NAICS 513120 Quarterly Industry Report
Television Broadcasting
Comprehensive industry research for valuation professionals, business owners, buyers, and lenders
NAICS Code: 513120Sector: Information (51)Updated: Q1 2026
About This Report
Fair Market Value compiles this NAICS 513120 industry report drawing on data from the U.S. Census Bureau[5], the Bureau of Labor Statistics[6], and the Small Business Administration[7]. Our research team analyzes advertising rate cards, subscription renewal rates, and digital audience metrics to produce valuation benchmarks for periodical operations. This report on NAICS 513120 is updated quarterly to capture evolving revenue models in magazine and journal publishing.
Industry Definition & Overview
Periodical Publishers (NAICS 513120) encompasses establishments known as magazine or periodical publishers that carry out the operations necessary for producing and distributing magazines, journals, newsletters, and other periodical publications. These publishers handle content creation, advertising sales, layout design, print production, and subscription fulfillment. Publications may appear in print, digital, or hybrid formats, including online-only editions.
The industry serves consumer, trade, and academic markets. Consumer magazines cover lifestyle, entertainment, news, health, and hobby topics for general audiences. Trade publications target specific professional communities such as finance, healthcare, technology, and construction with industry-specific reporting. Scholarly journals publish peer-reviewed research funded through institutional subscriptions and author processing charges. Advertising revenue has declined in print editions but digital display, programmatic, and sponsored content formats have created new monetization pathways.
Approximately 3,900 periodical publishing establishments operate nationally according to recent industry data. Employment at these firms includes editorial staff, advertising sales representatives, graphic designers, circulation managers, and digital product teams. The Bureau of Labor Statistics[4] tracks writers and editors whose roles span both print and digital periodical production. Revenue models increasingly blend subscription income, advertising, events, licensing, and e-commerce affiliate commissions to offset print advertising declines. Independent publishers with strong niche audiences often outperform general-interest titles by delivering specialized content that commands premium advertising rates and higher subscriber retention.
What's Included in This Industry
- Consumer magazine publishing in print and digital formats
- Trade and professional journal publication
- Scholarly and peer-reviewed journal publishing
- Newsletter production and subscription distribution
- Advertising sales for display, classified, and sponsored content
- Editorial content creation, fact-checking, and layout design
- Subscription fulfillment and circulation management
- Digital edition and mobile app publishing
- Custom publishing and branded content production for corporate clients
- Event hosting and conference production tied to publication brands
NAICS Classification Hierarchy
| Level | Description | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Sector | Information | 51 |
| Subsector | Publishing Industries | 513 |
| Industry Group | Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers | 5131 |
| NAICS Industry | Periodical Publishers | 51312 |
| National Industry | Periodical Publishers | 513120 |
Related NAICS Codes
| Code | Description | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| 513110 | Newspaper Publishers | Newspaper publishers share advertising sales models and print distribution networks with periodical publishers but produce daily or weekly news content |
| 513130 | Book Publishers | Book publishers use similar editorial, design, and distribution workflows but produce bound volumes rather than periodical-format publications |
| 516110 | Radio Broadcasting Stations | Internet publishing and broadcasting outlets compete for the same digital advertising budgets and reader attention as online magazine editions |
| 541810 | Advertising Agencies | Advertising agencies purchase display and digital placements in magazines on behalf of their consumer and business-to-business brand clients |
| 323111 | Commercial Printing (except Screen and Books) | Commercial printers produce the physical print runs for magazines and journals that periodical publishers distribute to subscribers and newsstands |
| 541910 | Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling | Market research firms provide audience measurement data that publishers use to set advertising rates and attract media buyers |
SBA Lending Summary
200
Total SBA Loans
$72.9M
Total Loan Volume
$365K
Average Loan Size
10 yrs
Average Loan Term
10.63%
Average Interest Rate
1,248
Jobs Supported
Source: SBA 7(a) Program Data, U.S. Small Business Administration — FY 2025[3]
Key Insight: The SBA size standard[8] for NAICS 513120 is 1,000 employees, using a headcount-based threshold. Periodical publishers with fewer than 1,000 workers qualify as small businesses for federal programs. Publishers can access SBA 7(a) loans[9] for digital platform development, content management system upgrades, and working capital, while SBA 504 loans[10] support office space acquisition. Most independent magazine publishers employ well under 100 people.
Top SBA Lenders
| # | Lender | Loans | Volume | Avg Loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Locality Bank | 8 | $19.2M | $2.4M |
| 2 | U.S. Bank, National Association | 16 | $17.5M | $1.1M |
| 3 | Celtic Bank Corporation | 8 | $10.5M | $1.3M |
| 4 | Northeast Bank | 40 | $6.2M | $155K |
| 5 | United Midwest Savings Bank National Association | 8 | $2.9M | $365K |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this industry.
What types of businesses fall under NAICS 513120?
NAICS 513120 covers establishments engaged in publishing magazines, journals, newsletters, and other periodicals in print and digital formats. This includes consumer lifestyle magazines, trade industry publications, scholarly peer-reviewed journals, and digital-only newsletter operations.
How is NAICS 513120 different from 513110?
NAICS 513110 covers newspaper publishers producing daily or weekly news editions, while 513120 covers periodical publishers producing magazines, journals, and newsletters on weekly, monthly, quarterly, or other periodic schedules. Newspapers focus on timely news; periodicals typically feature longer-form articles and thematic content, per Census Bureau classifications[11].
What is the SBA size standard for periodical publishers?
The SBA sets the size standard for NAICS 513120 at 1,000 employees. Publishers with fewer workers qualify as small businesses for federal contracting and lending programs, per the SBA size standards table[8].
What NAICS codes are related to periodical publishing?
Key related codes include 513110 (newspaper publishers), 513130 (book publishers), 516110 (internet publishing), 541810 (advertising agencies), and 323111 (commercial printing). Each intersects with periodical operations through content creation, advertising, or production services.
What industries are closely related to magazine publishers?
Closely related industries include newspaper publishing (513110) for shared media market dynamics, online publishing (516110) for digital competition, advertising agencies (541810) for revenue sourcing, commercial printing (323111) for physical production, and book publishers (513130) for editorial talent overlap.
What activities are included in periodical publishing?
Activities include editorial content creation, advertising sales, graphic design and layout, print production management, subscription fulfillment, digital edition publishing, event hosting, and custom branded content. The Bureau of Labor Statistics[4] tracks editorial employment across these functions.
Can periodical publishers get SBA loans?
Where are periodical publishers concentrated in the United States?
New York City dominates as the headquarters of most major consumer magazine groups. Other concentrations exist in Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington D.C., and San Francisco, where media and technology industries overlap. Trade publications cluster near their respective industry hubs, per Census Bureau County Business Patterns[12].
Sources & References
Government datasets and editorial sources used in this report.
- [1]U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages bls.gov
- [2]U.S. Census Bureau, Economic Census census.gov
- [3]U.S. Small Business Administration, SBA 7(a) Loan Program Data data.sba.gov
- [4]Bureau of Labor Statistics bls.gov
- [5]U.S. Census Bureau census.gov
- [6]Bureau of Labor Statistics bls.gov
- [7]Small Business Administration sba.gov
- [8]SBA size standard sba.gov
- [9]SBA 7(a) loans sba.gov
- [10]SBA 504 loans sba.gov
- [11]Census Bureau classifications census.gov
- [12]Census Bureau County Business Patterns census.gov
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