Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

What Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder does

The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder (MSR) is a privately held, for-profit multimedia news organization founded in 1936 by Cecil E. Newman that serves Black communities in Minnesota, primarily in the Twin Cities metro area. Its core products are a weekly print newspaper and a digital news website (spokesman-recorder.com) delivering local, state, and national news alongside coverage of business, sports, arts and culture, health, education, opinion, and community voices. The MSR extends its reach through four branded podcasts (On the Radar, Blacklight on Sports, Tracey's Keepin' It Real, MSR Health), two email newsletters (MSR Today, MSR Sports Weekly), an online Black Business Directory, the recurring Black Business Spotlight feature, and a digital-archive partnership with the Minnesota Historical Society. Distribution is multi-channel: own website, Issuu-hosted digital editions, email, social platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube), newsstands, and home/office print delivery, with annual community events including the Legacy Yacht Cruise and the Anniversary Gala.

The underlying technology stack is the Newspack content management system, a WordPress-based publishing platform designed for news publishers, with no disclosed proprietary AI or advanced technical features. The business model combines subscription revenue (home/office print delivery and e-newsletter), donor support (one-time, monthly, and annual donations — explicitly non-deductible, reflecting the for-profit status), display and sponsored advertising (including the JPMorganChase-sponsored Black Business Spotlight), events and merchandise sales, and Black Business Directory listings. The primary customer segments are Black residents of Minnesota seeking representation and culturally relevant news, community advocates engaged in social-justice and civic activity, and Black-owned businesses seeking visibility and community-aligned marketing channels. The MSR is currently fundraising $75,000 to underwrite a dedicated Government Reporter position under its Accountability Project, indicating an intent to deepen public-affairs coverage.

Name

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

Legal name

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

Website

https://spokesman-recorder.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder is a 90-year-old, for-profit Black community news outlet in Minneapolis delivering print, digital, podcast, newsletter, directory, and event products to Black readers, advocates, and Black-owned businesses across Minnesota.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Newspaper

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (513110), Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)

akta.pro primary industry

Community, Ethnic & Multilingual News Publishers (MPAJADAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Community journalism
• Black newspaper
• Local news publishing
• Multimedia content
• Community events

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Subscriptions: Home/office delivery subscriptions and weekly e-newsletter subscriptions providing recurring revenue from readers
2. Donations and Support: One-time, monthly, and annual donations from community supporters; currently fundraising $75,000 for dedicated Government Reporter position
3. Advertising: Display advertising and sponsored content placements on website and in publications
4. Events and Merchandise: Revenue from events including Legacy Yacht Cruise, 91st Anniversary Gala, and MSR merchandise shop
5. Black Business Directory and Spotlight: Featured business listings and promotional packages for Black-owned businesses in Minnesota

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels16 records

Core offering

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder is a 90-year-old Black community newspaper that publishes a weekly print edition, a continuously updated digital news website, podcasts, email newsletters, and community events targeting Black audiences in Minnesota. The publication covers local, state, and national news, Black business features, arts and culture, health, sports, education, and opinion, with annual special editions such as the MLK Legacy Section and Echoes of Unity.

Product overview

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder operates as a multi-platform news organization serving Black communities in Minnesota through a portfolio of interconnected products. The core offerings include a digital news website and print newspaper delivering comprehensive coverage of local news, community issues, business, sports, arts, education, health, and opinion. The publication extends its reach through four distinct podcast brands (On the Radar, Blacklight on Sports, Tracey's Keepin' It Real, and MSR Health) that cover creative, sports, cultural, and wellness topics respectively. Supporting products include subscription-based email newsletters (MSR Today and MSR Sports Weekly), a Black Business Directory and Black Business Spotlight feature for local entrepreneurs, and Digital Historical Archives in partnership with Minnesota Historical Society. The organization also organizes signature community events including the Legacy Yacht Cruise and Anniversary Gala. All offerings are built on the Newspack (WordPress-based) publishing platform, with digital editions distributed through Issuu.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• On the Radar: Weekly feature series highlighting Minnesota creatives across disciplines including music, visual arts, literary arts, and more.
• Blacklight on Sports
• MSR Health
• MSR Youth Financial Education Series
• Black Business Spotlight
• Veritas Academy

Products and services

• Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder Print Newspaper
• Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder Website
• MSR Digital Editions (Issuu)
• MSR Today Newsletter
• MSR Sports Weekly Newsletter
• On the Radar Podcast
• Blacklight on Sports Podcast
• Tracey's Keepin' It Real Podcast
• MSR Health Podcast (4UR Health)
• Black Business Directory
• Black Business Spotlight
• Digital Historical Archives
• Legacy Yacht Cruise
• 91st Anniversary Gala
• MSR Merchandise Shop

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple news categories covering Black communities across Minnesota

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• JPMorganChaseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerJPMorganChase sponsors the Black Business Spotlight section, a weekly feature celebrating Black-owned businesses across Minnesota. The partnership provides promotional support and brand association for JPMorganChase while enabling the MSR to deliver enhanced coverage of Black business communities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Call (Kansas City): Kansas City-based African-American weekly newspaper covering local news and community events for the Black community. Direct Midwestern peer to MSR with similar print + digital + events model.
• Chicago Defender: Long-running African-American newspaper covering Chicago's Black community with print, digital, and events. Closest direct analogue to MSR: heritage Black newspaper operating local print + digital + events for a Midwestern Black audience.
• Atlanta Daily World: Long-standing Black newspaper serving the Atlanta community with print and digital content. Direct peer to MSR as a heritage Black-owned local news outlet operating across print + online.
• The Philadelphia Tribune: One of the oldest continuously published African-American newspapers, offering local news, opinion, and community coverage. Comparable to MSR in heritage status and community-newspaper focus.
• The Washington Informer: Black community newspaper serving the Washington DC metropolitan area with print and digital editions, plus community events. Comparable to MSR in audience and event-driven community engagement model.
• The Sacramento Observer: Long-running African-American newspaper covering Sacramento with weekly print and digital presence. Direct peer to MSR in legacy Black community newspaper operating model.
• New York Amsterdam News: Historic Black community newspaper in New York with weekly print, digital editions, newsletters, and events. Highly comparable operating model to MSR across print, digital, and community programming.
• St. Louis American: St. Louis-focused African-American newspaper providing local news, opinion, and community reporting. Comparable to MSR as a regional Black-owned news outlet with multi-channel distribution.
• The Afro-American Newspaper: Multi-city Black newspaper (Baltimore, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Richmond) with print and digital editions. Highly relevant peer for MSR given multi-region community-newspaper model and similar audience.

Broad incumbents

• Minnesota Public Radio / MPR News: Major Minnesota-based public media organization delivering statewide news coverage across radio, digital, and podcasts. Adjacent peer to MSR covering same Minnesota audience and likely competing for the same reader/listener attention and local advertiser dollars.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@mnspokesmanrecorder
• Facebookfacebook.com/MNSpokesmanRecorder
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mnspokesmanrecorder
• Instagraminstagram.com/mnspokesmanrecorder
• TikToktiktok.com/@mnspokesmanrecorder

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder