Austonia

Austonia was a digital media company that provided local news and information for Austin, Texas. The venture was established in 2020 by Mark Dewey, a veteran of the Austin news scene. He launched the company with the vision to deliver news exclusively focused on Austin, without a paywall, to foster a larger, community-focused audience.

The company's primary product was a daily email newsletter, coincidentally delivered at 6 a.m., which was complemented by a news website and a strong social media presence. Austonia's business model was designed to rely on local Austin advertisers rather than programmatic ads, aiming to maintain an authentic, local feel. The company successfully raised $1 million from investors and also secured a $5,000 grant from Meta to support its coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. Within two years, it grew its subscriber base to over 20,000.

In December 2022, Austonia Inc. was acquired by 6AM City, a rapidly growing newsletter-first media company, for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition was a strategic move for 6AM City to expand its footprint in the fast-growing Austin market. Following the acquisition, Austonia's operations, including its newsletter and website, were merged into 6AM City's local brand, ATXtoday. Mark Dewey transitioned into an advisory role to help with the integration of the two entities.

Keywords: Austonia, Mark Dewey, ATXtoday, 6AM City, Austin news, local media, digital newsletter, media acquisition, Austin Texas, online journalism, local advertising, community news, email newsletter, social media news, digital publishing, local business news