Local News Matters

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 how slowing down in the reporting process has allowed her team to engage deeply with their community, resulting in innovative approaches like their Community Reporting Fellowship. She also highlights the unique programs at Lede New Orleans, from multimedia storytelling workshops to short documentaries, and emphasizes the value of centering young voices in journalism.

The conversation delves into the practicalities of sustaining this work, from funding strategies to measuring impact in meaningful ways. Jennifer also reflects on the power of collaboration with non-journalists, the role of mentorship, and the importance of fostering trust in local news ecosystems.

Episode chapters:(00:03:09) - Founding Lede New Orleans and addressing gaps in representation

(00:09:41) - Underrepresented communities in a media swamp

(00:15:23) - Lede New Orleans programs

(00:23:11) - Engaging the audience and experimenting with content partnerships

(00:28:05) - The challenges and benefits of slowing down

(00:33:25) - Funding and financial sustainability for slow journalism

(00:39:44) - Measuring impact: Community trust and alumni outcomes

(00:45:43) - Collaborating with non-journalists and reimagining storytelling

(00:50:41) - For younger multimedia journalists, look at your training, leadership and management styles

(00:56:53) - How the JSK Fellowship catalyzed Lede New Orleans

(01:01:46) - Rapid-fire questions

(01:25:34) - Media and local recommendations

• Show notes

• Jennifer Larino: LinkedIn , Twitter, Instagram

• Lede New Orleans

• Mentioned

• Press Forward

• The Times-Picayune 

• New Orleans CityBusiness

• JSK Fellowships at Stanford University

• Advance Local

• The Advocate

• Ejaaz Mason

• YR Media

• Verite

• Canopy Atlanta

• City Bureau

• Grow Dat Youth Farm

• Local recommendations

• Jennifer’s Google map with New Orlean’s recommendations

• Cafe Du Monde

• City Park

• Lake Pontchartrain

• 1000 Figs

• Preservation Hall

• Tipitina’s 

• Media recommendations

• Verite News

• TransLash

• Canopy Atlanta

• Local News Matters: web, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn

• Pirate Audio

• Colorado Press Association: web, Twitter, Facebook

• Tim Regan-Porter: bio, Twitter 

For show notes, transcripts, newsletter sign-up and past guests on the Local News Matters podcast, please visit localnewsmatterspodcast.com or lnmpod.com.

Past guests on the Local News Matters podcast include: Katherine Ann Rowlands (Bay City News), Jim O’Rourke (O’Rourke Media Group), Teri Finneman, Nick Mathews and Pat Ferrucci (Reviving Local News), Nic Dawes (THE CITY), Allison Taylor Levine (Local News Initiative Delaware), Crystal Good (Black by God),  Lisa Snowden (Baltimore Beat), Karen Rundlet (INN), Jim Brady (Knight Foundation), Candice Fortman (Exit interview, Outlier Media), Jean Friedman-Rudovsky (Resolve Philly), Jay Rosen (NYU), Sue Cross (Exit interview, INN), Mary Margaret White (Mississippi Today), Amy Kovac-Ashley (Tiny News Collective), Michael Shapiro (TAPinto), Kenny Katzgrau (redbankgreen and Broadstreet), John Garrett (Community Impact), Shannon Kinney (Dream Local Digital), Larry Ryckman (The Colorado Sun),  Frank Mungeam (Local Media Association), Kelly Ann Scott (Alabama Media Group), Sara Lomax and S. Mitra Kalita (URL Media), Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro (National Trust for Local News), Mike Rispoli and Richard Young (via When the People Decide), Sarabeth Berman (American Journalism Project), Rabbi Hillel Goldberg and Shana Goldberg (Intermountain Jewish News),  Lyndsay C. Green (via The Journalism Salute), Rashad Mahmood and Mark Glaser (New Mexico Local News Fund), Christian Vanek and Barbara Hardt (The Mountain-Ear), Dan Grech (BizHack), Zack Richner (Easy Tax Credits), Tracie Powell (Pivot Fund), Dan Oshinsky (Inbox Collective), Linda Shapley (via What Works), Yehong Zhu and Jake Seaton (Zette, Column), Charity Huff (January Spring), Joaquin Alvarado and Dave Perry (Aurora Sentinel), Steve Waldman (Rebuild Local News), Maritza Félix (Conecta Arizona), Michael Bolden (American Press Institute), Jeff Roberts and Corey Hutchins (CFOIC, Colorado College), Eve Pearlman and Erica Anderson (Spaceship Media), Jennifer Brandel (Hearken, Democracy SOS), Corey Hutchins with Bay Edwards, Todd Chamberlain and Raleigh Burleigh (Sopris Sun).

