Local News Matters

Dan Harris, podcast host, author of 10% Happier and former ABC News anchor, shares his journey from covering war zones to discovering mindfulness and meditation. He discusses the toll of high-stress journalism on mental health, including his on-air panic attack, and how meditation became a transformative tool. Harris also addresses misconceptions about meditation, its benefits for managing anxiety...

Samantha Ragland, vice president of journalism programs at the American Press Institute, shares practical strategies for fostering mental health and well-being in newsrooms. She highlights how prioritizing people can lead to exceptional journalism and stronger newsroom culture. Ragland explores the balance between leadership and care, offering insights on building psychological safety, managing wo...

Randy Picht, executive director of the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute, and Andrew Finlayson, executive vice president of digital and AI strategies at SmithGeiger, share insights from their landmark study on burnout in journalism. They discuss why 80% of journalists see burnout as a critical issue, how it's driving attrition and the solutions newsroom leaders can implement to foster health...

Laura Frank, head of the Colorado News Collaborative (COLab), shares insights into sustaining local journalism through collaboration, innovation, and addressing critical challenges. She highlights COLab's role in supporting over 180 Colorado newsrooms with reporting, engagement, revenue models, and resource sharing, while addressing the "fried and frozen" state many journalists face today. Laura d...

Jennifer Larino, executive director of Lede New Orleans, shares how her organization is reshaping local journalism by training young BIPOC storytellers to address community information needs. She discusses the origins of Lede New Orleans, the challenges of building an inclusive newsroom, and the importance of creating trusted spaces where community voices are heard and amplified. Jennifer explains...

Katherine Ann Rowlands, owner and publisher of Bay City News, shares insights into the unique hybrid model of her organization, which has served the San Francisco Bay Area with round-the-clock news coverage for 45 years. She discusses Bay City News' evolution from a pure newswire service into a dual operation that includes the nonprofit site Local News Matters. This hybrid structure helps provide...

Jim O'Rourke, CEO and founder of O'Rourke Media Group, shares his journey in local media, from delivering newspapers as a kid to founding a rapidly growing digital-first publishing chain. O'Rourke discusses his approach to acquiring and revitalizing local newspapers, investing in local talent and growing the digital business. He outlines the strategic choices that have guided O'Rourke Media's succ...

Teri Finneman, Nick Mathews and Pat Ferrucci, authors of Reviving Rural News: Finding a Sustainable Future for Community Journalism, explore the unique challenges facing rural newspapers in the wake of the local news industry's financial crisis. They discuss their yearlong experiment with a Kansas newspaper, offering insights into how small community-based outlets can diversify revenue streams and...

Nic Dawes, executive director of THE CITY, discusses the vital role nonprofit journalism plays in New York's shrinking local news ecosystem. He explains how his organization fills coverage gaps left by retrenching legacy media, focusing on investigative reporting and service journalism to meet the needs of New Yorkers across all boroughs. Dawes also delves into THE CITY's unique strategies for com...

Allison Taylor Levine, founder and CEO of the Local Journalism Initiative, shares her insights into building a nonprofit collaborative newsroom and the importance of local news to democracy. She discusses the challenges of launching the initiative in Delaware, from creating internship programs to fostering collaboration among local newsrooms. Levine highlights how Spotlight Delaware, LJI's flagshi...

Crystal Good, founder and publisher of Black by God | The West Virginian, discusses her journey from poet and advocate to media entrepreneur, building a publication that centers on Black voices and stories in Central Appalachia. She shares her approach to rural journalism, blending reported news, features, and community writing to serve a population often overlooked by traditional media. Crystal a...

Lisa Snowden, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Baltimore Beat, shares her journey from being a reporter to running a Black-led newsroom dedicated to covering Baltimore's diverse communities. She discusses the challenges and opportunities of sustaining a nonprofit news outlet, supported by a seven-figure donation that helped stabilize the Beat after its initial struggles as a for-profit venture. L...

