Small Press, Big Ideas

Oseye Boyd, editor in chief of Mirror Indy, shares how a new nonprofit newsroom is reshaping local journalism in Indianapolis. The conversation explores how Mirror Indy meets audiences where they are through newsletters, social media, and even text message channels. Oseye also discusses the challenges facing modern journalism, from changing media habits to the cautious adoption of AI, while buildi...

James Bright leads the Texarkana Gazette as both editor and general manager, a rare role that bridges newsroom priorities with business realities. In this conversation he shares how the 150 year old publication is adapting to a digital first world while still maintaining the editorial standards that built its reputation. James explains how his team shifted from a print focused model to digital sub...

Kirk Kern spent decades inside traditional newspapers before launching his own hyperlocal media company in Las Vegas. After losing his job during the 2020 shutdowns, he rebuilt from scratch with a simple model: small monthly newspapers mailed directly to tightly connected neighborhoods. In this conversation, Kirk explains how he keeps costs low, sells ads to local service businesses, and grows com...

Mario Orellana spent three decades inside a television newsroom in San Antonio, working his way from a teenage intern to news director. In this conversation he shares what it was like building a career during massive shifts in the media industry and why local journalism still plays a critical role in communities. Mario also talks about launching his new venture M.O. Media Co and how journalists ca...

Today on the podcast Karen Unland, co founder of Taproot Publishing, shares how Taproot evolved from occasional stories into a newsletter driven media engine with sponsorships, memberships, and B2B briefing products. She also discusses how AI tools support their workflow, how they built a large scale local election matching tool, and why their goal is to become Edmonton’s publication of choice. Li...

Jerry Raehal has spent his career inside community newspapers across Colorado, Wyoming, Louisiana, and now Nebraska. In this conversation he shares what he has learned about turning struggling papers into profitable, community focused institutions and why curiosity and experimentation are essential for local media to survive. We explore how small newspapers are adapting to digital distribution, wh...

In this episode, Paul talks with Todd Lemke, publisher and owner of Omaha Magazine LTD. Todd shares the story of how he moved from selling real estate in the early 1980s to building one of Omaha’s most recognized lifestyle media brands. The conversation explores how local city magazines have evolved over the past four decades, how diversified revenue keeps independent media sustainable, and why ni...

Wes Platt, founder and publisher of Southpoint Access, joins the show to share how he built a hyperlocal news outlet serving South Durham and surrounding communities in North Carolina. With a background in print journalism at the St. Petersburg Times and The Herald Sun, plus experience in video game design and technical writing, Wes brings a unique blend of editorial depth and technical fluency to...

In this episode, Paul sits down with Tony Mecia, founder and editor of the Charlotte Ledger, to talk about building a sustainable local news business in 2026. Tony shares how he launched the Ledger as a solo newsletter in 2019 after years at the Charlotte Observer and grew it into a four person newsroom with 5,000 paid subscribers. They discuss subscription first revenue, the evolution of Substack...

Bryan Vance is building something different in local media. After being laid off in 2025, he launched Stumptown Savings, a hyperlocal newsletter serving Portland residents with one clear mission: help people shop smarter and save money: especially on groceries. It’s part consumer advocacy, part local journalism, and part service journalism, all grounded in real data. Links: Bryan Vance https://www...

Veteran journalist Frank Scandale, News Director at the Asbury Park Press, joins Paul to unpack 45 years in local news: from typewriters to Twitter, from Columbine to 9/11, and from booming newsrooms to today’s lean investigative teams. Frank shares firsthand insight into covering historic tragedies as a local newsroom leader, the evolving fight for public records, and why deep-dive journalism rem...

Chris Fusco, Executive Editor of The Sacramento Bee, joins the show to talk about leading a 169 year old newsroom into the future of local journalism. From his early days covering suburban night meetings in Chicago to overseeing investigative teams in Houston and California, Chris reflects on the evolution of local news, the realities of competition, and why the “demise of local journalism” has be...

Carol Wood, founder of Emerge Media Group, joins the show for a deep dive into the business and operational backbone of local journalism. With a career spanning editorial reporting, business ownership, and nonprofit leadership, Carol understands both the newsroom and the balance sheet. From her early days as a cops and crime reporter at the Rocky Mountain News to co-founding BizWest Media and serv...