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 essential coverage to underserved communities while meeting the needs of media and business clients and the general public. Rowlands highlights the challenges of balancing for-profit and nonprofit revenue streams to create a sustainable model that can be replicated in other regions.

Rowlands also addresses the importance of collaboration over competition in local journalism. With many news organizations competing for limited resources, she advocates for shared coverage efforts that can free up reporters to pursue more in-depth and investigative stories. She shares examples of Bay City News’ work that has impacted local policies.

The conversation touches on Rowlands’ commitment to supporting the next generation of journalists through paid internships and capacity-building efforts, while also advocating for greater gender diversity in media leadership. Rowlands explains how diversifying revenue and leveraging innovative tools like AI have positioned Bay City News to grow its impact and improve accessibility to critical local news across platforms.

Episode chapters:

(00:02:50) - History of Bay City News 

(00:07:36) - The news service model

(00:14:42) - Collaboration and competition in local news

(00:16:52) - Launching Local News Matters, partnerships and expansion

(00:22:28) - Advice for replicating the Bay City News model in other regions

(00:29:48) - Impact of Bay City News on local reporting

(00:34:06) - Balancing client needs with community coverage

(00:38:20) - Entrepreneurship and imposter syndrome

(00:42:00) - Resilience, revenue diversification and capacity building

(00:50:17) - Gender diversity in journalism leadership

(00:55:08) - Rapid-fire questions

(01:04:06) - Media and local recommendations

• Katherine Rowlands: LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram

• Bay City News

• LocalNewsMatters.org

• Mentioned

• Macalester College

• London School of Economics

• Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism

• JSK Fellowship Program at Stanford University

• CalMatters

• EdSource

• The Mendocino Voice

• Piedmont Exedra

• Radio Sausalito

• KZYX

• Knight Foundation

• American Journalism Project (AJP)

• Press Forward Initiative

• Journalism and Women Symposium (JAWS)

• Women Do News

• San Quentin News

• Local recommendations

• Grizzly Peak 

• UC Berkeley campus

• Zachary’s Pizza 

• Media recommendations

• Newsroom Robots podcast

• Prison Truth by William Drummond

• Radio Sausalito

• Local News Matters: web, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn

• Pirate Audio

• Colorado Press Association: web, Twitter, Facebook

• Tim Regan-Porter: bio, Twitter 

For show notes, transcripts, newsletter sign-up and past guests on the Local News Matters podcast, please visit localnewsmatterspodcast.com or lnmpod.com.

Past guests on the Local News Matters podcast include: Jim O’Rourke (O’Rourke Media Group), Teri Finneman, Nick Mathews and Pat Ferrucci (Reviving Local News), Nic Dawes (THE CITY), Allison Taylor Levine (Local News Initiative Delaware), Crystal Good (Black by God),  Lisa Snowden (Baltimore Beat), Karen Rundlet (INN), Jim Brady (Knight Foundation), Candice Fortman (Exit interview, Outlier Media), Jean Friedman-Rudovsky (Resolve Philly), Jay Rosen (NYU), Sue Cross (Exit interview, INN), Mary Margaret White (Mississippi Today), Amy Kovac-Ashley (Tiny News Collective), Michael Shapiro (TAPinto), Kenny Katzgrau (redbankgreen and Broadstreet), John Garrett (Community Impact), Shannon Kinney (Dream Local Digital), Larry Ryckman (The Colorado Sun),  Frank Mungeam (Local Media Association), Kelly Ann Scott (Alabama Media Group), Sara Lomax and S. Mitra Kalita (URL Media), Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro (National Trust for Local News), Mike Rispoli and Richard Young (via When the People Decide), Sarabeth Berman (American Journalism Project), Rabbi Hillel Goldberg and Shana Goldberg (Intermountain Jewish News),  Lyndsay C. Green (via The Journalism Salute), Rashad Mahmood and Mark Glaser (New Mexico Local News Fund), Christian Vanek and Barbara Hardt (The Mountain-Ear), Dan Grech (BizHack), Zack Richner (Easy Tax Credits), Tracie Powell (Pivot Fund), Dan Oshinsky (Inbox Collective), Linda Shapley (via What Works), Yehong Zhu and Jake Seaton (Zette, Column), Charity Huff (January Spring), Joaquin Alvarado and Dave Perry (Aurora Sentinel), Steve Waldman (Rebuild Local News), Maritza Félix (Conecta Arizona), Michael Bolden (American Press Institute), Jeff Roberts and Corey Hutchins (CFOIC, Colorado College), Eve Pearlman and Erica Anderson (Spaceship Media), Jennifer Brandel (Hearken, Democracy SOS), Corey Hutchins with Bay Edwards, Todd Chamberlain and Raleigh Burleigh (Sopris Sun). 

