Industry · Form 5500 business code 511110
Newspaper Publishers: retirement plans
Plans whose sponsor entered this principal business activity code on Form 5500.
Form 5500 information is as filed by the plan administrator with the Department of Labor and may be amended. Figures reflect the plan year shown, not current balances. The business code is chosen by the filer from the list in the Form 5500 instructions.
For plan year 2024, 144 retirement plans in newspaper publishers with 100 or more participants filed Form 5500: 100 defined contribution and 44 defined benefit. They reported 209,038 participant records and $21.2B in net assets, counting every plan on the form.
The median defined contribution plan held $76,849 per participant, well above the national median of $53,031, and its employer put in $1,017 per active participant (national: $2,174). Among plans reporting Schedule C compensation the median was $134 per participant against $123 nationally.
Employers contributed $243M and participants $464M during the year, and the plans paid out $2.27B in benefits.
In 2009 the same group numbered 368 plans with $27.5B; by 2024 it was 144 plans (down 61%) and $21.2B (down 23%). From plan year 2023 the 100-participant line counts participants with account balances, which moved many plans to the short form.
Medians compared with all US plans
| Median plan, plan year 2024 | Industry: DC | US: DC | Industry: DB | US: DB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $76,849 | $53,031 | $64,925 | $86,234 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $1,017 | $2,174 | $6,319 | $10,244 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $134 | $123 | $398 | $344 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.20% | 0.26% | 0.60% | 0.42% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $136 | $116 | $812 | $527 |
Medians across plans with 100 or more participants (95 DC and 44 DB plans with a Schedule H here). Fee medians cover plans reporting an amount. DC: defined contribution, such as 401(k) and 403(b). DB: defined benefit pension.
Distribution of DC plans
| Measure | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile | Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $42,985 | $76,849 | $126,527 | 95 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $456 | $1,017 | $2,459 | 87 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $77.29 | $134 | $225 | 85 |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $80.79 | $136 | $225 | 84 |
Trend by plan year
| Plan year | Plans 100+ | Participants | Net assets | Employer contributions | Participant contributions | Median DC assets / participant | Median DC Sch. C / participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025partial | 19 | 21,775 | $3.26B | $53.2M | $94.4M | $106,512 | $140 |
| 2024 | 144 | 209,038 | $21.2B | $243M | $464M | $76,849 | $134 |
| 2023 | 149 | 226,063 | $20.9B | $248M | $462M | $70,532 | $127 |
| 2022 | 157 | 235,344 | $19.2B | $220M | $466M | $59,797 | $119 |
| 2021 | 178 | 368,259 | $40.9B | $531M | $728M | $68,947 | $122 |
| 2020 | 193 | 447,411 | $44.0B | $475M | $694M | $58,016 | $98.09 |
| 2019 | 203 | 484,816 | $40.2B | $607M | $706M | $51,339 | $82.39 |
| 2018 | 224 | 531,404 | $36.9B | $923M | $684M | $42,822 | $76.57 |
| 2017 | 250 | 525,867 | $38.5B | $979M | $666M | $46,799 | $66.47 |
| 2016 | 265 | 527,025 | $33.1B | $1.73B | $651M | $39,673 | $43.76 |
| 2015 | 282 | 534,000 | $30.7B | $796M | $687M | $37,488 | $39.61 |
| 2014 | 294 | 558,429 | $32.4B | $695M | $653M | $39,285 | $32.93 |
| 2013 | 312 | 618,377 | $33.6B | $836M | $603M | $36,653 | $27.99 |
| 2012 | 330 | 691,332 | $32.8B | $972M | $631M | $33,445 | $25.44 |
| 2011 | 341 | 722,520 | $30.2B | $1.56B | $619M | $29,332 | $25.98 |
| 2010 | 354 | 727,802 | $29.7B | $999M | $611M | $29,222 | $24.56 |
| 2009 | 368 | 779,968 | $27.5B | $805M | $658M | $26,733 | $24.40 |
Plan year is the year in which the plan year began. The drop in large plans from 2023 follows a rule change: the 100-participant line now counts participants with account balances, so many plans moved to the short form.
