Mankato Free Press

What Mankato Free Press does

Mankato Free Press is a privately held local newspaper headquartered at 418 South Second Street in Mankato, Minnesota, and is operated as part of CNHI LLC's (Community Newspaper Holdings Inc.) network of community newspapers. The publication serves residents of Mankato, Blue Earth County, and surrounding southern Minnesota communities with local news, sports — including Minnesota State University athletics — opinion, classifieds, obituaries, public notices, and community information delivered across print, digital, and mobile channels. The company is structured as a traditional local newspaper with digital extensions rather than a SaaS or technology platform, and it operates with a small on-site newsroom staff of 1-10 employees while relying on CNHI for shared corporate functions (privacy policy is governed by CNHI LLC in Montgomery, Alabama).

The core technology platform is the TownNews Blox Content Management System, which powers the main news website (mankatofreepress.com), e-paper digital replica, and mobile applications for iOS and Android. The product portfolio comprises the primary news website, an E-Paper digital edition, a mobile app, Mankato Magazine (a print and digital lifestyle publication), the FreepCast podcast distributed via Podbean, an online classifieds and job board, and an online puzzles and games module (games.cnhinews.com). Third-party integrations include Trinity Audio for text-to-speech article playback, Constant Contact for newsletter and email marketing distribution, and Cityspark for community event listings.

Mankato Free Press generates revenue through three primary streams: recurring subscription revenue from print home delivery and e-paper digital access; advertising from newspaper display ads, digital advertising, classifieds, and public/legal notices; and transaction fees from paid obituary and celebration announcements. The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer for subscriptions via print and self-serve digital channels, and direct-to-local-SMB for advertising. Subscription pricing is not publicly disclosed. Geographic footprint is limited to Mankato, Blue Earth County, and southwest Minnesota; the company has no global distribution and is not pursuing geographic expansion beyond its established regional base.

Name

Mankato Free Press

Legal name

CNHI LLC

Website

https://mankatofreepress.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mankato Free Press is a privately held community newspaper serving Mankato, Blue Earth County, and southern Minnesota. Operated by CNHI LLC, it delivers local news, sports, obituaries, and classifieds across print, e-paper, mobile app, website, podcast, and magazine channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Newspaper Publishing

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (513110), Newspaper Publishers (51311), Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Alternative/Independent Newsweeklies & Opinion Press (MPAJADAH)

Keywords

• Local newspaper
• Digital news media
• News subscriptions
• Classified advertising
• Community journalism

Headquarters

HQ city

Mankato

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, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Subscription Revenue: Print and digital newspaper subscriptions, including home delivery and e-paper access
2. Advertising: Newspaper display ads, digital advertising, classifieds, and public notices
3. Obituaries and Celebrations: Paid obituary placements and celebration announcements

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Mankato Free Press is a local daily newspaper serving Mankato, Minnesota and the surrounding region, delivering local, regional, and national news, sports, obituaries, opinion, and entertainment coverage. The publication operates across multiple channels, including a news website (mankatofreepress.com), a print edition with home delivery, an E-Paper digital replica, a mobile app, the FreepCast podcast, and the Mankato Magazine lifestyle publication.

Product overview

Mankato Free Press is a traditional local newspaper owned by CNHI LLC, offering a multi-platform news operation centered around its core print and digital news products. The primary offerings include the daily newspaper (delivered via print subscription and E-Paper digital replica), the main news website at mankatofreepress.com, and mobile applications. Supplementary products include Mankato Magazine (lifestyle publication), the FreepCast podcast series, classifieds and job boards, and online puzzles and games. The portfolio is structured as a traditional newspaper with digital extensions rather than a SaaS or technology platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mankato Free Press News Website Digital news website providing local, regional, and national news, sports, opinion, obituaries, weather, and entertainment coverage for readers in Mankato, Minnesota and surrounding communities.
• E-Paper Digital Replica Digital replica of the print edition allowing subscribers to read the newspaper online, with search and archive access to past issues.
• Mankato Free Press Mobile App Mobile application providing on-the-go access to news content, push notifications, and digital reading for subscribers via iOS and Android devices.
• FreepCast Podcast Audio podcast produced by Mankato Free Press staff covering local news topics, sports, and community stories, distributed via Podbean and integrated with Trinity Audio on the website.
• Mankato Magazine Lifestyle magazine covering local dining, events, arts, and community features in the Mankato region, distributed as an insert and available digitally.
• Print Classified Advertising Classified ad placement service in print and digital editions covering jobs, real estate, vehicles, and merchandise for local individuals and businesses.
• Obituary and Celebration Placements Paid obituary and family celebration notice placement service in print and online editions for local families.
• Print and Online Puzzles and Games Daily puzzles, crosswords, sudoku, word games, and entertainment features available in print and on the website for subscribers and casual readers.
• Print Home Delivery Subscription Daily or periodic home delivery of the printed Mankato Free Press newspaper, with bundled digital access included.
• Email Newsletters Topic-based email newsletters delivered via Constant Contact, covering daily headlines, sports, weather, and local events to opted-in readers.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability1 record

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Austin Daily Herald: Southern Minnesota daily community newspaper also owned by CNHI LLC, serving a similar-sized market with the same print-plus-digital local news model. Direct comparable for revenue mix, audience, and parent-company economics.
• Post-Bulletin: Regional daily serving Rochester, MN — the largest newspaper in southern Minnesota and the most direct peer in terms of audience scale, content depth, and local-sports coverage of a state university.
• Winona Daily News: Southeast Minnesota daily newspaper serving a similar mid-sized river-town community. Comparable in print frequency, regional coverage scope, and reliance on subscription and display advertising.
• St. Peter Herald: Adjacent small-town Minnesota paper serving a community immediately next to Mankato. Comparable in product mix and geographic adjacency, covering overlapping news beats.
• Albert Lea Tribune: Another CNHI-owned daily serving a comparable southern Minnesota community. Operates the same subscription-plus-advertising model with e-paper and website distribution, making it the closest functional peer.
• Faribault Daily News: Regional daily serving a comparable southern Minnesota market with print and digital editions under a similar business model. Directly comparable in scale, distribution channels, and audience composition.
• New Ulm Journal: CNHI-owned local newspaper in a nearby southern Minnesota community of similar size. Provides an almost identical product/market overlap to Mankato Free Press.
• Red Wing Republican Eagle: Smaller southeastern Minnesota community newspaper offering print and digital local news. Comparable in audience size and editorial scope, providing a useful smaller-market benchmark.

Regional players

• Forum Communications Company: Privately held regional media company operating newspapers, television, and digital properties across the Upper Midwest including Minnesota. Operates in overlapping geographies with Mankato Free Press and competes for the same regional advertising dollars.

Broad incumbents

• Gannett: Largest U.S. newspaper publisher (USA TODAY Network) operating hundreds of community and regional dailies. Sets the benchmark for community-newspaper digital subscription strategy, ad tech, and cost structure across the industry.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeinstagram.com/freepressphoto
• Facebookfacebook.com/mankatofreepress
• Instagraminstagram.com/freepressphoto
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/merge-inc.

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 Mankato Free Press