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 success, including his firm stance against paywalls and his commitment to community-focused journalism and sales.

In the face of industry pressures, O'Rourke explains why he values small and midsize markets and how he's developed O'Rourke Media Group’s sustainable model by prioritizing advertiser relationships, high-quality local reporting, and new digital revenue streams. He discusses his philosophy on embracing sponsored content as a core revenue source while carefully navigating editorial integrity—a delicate balance that he believes is essential for the future of local news.

O'Rourke also explores his renewed investment in print, noting the value print editions hold for both advertisers and local audiences. Reflecting on key lessons learned, he details his experiences working under Berkshire Hathaway, why he finds potential in digital agency services, and his vision for the future, including expanding into more communities and a possible employee ownership model.

Episode chapters:

(00:02:59) - Overview of O’Rourke Media Group

(00:04:51) - Jim’s journey from paper delivery to media leadership

(00:10:32) - Founding O'Rourke Media Group after private equity fell through

(00:17:59) - Why local news is still a great investment

(00:21:46) - Balancing sales and editorial resources, local and centralized support

(00:29:49) - The importance of maintaining brand trust and relationships

(00:37:21) - Expanding digital while avoiding paywalls

(00:42:22) - Sponsored content and adapting digital revenue streams

(00:49:12) - Relaunching print in Milton, Vermont

(00:52:59) - The challenges of printing presses

(01:00:30) - Lessons from working at Berkshire Hathaway’s World Book

(01:03:18) - Rapid-fire questions

(01:22:14) - Media and local recommendations

• Show notes

• Jim O’Rourke: LinkedIn

• O’Rourke Media Group

• Mentioned

• St. Albans Messenger

• Joe Mathes

• Chaffee County Times

• Herald Democrat

• Pagosa Springs Sun

• Aurora Sentinel

• Las Vegas Optic

• Milton Independent

• Founders podcast #368 Rockefeller's Autobiography

• Founders podcast #367 Inside the Contrarian Mind of Sam Zell

• Shark Tank

• Local recommendations

• Hiking in Arizona

• Golf in Arizona

• Media recommendations

• Good Morning America

• ABC World News Tonight with David Muir on TikTok

• New York Times

• LinkedIn

• Founders podcast

• Local News Matters podcast

• E&P Reports vodcast

• Local Marketing Trends podcast with Gordon Borrell

• Local News Matters: web, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn

• Pirate Audio

• Colorado Press Association: web, Twitter, Facebook

• Tim Regan-Porter: bio, Twitter

For show notes, transcripts, newsletter sign-up and past guests on the Local News Matters podcast, please visit localnewsmatterspodcast.com or lnmpod.com.

