Is there a market for local political newsletters and media brands?
Short answer
I think so, though it's untested for me. State and county party organizations should have full media arms, and most don't because they don't know how. Build one umbrella brand with a newsletter and short-form social first, add a website, podcast and events later, and use signup surveys so campaigns know who their supporters are.
This is an idea I'm testing, not a result. I haven't proven the model in politics. But the gap looks huge.
"the Republican Party of Florida, the Democratic Party of California, like, these people should have full media arms. And they don't. And it's because they don't know how to do it."
Who's the buyer?
State and county party organizations, and campaigns. My pitch would be: we'll do it for you, we'll make it easy, we'll run the Meta ads.
They can afford it. Politics has the most money ever. If we told a whole state organization it costs $2,500 a month, they'd think that's nothing. For a smaller campaign, I've sketched about $100 a month for software plus $800 to $1,000 a month for Meta ads, community access and ongoing training. A partner of mine pointed out that political buyers have the longest sales cycle but are very sticky once they sign.
What makes the list valuable?
The signup survey. The pitch is: here are the surveys our subscribers fill out, at around a 60% rate, and you're getting subscribers for about a dollar. Campaigns can target those known supporters at election time, or anytime they want. Those are pitch numbers to prove in politics, not a political track record. For what to ask, see signup survey questions.
What should a political local media brand look like?
I told two people planning a right-leaning big-city media company to build it like any modern local media company: one umbrella brand that gives people the information they want, the way they want to consume it.
- Start with: a newsletter and short-form social.
- Add later: a website with articles, long-form podcasts and events, whether you host them or feature other people's.
- Name it clearly: the city in the name, and a subtitle that makes the angle obvious, because people identify with their location and their politics together.
How big should it start?
Events will be a key part of the business too, whether you host your own, feature other people's or partner with them on the advertising side. All of it lives under one brand.
Cover the whole city, not a small slice. If it crushes, you can split off sub-brands per part of the city. The content decisions were theirs to make.
Answered by TJ Larkin. From Local Media HQ podcast conversations, client and partner calls, and my own notes, 2025-2026. Last updated .