Karen Rundlet, CEO and executive director of the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN), discusses the increasing importance of philanthropy in sustaining local journalism. She shares insights from her time at Knight Foundation, where she helped launch initiatives like NewsMatch and Press Forward, and explores how nonprofit newsrooms can diversify revenue streams to build sustainable operations. Rundl...

Jim Brady, vice president of journalism at Knight Foundation, shares his insights into the current state of local journalism and the quest for sustainability. He discusses Press Forward, a $500 million-plus national initiative aimed at supporting local news. Drawing on his extensive experience in digital media, Jim reflects on the challenges and opportunities facing local news outlets today, with...

Candice Fortman, former executive director of Outlier Media, shares her journey transforming local journalism in Detroit. She reflects on the innovative service journalism model she helped build, which focuses on filling critical information gaps for underserved communities. Candice discusses how Outlier evolved from a scrappy startup into a well-respected newsroom known for directly addressing re...

Jean Friedman-Rudovsky, executive director of Resolve Philly, delves into the evolution of the nonprofit newsroom and its mission to address the information needs of underserved communities in Philadelphia. She discusses the critical role of equity in journalism, sharing how Resolve Philly has integrated this principle into both its internal practices and editorial work. Jean also highlights the p...

Jay Rosen, a prominent media theorist and professor of journalism at New York University, discusses the critical role of local election coverage and the Citizens Agenda model as an alternative to the traditional horse race approach. He emphasizes the need for local journalists to ground election coverage in the concerns of their communities, addressing local issues and fostering a sense of reality...

Sue Cross, the recently retired executive director of the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN), shares her insights on the remarkable growth and impact of nonprofit news. She highlights the evolving landscape of newsroom founders, the crucial role of community support, and strategies to maintain journalistic independence from funders. Cross also addresses the challenges of scaling and funding newsro...

Mary Margaret White, CEO and executive director of Mississippi Today, discusses her journey in helping readers and philanthropy understand the value of journalism as a civic good. She shares insights on the history and growth of Mississippi Today, which launched in 2016 to fill a need for Capitol reporting and has since expanded to cover a wide range of issues, including health, justice, education...

Amy Kovac-Ashley, the executive director of Tiny News Collective shares insights on how Tiny News Collective supports early-stage news founders, particularly those from traditionally excluded communities, by providing resources, tools, and a supportive community.    The discussion covers the importance of diverse voices in local journalism, the challenges faced by local news startups, and the inno...

In this episode, Michael Shapiro, founder and CEO of TAPinto, delves into his innovative franchise model for local news. He shares insights on how TAPinto helps local news publishers focus on local content and advertising by handling backend services like billing, technology and graphic design. Shapiro highlights success stories from various franchisees, discusses their new licensing option for no...

Kenny Katzgrau, majority owner of redbankgreen and founder of Broadstreet, shares his vision for revitalizing community journalism. He discusses strategies to  help hyperlocal websites and small community weeklies thrive.  Katzgrau's approach involves enhancing advertising efficacy and community engagement through digital tools, advocating for news that not only informs but also engages and uplift...

John Garrett, CEO and founder of Community Impact, shares insights from his journey of launching and expanding a family of hyperlocal weekly newspapers from the game room of his Texas home in 2005 to reaching 2.5 million homes across 70 communities today. Garrett delves into the unconventional success of a print-centric model in a digital-dominated era, emphasizing the importance of distribution,...

Shannon Kinney, founder of Dream Local Digital, discusses the evolving landscape of digital advertising and how trust is also a secret sauce for news media in selling advertising. With her extensive experience and accolades, including serving on the board for the Local Media Association and being named Local Digital Innovator of the Year, Shannon offers invaluable insights into strategies for loca...

Larry Ryckman, editor and co-founder of The Colorado Sun, shares insights into the digital outlet's journey. Transitioning to a nonprofit model on its fifth anniversary, The Colorado Sun has not only survived but thrived, garnering national attention for its approach to news coverage and its business model. With more individual members than the much-lauded Texas Tribune, The Colorado Sun's strateg...