Past guests on the Local News Matters podcast include: Teri Finneman, Nick Mathews and Pat Ferrucci (Reviving Local News), Nic Dawes (THE CITY), Allison Taylor Levine (Local News Initiative Delaware), Crystal Good (Black by God),  Lisa Snowden (Baltimore Beat), Karen Rundlet (INN), Jim Brady (Knight Foundation), Candice Fortman (Exit interview, Outlier Media), Jean Friedman-Rudovsky (Resolve Philly), Jay Rosen (NYU), Sue Cross (Exit interview, INN), Mary Margaret White (Mississippi Today), Amy Kovac-Ashley (Tiny News Collective), Michael Shapiro (TAPinto), Kenny Katzgrau (redbankgreen and Broadstreet), John Garrett (Community Impact), Shannon Kinney (Dream Local Digital), Larry Ryckman (The Colorado Sun),  Frank Mungeam (Local Media Association), Kelly Ann Scott (Alabama Media Group), Sara Lomax and S. Mitra Kalita (URL Media), Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro (National Trust for Local News), Mike Rispoli and Richard Young (via When the People Decide), Sarabeth Berman (American Journalism Project), Rabbi Hillel Goldberg and Shana Goldberg (Intermountain Jewish News),  Lyndsay C. Green (via The Journalism Salute), Rashad Mahmood and Mark Glaser (New Mexico Local News Fund), Christian Vanek and Barbara Hardt (The Mountain-Ear), Dan Grech (BizHack), Zack Richner (Easy Tax Credits), Tracie Powell (Pivot Fund), Dan Oshinsky (Inbox Collective), Linda Shapley (via What Works), Yehong Zhu and Jake Seaton (Zette, Column), Charity Huff (January Spring), Joaquin Alvarado and Dave Perry (Aurora Sentinel), Steve Waldman (Rebuild Local News), Maritza Félix (Conecta Arizona), Michael Bolden (American Press Institute), Jeff Roberts and Corey Hutchins (CFOIC, Colorado College), Eve Pearlman and Erica Anderson (Spaceship Media), Jennifer Brandel (Hearken, Democracy SOS), Corey Hutchins with Bay Edwards, Todd Chamberlain and Raleigh Burleigh (Sopris Sun). 

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 reconnect with their readers. The conversation highlights the disconnect between traditional business models and the needs of both rural publishers and their audiences.

The guests also touch on the psychological and organizational barriers that hinder innovation in local newsrooms. From reluctance to explore new revenue sources like philanthropy to the ongoing devaluation of journalism, they offer candid perspectives on why rural news must evolve to survive. Key takeaways include lessons on pricing, the power of e-newsletters and the role of newspapers as vital community institutions.

With practical examples from their case study in Kansas, the discussion reveals how local publishers can take small but significant steps to adapt their business models and better serve their communities.

Episode chapters: (00:03:13) - Origins of the Reviving Rural News project and the COVID-era struggles of rural newspapers

(00:07:03) - The uniqueness of rural journalism and the resilience of community newspapers

(00:12:03) - The challenges of journalism research, especially around business models

(00:18:23) - Take my money, please: Reluctance to change

(00:20:50) - How we got here: History of the penny press model

(00:24:39) - Disconnects between the business models readers want and what publishers offer

(00:28:34) - Why newspapers are reluctant to change

(00:34:55) - Revenue models and returning newspapers to their role as community institution

(00:42:07) - Raising prices as an imperative for many community newspapers

(00:51:09) - The importance of both print and e-newsletters in rural communities

(00:58:22) - Steps for small publishers: Where to begin with change

• Show notes and transcript

• Teri Finneman: Twitter/X, 

• Patrick Ferrucci: Twitter/X,

• Nick Matthews: LinkedIn, Twitter/X 

• Reviving Rural News

• William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at University of Kansas

• College of Media, Communication and Information at University of Colorado Boulder

• Missouri School of Journalism

• Mentioned

• Eudora Times

• CODA Ventures

• Southern Newspaper Publishers Association (SNPA) Foundation

• Kansas Press Association

• Kansas Publishing Ventures

• Bismarck Tribune

• Mather Economics

• Stratechery

• Paste

• Spin

• Creem 

• Local News Matters: web, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn

• Pirate Audio

• Colorado Press Association: web, Twitter, Facebook

• Tim Regan-Porter: bio, Twitter

For show notes, transcripts, newsletter sign-up and past guests on the Local News Matters podcast, please visit localnewsmatterspodcast.com or lnmpod.com.

