South Dakota Newspapers
Comprehensive directory of South Dakota newspapers featuring daily publications, weekly community papers, tribal newspapers, and college publications across the Mount Rushmore State.
1882
SD NewsMedia Assoc. Founded
Major Daily Newspapers
South Dakota's daily newspapers serve major metropolitan areas and regional communities across the state. These publications provide comprehensive coverage of state politics, business, sports, and local news.
| Newspaper | City | Publication Schedule | Coverage Area | Website |
|---|
| Argus Leader | Sioux Falls | Daily (Weekday & Sunday) | Largest newspaper in SD by circulation; statewide coverage | argusleader.com |
| Rapid City Journal | Rapid City | 3 days/week (Tue, Thu, Sat) | Western SD, Black Hills, Pine Ridge Reservation | rapidcityjournal.com |
| Aberdeen American News | Aberdeen | 5 days/week (Tue-Sat) | Northeastern SD, Brown County, Dakota Midland | aberdeennews.com |
| Watertown Public Opinion | Watertown | Afternoon (Tue-Fri) | Eastern SD, western Minnesota, Codington County | thepublicopinion.com |
| The Daily Republic | Mitchell | Twice weekly | Davison County, southeastern SD | mitchellrepublic.com |
| Capital Journal | Pierre | Daily | Central SD, state capital, government coverage | capjournal.com |
| Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan | Yankton | Daily | Yankton County, "Oldest Daily Newspaper of the Dakotas" | yankton.net |
| Brookings Register | Brookings | Daily | Brookings County, SDSU area | brookingsregister.com |
| Huron Plainsman | Huron | Daily | Beadle County, central South Dakota | plainsman.com |
Regional Newspapers by Area
Black Hills & Western South Dakota
- Rapid City Journal - Rapid City (major daily covering Black Hills region)
- Black Hills Pioneer - Spearfish (northern Black Hills)
- Belle Fourche Post & Bee - Belle Fourche (northwestern SD)
- Lawrence County Centennial - Deadwood (historic mining region)
- Meade County Times-Tribune/Black Hills Press - Sturgis (Sturgis Rally coverage)
- Hot Springs Star - Hot Springs (southern Black Hills)
- The Pioneer Review - Philip (west-central SD)
Sioux Falls Metro & Southeast
- Argus Leader - Sioux Falls (state's largest newspaper)
- The Madison Daily Leader - Madison (Lake County)
- The Daily Republic - Mitchell (Davison County)
- Brookings Register - Brookings (Brookings County)
- The Lennox Independent - Lennox (Lincoln County weekly)
- Freeman Courier - Freeman (Hutchinson County)
Northeast South Dakota
- Aberdeen American News - Aberdeen (major regional daily)
- Watertown Public Opinion - Watertown (founded 1887)
- The Sisseton Courier - Sisseton (Roberts County)
- The Groton Independent - Groton (Brown County)
- The Miller Press - Miller (Hand County)
Central & Missouri River Region
- Capital Journal - Pierre (state capital coverage)
- The Mobridge Tribune - Mobridge (Walworth County)
- Huron Plainsman - Huron (Beadle County)
- The Lemmon Leader - Lemmon (Perkins County)
- Isabel Dakotan - Isabel (Dewey County)
South-Central South Dakota
- Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan - Yankton (oldest daily in the Dakotas)
- Plain Talk - Vermillion (Clay County, USD area)
- The Parkston Advance - Parkston (Hutchinson County)
- Tripp Star-Ledger - Tripp (Hutchinson County)
Northwest South Dakota
- Butte County Valley Irrigator - Newell (Butte County)
- Alcester-Hudson News - Alcester (Union County)
Weekly & Community Papers
South Dakota: Weekly Newspaper Stronghold
South Dakota has one of the highest per-capita rates of weekly newspaper publications in the United States, with 94 weekly newspapers serving the state's 66 counties. These community papers are critical sources of local news for rural communities across the state.