Provider share
Service provider organisations named most often on the Schedule C of the 143 plans on this page's list, by number of plans. A plan usually names several providers.
Largest plans
The 40 largest by participants of 143 plans with a page on this site.
| Plan | Sponsor | State | Type | Participants | Net assets | Per participant | Employer / active | Sch. C / participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gannett Media Corp. 401(k) Savings Plan | Gannett Media Corp. | NY | DC | 18,766 | $1.57B | $83,852 | $185 | $51.90 |
| News Corp. 401(k) Savings Plan | NC Transaction, Inc. | NY | DC | 14,148 | $3.66B | $258,622 | $6,561 | $98.37 |
| Advance Pension Plan | Advance Publications, Inc. | NY | DB | 13,114 | $911M | $69,494 | $0 | $104 |
| Advance 401(k) Plan | Advance Publications, Inc. | NY | DC | 12,434 | $1.67B | $134,035 | $3,669 | $36.01 |
| Gannett Retirement Plan | Gannett Media Corp. | NY | DB | 11,234 | $864M | $76,948 | $25 | $542 |
| Scripps Retirement and Investment Plan | E.W. Scripps Retirement & Investment Plan Committee | OH | DC | 8,896 | $874M | $98,206 | $3,339 | $114 |
| Medianews Group Pension Plan | Medianews Group, Inc. | CO | DB | 6,314 | $331M | $52,449 | — | $377 |
| The New York Times Companies Supplemental Retirement and Investment Plan | The New York Times Company | NY | DC | 6,064 | $1.56B | $256,739 | $12,084 | $123 |
| Lee Enterprises, Inc. Employees Retirement Account Plan | Lee Enterprises, Inc. | IA | DC | 5,939 | $442M | $74,349 | $1,046 | $24.92 |
| The New York Times Companies Pension Plan | The New York Times Company | NY | DB | 5,857 | $985M | $168,219 | — | $481 |
| The Newspaper Guild International Pension Plan | TNG International Pension Fund | DC | DB | 4,996 | $159M | $31,854 | $1,698 | $148 |
| Tegna Retirement Plan | Tegna Inc. | VA | DB | 4,908 | $338M | $68,786 | — | $470 |
| Scripps/journal Pension Plan | The E.W. Scripps Company | OH | DB | 4,873 | $355M | $72,795 | — | $398 |
| Media News Group Retirement/savings Plan | Media News Group, Inc. | CO | DC | 4,357 | $335M | $76,849 | $55 | $77.29 |
| MG Advantage Retirement Plan | Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. | TX | DB | 3,697 | $268M | $72,538 | — | $333 |
| The McClatchy Company 401(k) Plan | The McClatchy Company, LLC | CA | DC | 3,323 | $602M | $181,038 | $989 | $109 |
| News Corp. Pension Plan | NC Transaction, Inc. | NY | DB | 2,860 | $206M | $72,058 | $98,214 | $399 |
| The San Diego Union-Tribune LLC Retirement Plan | The San Diego Union-Tribune LLC | CO | DB | 2,821 | $99.5M | $35,255 | $165,625 | $216 |
| The New York Times Savings Plan | The New York Times Company | NY | DC | 2,813 | $792M | $281,494 | $2,452 | $140 |
| Tribune Publishing Company 401(k) Plan | Tribune Publishing Company | CO | DC | 2,699 | $196M | $72,714 | $599 | $65.22 |
| Guild-Times Adjustable Pension Plan | Board of Trustees of the Guild-Times Adjustable Pension Fund | NY | DB | 2,374 | $114M | $47,988 | $7,059 | $201 |
| Newspaper and Mail Deliverers' Publishers' Pension Fund | Board of Trustees of Newspaper and Mail Deliverers' Publishers' Pensio | NY | DB | 2,314 | $118M | $51,040 | $5,612 | $370 |
| Apg-Rewards 401(k) Plan | Adams Communications Company LLC, DBA Adams Publishing Group | MD | DC | 2,065 | $48.6M | $23,524 | $4 | $118 |
| Paxton Media Group LLC Employee Retirement Saving | Paxton Media Group LLC | KY | DC | 2,014 | $60.6M | $30,103 | $1,001 | — |
| Block Communications Savings Plan | Block Communications, Inc. | OH | DC | 1,907 | $211M | $110,440 | $3,233 | — |