Past guests on the Local News Matters podcast include: Nic Dawes (THE CITY), Allison Taylor Levine (Local News Initiative Delaware), Crystal Good (Black by God),  Lisa Snowden (Baltimore Beat), Karen Rundlet (INN), Jim Brady (Knight Foundation), Candice Fortman (Exit interview, Outlier Media), Jean Friedman-Rudovsky (Resolve Philly), Jay Rosen (NYU), Sue Cross (Exit interview, INN), Mary Margaret White (Mississippi Today), Amy Kovac-Ashley (Tiny News Collective), Michael Shapiro (TAPinto), Kenny Katzgrau (redbankgreen and Broadstreet), John Garrett (Community Impact), Shannon Kinney (Dream Local Digital), Larry Ryckman (The Colorado Sun),  Frank Mungeam (Local Media Association), Kelly Ann Scott (Alabama Media Group), Sara Lomax and S. Mitra Kalita (URL Media), Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro (National Trust for Local News), Mike Rispoli and Richard Young (via When the People Decide), Sarabeth Berman (American Journalism Project), Rabbi Hillel Goldberg and Shana Goldberg (Intermountain Jewish News),  Lyndsay C. Green (via The Journalism Salute), Rashad Mahmood and Mark Glaser (New Mexico Local News Fund), Christian Vanek and Barbara Hardt (The Mountain-Ear), Dan Grech (BizHack), Zack Richner (Easy Tax Credits), Tracie Powell (Pivot Fund), Dan Oshinsky (Inbox Collective), Linda Shapley (via What Works), Yehong Zhu and Jake Seaton (Zette, Column), Charity Huff (January Spring), Joaquin Alvarado and Dave Perry (Aurora Sentinel), Steve Waldman (Rebuild Local News), Maritza Félix (Conecta Arizona), Michael Bolden (American Press Institute), Jeff Roberts and Corey Hutchins (CFOIC, Colorado College), Eve Pearlman and Erica Anderson (Spaceship Media), Jennifer Brandel (Hearken, Democracy SOS), Corey Hutchins with Bay Edwards, Todd Chamberlain and Raleigh Burleigh (Sopris Sun). 

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 community engagement, including open newsrooms and dynamic beat assignments, allowing them to stay responsive to the city's most pressing issues. He highlights how their mission-driven approach prioritizes impact over viral traffic, balancing coverage for both affluent media-savvy readers and underserved communities.

On the business side, Dawes shares insights on nonprofit journalism’s financial sustainability, from leveraging philanthropy and membership to navigating New York’s competitive fundraising environment. He reflects on his transition from large global organizations to a leaner, more focused newsroom, where the immediacy of local impact offers both challenges and rewards.

Episode chapters:

(00:02:19) - Why THE CITY is needed in New York's media-rich environment

(00:06:59) - THE CITY's structure and coverage areas

(00:10:10) - Maintaining local focus and resisting viral traffic for its own sake

(00:13:29) - Serving two distinct audiences in New York City

(00:17:34) - Using open newsrooms to engage with the community

(00:20:36) - Financial sustainability at THE CITY

(00:29:51) - Transitioning from large media organizations to smaller teams

(00:35:46) - Challenges of maintaining a diverse newsroom

(00:37:12) - Rapid-fire questions

(00:50:52) - Media and local recommendations

• Show notes with transcript

• Nic Dawes: Linkedln, Twitter, Threads

• THECITY.NYC

• Mentioned

• Human Rights Watch

• Hindustan Times

• The Mail & Guardian

• Gwynne Hogan

• Rosalind Adams

• Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY

• NYC Mayor’s Office of Community and Ethnic Media

• Press Forward

• American Journalism Project

• Local recommendations

• NYC beaches, especially Jacob Riis Beach

• New York Food Court

• Staten Island Ferry

• Museum of the City of New York

• KGB Bar

• New Asha

• Dhamaka

• Media recommendations

• Odd Lots podcast

• Chartbook

• Prophet Song by Paul Lynch

• Local News Matters: web, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn

• Pirate Audio

• Colorado Press Association: web, Twitter, Facebook

• Tim Regan-Porter: bio, Twitter

For show notes, transcripts, newsletter sign-up and past guests on the Local News Matters podcast, please visit localnewsmatterspodcast.com or lnmpod.com.

