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Draft:6AM City Co

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6AM City is a United States-based media company that delivers hyper-local news and information through daily newsletters. Founded in 2016, the company has expanded to multiple cities across the country, providing coverage on local events, business, culture, and community news.

History

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6AM City was founded on February 15, 2016, by Ryan Johnston and Ryan Heafy. 6AM City's first market, GVLtoday,:[1] launched with a newsletter that July as a product innovation of Community Journals Publishing Company,[2] a print media company in Upstate South Carolina. In 2017, the founders launched a website and social platforms for GVLtoday. In April of that year, the business expanded to Columbia, South Carolina, where it launched COLAtoday.[3] Since its inception, 6AM City has expanded to numerous cities across the United States, focusing on adapting to local markets and delivering relevant content to its readers.[4]

In August 2017, 6AM City became an independently operating business separate from Community Journals and established the business name. Early growth was initially concentrated in the Southeast fueled by investments from VentureSouth and Harbright Ventures.

6AM City expanded nationally in 2021 to include 24 markets across the United States, supported by a round of funding led by Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeffrey Vinik. Other funding sources included CNN Chief Product Officer Rohit Agarwal and Jerry Scott (former Publisher of Scott Publishing).

Newsletter strategist Andy Griffiths of Green Star Media notes that the "slickly produced" newsletters "[shun] the usual local news approach, betting on growing a larger audience of folk wanting to get out and do things than those interested in car crashes, political fights and shootings." He adds that the product plays well with social media because it is "fast-moving" and built for "rapid-fire scanning and consumption," focusing on "'soft, rather than 'hard' news."[5]

Critics of 6AM City's model have argued that "local doesn't scale," and that the company's focus on private investors and advertising is extractive, versus emerging from a a grassroots, community-driven base. They also note that 6AM City's policy on crime and punishment and the fact that its reporters don't do investigative journalism make its newsletters "non-essential" and do not fill a void left by legacy local news publishers who have downsized or eliminated newsrooms.[6]

Services

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Newsletters

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6AM City produces daily email newsletters tailored to specific cities. These newsletters cover various topics, including news updates, event listings, business openings and closings, real estate news, and profiles of local personalities.

Websites

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In addition to newsletters, 6AM City maintains websites for each city it serves. These websites provide archives of past newsletters and additional content not included in the daily emails.

Cities served

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As of 2024, 6AM City operates in the following cities[7]

  • Madison, WI (608today) – September 27, 2021
  • Austin, TX (ATXtoday) – October 18, 2021
  • Asheville, NC (AVLtoday) – February 8, 2018
  • Boston, MA (BOStoday) – November 15, 2021
  • Columbus, OH (CBUStoday) – December 29, 2021
  • Charleston, SC (CHStoday) – February 15, 2018
  • Charlotte, NC (CLTtoday) – March 18, 2024
  • Columbia, SC (COLAtoday) – April 3, 2017
  • Dallas, TX (DALtoday) – June 7, 2024
  • Fort Worth, TX (FTWtoday) – October 18, 2021
  • Greenville, SC (GVLtoday) – July 1, 2016
  • Indianapolis, IN (INDYtoday) – September 27, 2021
  • Kansas City, MO (KCtoday) – August 9, 2021
  • Los Angeles, CA (LALtoday) – August 16, 2018
  • Lexington, KY (LEXtoday) – September 27, 2021
  • Louisville, KY (LOUtoday) – August 9, 2021
  • Nashville, TN (NASHtoday) – April 5, 2021
  • Chattanooga, TN (NOOGAtoday) – September 20, 2018
  • Portland, OR (PDXtoday) – December 6, 2021
  • Raleigh, NC (RALtoday) – October 7, 2019
  • Richmond, VA (RICtoday) – July 26, 2021
  • San Antonio, TX (SATXtoday) – October 25, 2021
  • Seattle, WA (SEAtoday) – October 18, 2021
  • Tampa, FL (TBAYtoday) – September 8, 2022
  • Winston-Salem, NC (WStoday) – July 31, 2023

Business model

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6AM City combines advertising revenue with sponsorships. The company offers local businesses opportunities to reach their target audience through advertisements and sponsored content within its newsletters. This model allows 6AM City to provide free services to subscribers while maintaining financial sustainability.

Community involvement

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6AM City collaborates with local organizations and events to promote community engagement and support local initiatives. The company's content aims to foster a sense of community and encourage readers to participate in local activities.

Partnership with TEGNA

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On February 2, 2024, 6AM City announced a strategic investment partnership with TEGNA Inc., a major broadcast, digital media, and marketing services company. The partnership was aimed at supporting 6AM City's expansion into new markets and enhancing its content offerings. TEGNA's investment included adding news and weather from its stations to 6AM City's newsletters, expanding sales and marketing resources, and leveraging TEGNA's network for local sports coverage.[8]

Challenges

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6AM City faces several challenges typical of the media industry:

  • Competition
  • Content Quality and Consistency
  • Revenue Generation
  • Technological Adaptation
  • Audience Engagement
  • Regulatory and Ethical Considerations

Market exits

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In early 2024, 6AM City announced the closure of three of its city-specific newsletters: SACtoday in Sacramento, CA; SDtoday in San Diego, CA; and SJtoday in San Jose, CA. The company cited challenges in market penetration and sustainability as the primary reasons for these closures. Despite these setbacks, 6AM City continues to focus on its remaining markets and aims to refine its strategy for future growth.

Product exits

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In 2022, 6AM City launched Six & Main, its ECommerce platform. Six & Main offered a range of locally curated products that reflected the unique culture and interests of the cities served by 6AM City. These products typically included merchandise such as apparel, accessories, and specialty items featuring designs and motifs inspired by each city's identity and heritage. This platform is no longer active due challenges in market penetration and sustainability.[9]

References

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  1. ^ https://gvltoday.6amcity.com/
  2. ^ https://communityjournals.com/
  3. ^ https://colatoday.6amcity.com/
  4. ^ "6AM City Co-Founder Ryan Heafy on creating a local newsletter launch playbook". 28 February 2022.
  5. ^ "CN#1. Impactful local news coverage at BOSToday". 2 September 2022.
  6. ^ "The local-news start-up 6AM City is coming to Boston. Try not to get too excited". 24 September 2021.
  7. ^ "Subscribe".
  8. ^ https://upstatebusinessjournal.com/business-news/6am-city-announces-investment-partnership-with-tegna-to-expand-into-new-markets/#:~:text=TEGNA's%20investment%20in%206AM%20includes,daily%20newsletters%20in%20overlapping%20markets.Tegna Inc.
  9. ^ https://shopsixandmain.com/
  • "Local Newsletter Company 6AM City Expands to New Markets." MediaPost, 2023.
  • "The Rise of 6AM City: How Hyper-Local Newsletters Are Changing Local Journalism." Nieman Lab, 2022.
  • "6AM City Announces Closure of SACtoday, SDtoday, and SJtoday." Local Media Association, 2024.
  • "6AM City Announces Investment Partnership with TEGNA to Expand into New Markets." Upstate Business Journal, 2024.
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Official website

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