| Media Guild Retirement Plan | Media Guild Retirement Plan | CA | DB | 1,797 | $164M | $91,182 | $18,767 | $450 |
| The Hagadone Corporation Retirement Plan | The Hagadone Corporation | ID | DC | 1,769 | $42.8M | $24,210 | $281 | $41.68 |
| The Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC Retirement Savings Plan | Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC | MA | DC | 1,479 | $255M | $172,198 | $3,250 | $129 |
| The Seattle Times Pension Plan | Seattle Times Company | WA | DB | 1,464 | $129M | $87,908 | $35,451 | $261 |
| The Ogden Newspapers, Inc. 401(k) Plan | The Ogden Newspapers, Inc. | WV | DC | 1,399 | $115M | $82,136 | $389 | $110 |
| California Times 401(k) Plan | Nantmedia Holdings, LLC | CA | DC | 1,394 | $169M | $121,063 | $4,373 | $208 |
| Amended and Restated Blethen Maine Newspapers, Inc. Pension Plan | Seattle Times Company | WA | DB | 1,328 | $53.3M | $40,124 | $0 | $175 |
| Wehco 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan | Wehco Media, Inc. | AR | DC | 1,302 | $49.3M | $37,883 | $376 | $123 |
| Wehco Profit Sharing Plan | Wehco Media, Inc. & Subsidiaries | AR | DC | 1,175 | $20.8M | $17,699 | $485 | $66.34 |
| News-Press & Gazette Employees' 401(k) Plan | News-Press & Gazette Company | MO | DC | 1,159 | $104M | $90,061 | $3,504 | $308 |
| Forum Communications Company 401(k) Plan | Forum Communications Company 401(k) | ND | DC | 1,122 | $90.9M | $81,005 | $876 | $125 |
| The Philadelphia Inquirer, PBC 401(k) Retirement Plan | The Philadelphia Inquirer, PBC | PA | DC | 1,121 | $191M | $170,762 | $2,558 | $149 |
| Star Tribune 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan | Star Tribune Media Company LLC | MN | DC | 1,027 | $172M | $167,374 | $1,877 | $81.65 |
| Evening Post Publishing, Inc. Employee Retirement Plan | Evening Post Publishing, Inc. | SC | DC | 1,006 | $54.4M | $54,083 | $1,865 | $141 |
| Star Tribune Retirement Plan O | Star Tribune Media Company LLC | MN | DB | 994 | $73.4M | $73,848 | — | $281 |
By plan size
By state
Questions and answers
How many retirement plans are there in newspaper publishers?
144 plans with 100 or more participants filed Form 5500 for plan year 2024, out of 184 pension plans on the full form. Smaller plans file Form 5500-SF and are counted separately where shown.
What is the typical 401(k) balance in newspaper publishers?
The median defined contribution plan reported $76,849 in net assets per participant (middle half of plans: $42,985 to $126,527); nationally it was $53,031. This is a plan-level average that includes former employees, not a typical person's balance.
What do employers contribute in newspaper publishers?
The median defined contribution plan received $1,017 in employer contributions per active participant, against $2,174 nationally. Plans with no employer contribution are included at zero.
What are average 401(k) fees in newspaper publishers?
Among defined contribution plans that report any Schedule C compensation, the median was $134 per participant and 0.20% of net assets (nationally $123 and 0.26%). Schedule C leaves out fund expense ratios and fees the employer pays, so it understates total cost.
Where does this come from?
Form 5500 annual reports in the EBSA research files, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. Medians are computed by this site across plans with 100 or more participants.
Provenance
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Form 5500 research files, public domain, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. Totals count every pension plan on the full form; medians and the plan list cover plans with 100 or more participants. See the methodology.