Past guests on the Local News Matters podcast include: Allison Taylor Levine (Local News Initiative Delaware), Crystal Good (Black by God),  Lisa Snowden (Baltimore Beat), Karen Rundlet (INN), Jim Brady (Knight Foundation), Candice Fortman (Exit interview, Outlier Media), Jean Friedman-Rudovsky (Resolve Philly), Jay Rosen (NYU), Sue Cross (Exit interview, INN), Mary Margaret White (Mississippi Today), Amy Kovac-Ashley (Tiny News Collective), Michael Shapiro (TAPinto), Kenny Katzgrau (redbankgreen and Broadstreet), John Garrett (Community Impact), Shannon Kinney (Dream Local Digital), Larry Ryckman (The Colorado Sun),  Frank Mungeam (Local Media Association), Kelly Ann Scott (Alabama Media Group), Sara Lomax and S. Mitra Kalita (URL Media), Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro (National Trust for Local News), Mike Rispoli and Richard Young (via When the People Decide), Sarabeth Berman (American Journalism Project), Rabbi Hillel Goldberg and Shana Goldberg (Intermountain Jewish News),  Lyndsay C. Green (via The Journalism Salute), Rashad Mahmood and Mark Glaser (New Mexico Local News Fund), Christian Vanek and Barbara Hardt (The Mountain-Ear), Dan Grech (BizHack), Zack Richner (Easy Tax Credits), Tracie Powell (Pivot Fund), Dan Oshinsky (Inbox Collective), Linda Shapley (via What Works), Yehong Zhu and Jake Seaton (Zette, Column), Charity Huff (January Spring), Joaquin Alvarado and Dave Perry (Aurora Sentinel), Steve Waldman (Rebuild Local News), Maritza Félix (Conecta Arizona), Michael Bolden (American Press Institute), Jeff Roberts and Corey Hutchins (CFOIC, Colorado College), Eve Pearlman and Erica Anderson (Spaceship Media), Jennifer Brandel (Hearken, Democracy SOS), Corey Hutchins with Bay Edwards, Todd Chamberlain and Raleigh Burleigh (Sopris Sun). 

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 flagship project, focuses on policy coverage and public engagement to fill critical gaps in the local news ecosystem.

Levine also explores the role of community foundations in supporting journalism, explaining how these institutions can serve as partners, not just funders. She offers practical advice for newsrooms looking to collaborate with community foundations, outlining the importance of understanding their unique funding models and leveraging their strengths as conveners.

In addition to discussing the financial sustainability of nonprofit journalism, Levine dives into innovative revenue models like mission-aligned sponsored content. With her background in journalism, marketing, and philanthropy, she explains how storytelling and community engagement are central to the success of local news organizations.

Episode chapters:

(00:02:13) - Starting the Local Journalism Initiative

(00:04:30) - The role of community foundations

(00:09:33) - Convening and partnering with community foundations

(00:11:56) - The need for a new journalism initiative in Delaware

(00:18:38) - Engaging funders and explaining the importance of local news

(00:24:51) - Rehabilitating local news perceptions and reality

(00:31:17) - LJI structure and journalism as a dialogue

(00:34:43) - Collaborative journalism to strengthen newsrooms throughout the state

(00:41:19) - Building financial sustainability for LJI and sponsored content’s surprising role

(00:46:38) - Speaking the languages of journalist, funder and community

(00:50:19) - Rapid-fire questions

(00:58:02) - Media and local recommendations

Show notes

• Allison Taylor Levine: Linkedln, Instagram

• Local Journalism Initiative

• Spotlight Delaware

• Mentioned

• Delaware Community Foundation

• Solutions Journalism Network

• Stuart Comstock-Gay

• UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media

• American Journalism Project

• Longwood Foundation

• Texas Tribune

• Jake Owens

• Institute for Nonprofit News

• Local recommendations

• Delaware beaches

• Longwood Gardens

• Lums Pond State Park

• Star of India

• Media recommendations

• Jessica Yellin’s News Not Noise

• The Second Mountain by David Brooks 

• What is the What by Dave Eggers 

• Local News Matters: web, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn

• Pirate Audio

• Colorado Press Association: web, Twitter, Facebook

• Tim Regan-Porter: bio, Twitter

For show notes, transcripts, newsletter sign-up and past guests on the Local News Matters podcast, please visit localnewsmatterspodcast.com or lnmpod.com.