Weekly newspapers in South Dakota have experienced slower decline compared to daily papers, dropping from 128 publications in 1995 to 94 today. Almost all weekly papers operate outside major population centers like Sioux Falls and Rapid City, serving small towns and rural communities throughout the state.
Featured Weekly Paper Innovative Model
Kingsbury County Community Newspaper - Uses volunteer labor from within the local community to run and fill the weekly newspaper with content, providing a sustainable model for rural news coverage.
The Lennox Independent
Weekly newspaper serving Lincoln County, Lennox School District, and the cities of Lennox and Worthing. Covers local government, schools, sports, and community events.
TeaWeekly
Official newspaper for Lincoln County, Tea Area School District, and the City of Tea. Serves the growing Tea, SD community with local news and public notices.
Complete List of Weekly Publications
South Dakota weekly papers serve nearly every county in the state. For a complete directory of all 94 weekly newspapers, visit the South Dakota NewsMedia Association directory.
College & University Newspapers
South Dakota's universities maintain award-winning student publications with rich histories dating back to the 1880s.
The Collegian Since 1885
South Dakota State University (SDSU)
Independent student-run newspaper at South Dakota State University in Brookings. Published weekly on Wednesdays since 1885. Digital archives date back to the 1880s.
Website: sdsucollegian.com
The Volante 8x Pacemaker Winner
University of South Dakota (USD)
Award-winning weekly student newspaper serving USD since 1887. Won 8 Pacemaker Awards (the "Pulitzer Prize of college journalism"). Managed by 20 students, consistently ranked among top college weekly publications.
Website: volanteonline.com
Student Media at SDSU
In addition to The Collegian, SDSU features KSDJ student-run radio station (since 1993). These programs are housed in the School of Communication and Journalism, providing hands-on journalism experience.
Native American & Tribal Newspapers
South Dakota is home to nine Native American tribes, each with unique stories and news coverage needs. Tribal newspapers provide critical coverage of reservation communities, Indigenous issues, and Lakota/Dakota perspectives.
Native Sun News Today Historic
Location: Rapid City
Founded as the Lakota Times in 1981 by Doris Jean Giago and Timothy Giago, this was the first independently owned Native American newspaper in the United States. Now called Native Sun News Today, it continues to give Indigenous communities a powerful voice in journalism.
Website: nativesunnews.today
Lakota Times
Location: Pine Ridge Reservation
Published on the Pine Ridge Reservation, covering news from the perspective of the Lakota people. Provides comprehensive coverage of tribal government, culture, and community issues.
Website: lakotatimes.com
Additional Native American News Sources
- KILI Radio - Pine Ridge (tribal radio with news programming)
- KIPI Radio - Cheyenne River Reservation
- Indian Country Today (ICT) - National Indigenous news covering South Dakota tribes
- Indianz.com - Online news source for Native American news nationwide
Historical Tribal Newspapers
Anpao (The Daybreak) was published by the Protestant Episcopal Church in Mission, South Dakota from 1908-1937. Historical issues are preserved in the Smithsonian Libraries' Cultural Heritage Library.
Specialty Publications
Business & Agriculture
- Farm Forum Online - Aberdeen (agricultural news)
- Rapid City Business Journal - Business coverage for western SD
- Sturgis Rally Daily - Published during annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally by Rapid City Journal
Regional & Specialty
- Compass - Weekly shoppers tab published by Rapid City Journal
- The Chadron Record - Published by Rapid City Journal Media Group (Chadron, Nebraska)
- Watertown Current - Local news in Watertown
- Aberdeen Insider - Local news in Aberdeen
Digital News Outlets
- The Dakota Scout - Digital news outlet (became Sioux Falls official newspaper in 2025)
- South Dakota News Watch - Nonprofit investigative journalism
South Dakota NewsMedia Association
Founded in 1882, the South Dakota NewsMedia Association (SDNA) is a full-service trade association representing the state's newspapers and digital news outlets. The association provides resources, training, advocacy, and support for journalism across South Dakota.
