America's Newspapers

What America's Newspapers does

America's Newspapers is a nonprofit trade association founded in 2019 that operates as the principal industry advocacy body for U.S. newspaper publishers. The organization represents more than 1,500 newspaper publishers and affiliated organizations nationwide, delivering member services that include legislative and legal advocacy (including U.S. Supreme Court amicus filings), industry research (Trust in Media Study, Local Newspaper Study), professional development programs (Executive Development Program, now in Cohort V), industry awards (Carmage Walls Commentary Prize, Frank W. Mayborn Leadership Award), conferences (Mega-Conference, Senior Leadership Conference in Washington D.C.), and communication vehicles (twice-weekly newsletters, Solutions Newsletters).

The association runs a horizontal membership model with four tiers: Publication Members (annual dues $250–$2,500, scaled by paid subscriber count), Solutions Partners (vendor companies selling products/services to newspapers, tiered pricing), Journalism Schools ($50/year flat), and Emeritus Members (retired industry executives). Group discounts of up to 40% are available for corporate newspaper groups of 60 or more titles. The underlying technology footprint is minimal — the organization operates a content website (newspapers.org), email newsletters, social media channels, and a Media Job Board, but does not develop proprietary software platforms.

The business is operated by a remote staff of 1–10 employees under President & CEO Dean Ridings and Board Chair Pat Dorsey, incorporated in Washington, D.C. with a Tallahassee mailing address. The association has recently expanded into cross-sector civic engagement through the Sign ON 250 partnership with the National League of Cities (announced July 2026), and maintains active collaborations with the National Trust for Local News, the Bob Graham Center for Public Service, and the James Madison Institute.

Name

America's Newspapers

Legal name

America's Newspapers

Website

https://newspapers.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

America's Newspapers is a nonprofit trade association representing more than 1,500 U.S. newspaper publishers and affiliated organizations, delivering advocacy, industry research, professional development, conferences, and membership services through tiered annual dues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Trade Association Services

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (51311)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

National & General-Interest Newspapers (Print & Digital) (MPAJADAA)

Keywords

• Newspaper trade association
• Industry advocacy services
• Membership dues programs
• Publisher professional development
• News media research

Headquarters

HQ city

Tallahassee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Publication Membership Dues: Annual dues from newspaper publishers based on paid subscriber count, ranging from $250 to $2,500 per year depending on circulation size. Group discounts available for corporate groups.
2. Solutions Partner Membership Dues: Annual dues from companies providing products and services to newspapers. Multiple membership levels available.
3. Journalism School Membership Dues: Annual dues at $50 per year for journalism schools, providing access to webinars, advocacy, research, and member pricing at events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

America's Newspapers is a nonprofit trade association that represents more than 1,500 U.S. newspaper publishers, providing tiered membership programs, industry advocacy, professional development (including an Executive Development Program), research publications, newsletters, awards, and conferences for the newspaper industry. It also runs the Sign ON 250 initiative and curates resources such as digital sales training to support members.

Product overview

America's Newspapers is an industry association and advocacy organization for the newspaper industry, not a technology product company. The organization offers a portfolio of membership programs (Publication Members, Solutions Partners, Journalism Schools, Emeritus Members), professional development services (Executive Development Program, Digital Sales Training), communication vehicles (Twice-Weekly News Bulletins, Solutions Newsletters), advocacy initiatives (Sign ON 250, legislative advocacy), research publications, marketing support services, awards programs, and industry conferences. These programs collectively serve as member benefits and industry resources rather than software products or technology platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• America's Newspapers Foundation: Foundation associated with America's Newspapers, involved in executive development and professional training programs.
• Sign ON 250
• Executive Development Program

Products and services

• Publication Membership

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• National League of CitiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 July 2026Partnership to launch Sign ON 250, a year-long initiative celebrating the nation's founding principles. The initiative invites Americans to add their names to a digital version of the Declaration of Independence, culminating on July 4, 2027.
• Bob Graham Center for Public ServicesupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 July 2026Partner in Sign ON 250 initiative, preparing students for lives of civic engagement and public leadership.
• James Madison InstitutesupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 July 2026Partner in Sign ON 250 initiative, advancing principles of free markets, limited government and economic liberty.
• National Trust for Local NewssupportingOthersNonprofit organization acquiring, stabilizing and revitalizing news organizations across the country. Related through industry collaboration and shared mission of supporting local journalism.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• National Newspaper Association: U.S. trade association that historically represented community and weekly newspapers (merged into America's Newspapers in 2019 for the association's side, though NNA as a legal entity persisted for a period). Comparable focus on small-market newspapers.

Direct peers

• INMA (International News Media Association): Global membership organization for news publishers offering research, benchmarks, and best-practice programming. Comparable mission of supporting news-publisher business sustainability, with a broader international footprint.
• Local Media Association: Trade association serving local newspapers and media companies with a focus on digital revenue, audience development, and industry best practices. Highly comparable membership model and customer base.
• Society of Professional Journalists: The broadest U.S. journalism professional association, serving individual journalists across print, broadcast, and digital. Comparable advocacy and professional-development mission though membership is individual rather than institutional.
• News/Media Alliance: U.S. trade association representing news publishers (including newspapers and digital-only outlets) on legal, legislative, and platform-related issues. Closest direct competitor as a national newspaper-industry advocacy body.

Emerging players

• Online News Association: Association for digital journalists focusing on online news innovation and ethics. Adjacent mission of supporting news professionals, with stronger digital-native orientation than America's Newspapers.
• National Trust for Local News: Nonprofit that acquires and stabilizes local news organizations. Strategic partner of America's Newspapers and an adjacent player addressing the same sustainability problem from an ownership/consolidation angle.

Others

• Editor & Publisher: Trade media brand covering the newspaper industry, including a calendar of industry events co-promoted with America's Newspapers. Adjacent media and information-services peer serving the same newspaper-industry audience.

Broad incumbents

• Radio Television Digital News Association: Association serving broadcast and digital news professionals. Comparable professional-development and ethics mission across the broader news industry rather than specifically newspapers.
• National Association of Broadcasters: Larger trade association representing U.S. broadcasters. Comparable advocacy and lobbying role in the broader media industry, though focused on radio/TV rather than print/digital newspapers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/newspapersorg
• Facebookfacebook.com/americasnewspapers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/americasnewspapers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 America's Newspapers