obituaries, real estate and classifieds. Available to digital subscribers and integrated with the USA TODAY Network.
- Watertown Public Opinion Mobile App Free mobile application available on Apple App Store and Google Play providing local news, sports, government and business coverage with push alerts for breaking news, customizable topic following, and access to the eNewspaper digital replica.
- eNewspaper Digital Replica Digital replica of the daily print newspaper accessible through the mobile app and website, with multilingual translation (Spanish, German, Dutch, French), adjustable text size, article clipping and sharing, listen-to-articles audio, and access to previous editions within 30 days.
- Jobs Marketplace Online job board that distributes employer job listings to Jobcase (reaching over 100 million job seekers) and integrates with Indeed and ZipRecruiter. Employers can post either online-only or online-plus-print job listings targeted at the Watertown area.
- Classifieds Online classified advertising platform allowing users in the Watertown community to buy, sell and trade goods and services, and to post real estate and general listings.
Companies that use Watertown Public Opinion
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Watertown Public Opinion technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Watertown Public Opinion partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- GannettcoreWatertown Public Opinion became part of USA TODAY Network following Gannett's acquisition of Gatehouse Media and subsequent merger in 2019. The publication operates under Gannett's Center for Community Journalism. This provides access to Gannett's content management systems, advertising networks, and broader distribution through the USA TODAY Network platform.
- JobcaseminorJobcase powers the job marketplace functionality on the Watertown Public Opinion website, enabling job listings to reach over 100 million job seekers. Job listings are distributed to Indeed and ZipRecruiter through the Jobcase platform.
- Google PlayminorDistribution partner for Android mobile application. App available for download through Google Play store.
- Apple App StoreminorDistribution partner for iOS mobile application. App available for download through Apple App Store.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Watertown Public Opinion competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Flagship South Dakota daily under USA TODAY Network, serving the state's largest metro. Same parent, same technology platform, but a substantially larger market, broader editorial scope, and digital subscription scale that Watertown Public Opinion does not approach.
- Lee Enterprises: Large publicly traded local newspaper operator owning dailies and weeklies across the Midwest and U.S. Direct competitive overlap in many adjacent markets and a comparable subscription + advertising revenue model, though at portfolio scale.
- Rapid City Journal: Larger daily newspaper serving Rapid City, South Dakota, also under Gannett's USA TODAY Network. Comparable product offering but a broader regional reach and larger market footprint than Watertown Public Opinion.
Direct peers
- Mitchell Daily Republic: Daily newspaper serving Mitchell, South Dakota, part of the USA TODAY Network. Direct same-state peer with matching multi-platform (print, web, mobile) distribution and similar local-news + high school sports editorial mix.
- Huron Plainsman: Daily newspaper serving Huron, South Dakota, also under Gannett's USA TODAY Network. Comparable small-market South Dakota daily with print+digital subscription, classifieds, and community coverage model.
- Aberdeen American News: Local daily newspaper serving Aberdeen, South Dakota, also owned by Gannett and operated within USA TODAY Network. Most directly comparable as a same-state, same-parent, similar-sized local daily with print + digital subscription model.
- Pierre Capital Journal: Daily newspaper serving Pierre, South Dakota, within USA TODAY Network. Comparable small-state-capital market daily with same print cadence and local government/public notice franchise.
- Yankton Press & Dakotan: Daily newspaper serving Yankton, South Dakota, part of the USA TODAY Network. Direct same-state peer of comparable size and market type with shared Gannett infrastructure and advertising platform.
- Brookings Register: Locally owned daily newspaper serving Brookings, South Dakota. Comparable as a hyperlocal South Dakota daily covering a university town with similar subscription/advertising revenue mix and community-coverage focus.
Emerging players
- Patch (Patch.com): Digital-only hyperlocal news network operating local sites across the U.S., including in South Dakota. Competes for local digital audience and local advertiser dollars without the print/news-of-record component.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Watertown Public Opinion social profiles
Digital presenceWatertown Public Opinion financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Watertown Public Opinion leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Watertown Public Opinion funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Watertown Public Opinion 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 Watertown Public Opinion
What does Watertown Public Opinion do?
The Watertown Public Opinion is a local newspaper serving Watertown and the Glacial Lakes Region of South Dakota. It publishes a print edition Tuesday through Saturday delivered by mail, alongside a continuously updated online news portal, mobile applications for Apple and Android, an eNewspaper digital replica, and email newsletters. The publication sells bundled print-plus-digital subscriptions, local advertising (display, classifieds, legal notices, obituaries) via the USA TODAY Network advertising platform, and operates an integrated job marketplace and online classifieds.
Is Watertown Public Opinion a public or private company?
Watertown Public Opinion is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Watertown Public Opinion founded?
Watertown Public Opinion was founded in 1887. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Watertown Public Opinion based?
Watertown Public Opinion is headquartered in Watertown, United States, in the North America region.
How does Watertown Public Opinion make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Print Subscription is the primary driver. The others are digital Subscription, advertising and classifieds and Marketplace.
Who are Watertown Public Opinion's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Sioux Falls Argus Leader, Lee Enterprises and Rapid City Journal. Direct peers are Mitchell Daily Republic, Huron Plainsman, Aberdeen American News, Pierre Capital Journal, Yankton Press & Dakotan and Brookings Register. Patch (Patch.com) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Watertown Public Opinion have an API?
No public API is recorded for Watertown Public Opinion.
What industry is Watertown Public Opinion in?
Watertown Public Opinion's product category is Local Newspaper. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJADAB, Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital). Its NAICS code is 513110 and its SIC code is 2711.