Contact: 1125 32nd Avenue, Brookings, SD 57006 | Phone: 800-658-3697
Website: sdna.com
Frequently Asked Questions
The Argus Leader in Sioux Falls is South Dakota's largest newspaper by total circulation. Founded in 1881, it is owned by Gannett and part of the USA Today Network. The Rapid City Journal is the largest by total subscriptions according to the United States Postal Service Statement of Ownership.
South Dakota has 9 daily newspapers, including the Argus Leader (Sioux Falls), Rapid City Journal, Aberdeen American News, Watertown Public Opinion, Capital Journal (Pierre), Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan, Brookings Register, Huron Plainsman, and The Daily Republic (Mitchell). Some publish fewer than 7 days per week, with the Rapid City Journal publishing 3 days weekly and Aberdeen American News publishing 5 days weekly.
The Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan bills itself as "The Oldest Daily Newspaper of the Dakotas." The Watertown Public Opinion was founded in 1887, two years before South Dakota statehood. The Rapid City Journal traces its roots to January 5, 1878, when it began as the Black Hills Journal.
South Dakota currently has 94 weekly newspapers in operation across the state's 66 counties. This represents one of the highest per-capita rates of weekly newspaper publications in the United States. Almost all weekly papers operate outside major population centers like Sioux Falls and Rapid City, serving small towns and rural communities. The number has declined from 128 weekly papers in 1995.
Yes, South Dakota has several Native American newspapers and news sources. Native Sun News Today in Rapid City was founded as the Lakota Times in 1981, becoming the first independently owned Native American newspaper in the United States. The Lakota Times is published on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Nine Native American tribes call South Dakota home, and tribal radio stations KILI (Pine Ridge) and KIPI (Cheyenne River) also provide news programming. Indian Country Today covers South Dakota tribal news as well.
South Dakota's major universities publish award-winning student newspapers. The Collegian at South Dakota State University has been published since 1885 as an independent, student-run weekly newspaper. The Volante at the University of South Dakota has served the campus since 1887 and has won 8 Pacemaker Awards (considered the "Pulitzer Prize of college journalism"). The Volante is consistently ranked among the top college weekly publications in the country.
The Rapid City Journal is the major daily newspaper covering the Black Hills, Mount Rushmore, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, and the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Regional papers include the Black Hills Pioneer (Spearfish), Lawrence County Centennial (Deadwood), Meade County Times-Tribune/Black Hills Press (Sturgis), Belle Fourche Post & Bee, and Hot Springs Star. The Rapid City Journal also publishes special supplements including the Sturgis Rally Daily.
Historical South Dakota newspapers are available through several sources. The Library of Congress Chronicling America website offers 82 digitized newspapers from South Dakota. The South Dakota State Historical Society-State Archives maintains extensive newspaper collections and received a $294,665 grant in 2014 to digitize historical newspapers. State universities and colleges also hold large newspaper collections. Many newspapers maintain their own digital archives, such as the Rapid City Journal archive with 1,184,564 searchable pages from 1886-2025.
The South Dakota NewsMedia Association (SDNA) was founded in 1882 and is a full-service trade association representing the state's newspapers and digital news outlets. Located in Brookings, the association provides resources, training, advocacy, and support for journalism across South Dakota. They maintain a comprehensive directory of member newspapers at sdna.com/directory and can be reached at 800-658-3697.
South Dakota has bucked the trend of mass newspaper closures due to several factors. Weekly newspapers continue to be critical sources of news, information, and advertising for rural residents. The state has one of the highest per-capita rates of weekly publications in the country. Some communities have developed innovative approaches, such as the Kingsbury County newspaper that uses mostly volunteer labor from within the local community. Weekly newspapers also seek new revenue through commercial print jobs, special sections, and partnerships with community groups. The strong agricultural economy and tight-knit rural communities support local journalism.
Related South Dakota Media Resources