In this episode, Paul sits down with Lon Haenel, publisher of Decorah News, founder of Local News ROI, and Chief Client Officer at Newspaper Subscription Services. Lon shares his unconventional path through local media from selling ads in the late 1990s to launching digital services, leading circulation teams at major dailies, and ultimately building businesses focused on sustainable audience grow...

Jack Brewster, founder and CEO of Newsreel, joins the show to talk about reinventing journalism for the algorithmic age. A former politics reporter at Forbes and investigative editor at NewsGuard, Jack has reported on misinformation, social media manipulation, and the structural incentives that shape today’s digital landscape. Now, he’s building a new kind of platform, one designed to compete with...

Todd Landfried, co founder and CEO of N2 Media Holdings, joins the show to discuss a bold reimagining of local news in the streaming era. Todd shares his unconventional path from rural economic development work with the USDA to radio and podcasting and how those experiences led him to confront a growing problem: the collapse of sustainable, high quality local news. His solution? The Local: a state...

Vernon Jones is the founder and CEO of NYC Newswire, NYC News Network, and Jig Media, and he's exploring a bold new model for hyperlocal journalism in New York City. Vernon shares how his journey from running a 35 employee commercial cleaning company led him into domain investing, and ultimately into building a scalable, tech enabled network of niche media properties focused entirely on New York C...

In this episode, Paul sits down with Jason Joyce, publisher of Isthmus, a nonprofit, independent news source based in Madison, Wisconsin. With a career deeply rooted in local media, Jason shares his unique perspective on the evolution of alt weeklies, the revival of Isthmus post-COVID, and how the paper is thriving through nonprofit reinvention. Links: Jason Joyce - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.c...

In this episode, Paul sits down with Mark Russell, Executive Editor of the Commercial Appeal and South Regional Editor for the USA Today Network, to talk about the realities, and future, of local journalism in the American South. With more than four decades in newsrooms across the country, Mark brings a grounded, practical perspective on how legacy publications are adapting to digital change while...

Today Paul speaks with Mark Talkington, founder of Valley Voice Media and co-creator of Satchel, an AI powered reporting tool, about his unique path from traditional journalism to tech powered local news innovation. Mark shares how a career that began in weekly newspapers led him to help launch ESPN.com, build tools at Microsoft, and ultimately return to community journalism in Palm Springs, Calif...

In this episode, Paul speaks with Greg Krehbiel, president of The Krehbiel Group, about the accelerating disruption AI poses to publishing, local media, and the broader economy. Greg shares insights from his decades long career in B2B publishing and his current work helping publishers bridge the gap between technology and strategy. They talk about why AI may not be "just another wave of disruption...

Today on the podcast Laura Rearwin Ward shares the gritty, hands on journey of taking over a struggling local newspaper, turning it around from the brink of bankruptcy, and championing independent journalism across California. Links: Laura Rearwin Ward - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-rearwin-ward-564b2466/ Ojai Valley News https://www.ojaivalleynews.com/ California Independent News Al...

Today Paul talks with Brian Feister, a longtime software engineer and the creator of Meet Near Me: a platform designed to make it easier for publishers to gather and share local event data. Brian shares how his early WordPress plugin attempts evolved into a full fledged platform aimed at local publishers, newsletters, and community organizations. He explains how Meet Near Me tackles the real chall...

Today Paul speaks with Jordan Brechenser, president and publisher at Vermont News and Media, about the unique and pressing challenges facing local newspapers in rural America. The discussion dives deep into the economics of print journalism, the critical shift to mail based delivery due to rising costs, and the strain placed on rural postal infrastructure. Jordan offers candid insight into how the...

Today Paul chats with Cliff Hightower, managing editor of the Johnson City Press, a regional daily newspaper in East Tennessee. Cliff shares his winding journey from teenage fiction writer to Army veteran to award winning journalist. He discusses the realities of sustaining a local newsroom, from balancing print and digital media to navigating natural disasters. Links: Cliff Hightower - LinkedIn h...