Past guests on the Local News Matters podcast include: Crystal Good (Black by God),  Lisa Snowden (Baltimore Beat), Karen Rundlet (INN), Jim Brady (Knight Foundation), Candice Fortman (Exit interview, Outlier Media), Jean Friedman-Rudovsky (Resolve Philly), Jay Rosen (NYU), Sue Cross (Exit interview, INN), Mary Margaret White (Mississippi Today), Amy Kovac-Ashley (Tiny News Collective), Michael Shapiro (TAPinto), Kenny Katzgrau (redbankgreen and Broadstreet), John Garrett (Community Impact), Shannon Kinney (Dream Local Digital), Larry Ryckman (The Colorado Sun),  Frank Mungeam (Local Media Association), Kelly Ann Scott (Alabama Media Group), Sara Lomax and S. Mitra Kalita (URL Media), Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro (National Trust for Local News), Mike Rispoli and Richard Young (via When the People Decide), Sarabeth Berman (American Journalism Project), Rabbi Hillel Goldberg and Shana Goldberg (Intermountain Jewish News),  Lyndsay C. Green (via The Journalism Salute), Rashad Mahmood and Mark Glaser (New Mexico Local News Fund), Christian Vanek and Barbara Hardt (The Mountain-Ear), Dan Grech (BizHack), Zack Richner (Easy Tax Credits), Tracie Powell (Pivot Fund), Dan Oshinsky (Inbox Collective), Linda Shapley (via What Works), Yehong Zhu and Jake Seaton (Zette, Column), Charity Huff (January Spring), Joaquin Alvarado and Dave Perry (Aurora Sentinel), Steve Waldman (Rebuild Local News), Maritza Félix (Conecta Arizona), Michael Bolden (American Press Institute), Jeff Roberts and Corey Hutchins (CFOIC, Colorado College), Eve Pearlman and Erica Anderson (Spaceship Media), Jennifer Brandel (Hearken, Democracy SOS), Corey Hutchins with Bay Edwards, Todd Chamberlain and Raleigh Burleigh (Sopris Sun). 

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 also delves into the challenges and opportunities of creating a sustainable revenue model for a local news outlet.

As she talks through her vision, Crystal emphasizes the importance of preserving authentic voices, building trust with readers, and fostering community participation. Her unique “folk reporters” program empowers citizen journalists to cover civic issues and public meetings. Crystal also shares her plans to leverage technology to amplify Black stories in the region and highlights the need for Black joy in media coverage.

The conversation covers the broader landscape of rural BIPOC communities, West Virginia’s interaction with national politics, and how a background in poetry influences Crystal’s storytelling approach. With a mission to build community, inspire action, and reflect the diverse reality of Appalachia, Crystal is redefining what local news can be.

Episode chapters:

(00:03:06) - The origin story of Black by God  

(00:07:18) - The need for Black-centered news in West Virginia  

(00:11:10) - Black by God’s audience as rings of influence

(00:13:32) - Innovation and technology in rural journalism  

(00:17:07) - Transparency, advocacy and voice in journalism  

(00:24:08) - Citizen journalism and the Folk Reporters program  

(00:28:42) - Preserving voice and authenticity in storytelling  

(00:32:05) - Managing a one-woman publication and finding support  

(00:35:24) - Reflecting Black joy and the unique needs and challenges of rural BIPOC communities  

(00:40:01) - Influence of Crystal’s poetry background on her journalism

(00:42:02) - West Virginia perspectives on national politics

(00:45:01) - Rapid-fire questions  

(00:51:08) - Media and local recommendations

• Crystal Good: Linkedln, Twitter/X

• Black by God | The West Virginian https://blackbygod.org/

• Mentioned

• West Virginia University

• The Beacon Digest

• Carter G. Woodson

• Booker T. Washington

• Steve Harvey

• Bill Withers

• Katherine Johnson

• Hidden Figures

• Press Forward

• Tiny News Collective

• Indiegraf

• Squared Away

• The Kerner Commission Report

• Local recommendations

• New River Gorge

• Charleston, West Virginia

• Drive through Northern West Virginia and Harpers Ferry

• Drive through Southern West Virginia

• Restaurants of James Beard award-winning chef Paul Smith

• Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts by Crystal Wilkinson

• Media recommendations

• Media 2070 Report

• Black Iowa News

• Andi Marie Tillman

• Local News Matters: web, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn

• Pirate Audio

• Colorado Press Association: web, Twitter, Facebook

• Tim Regan-Porter: bio, Twitter

For show notes, transcripts, newsletter sign-up and past guests on the Local News Matters podcast, please visit localnewsmatterspodcast.com or lnmpod.com.

Past guests on the Local News Matters podcast include: Lisa Snowden (Baltimore Beat), Karen Rundlet (INN), Jim Brady (Knight Foundation), Candice Fortman (Exit interview, Outlier Media), Jean Friedman-Rudovsky (Resolve Philly), Jay Rosen (NYU), Sue Cross (Exit interview, INN), Mary Margaret White (Mississippi Today), Amy Kovac-Ashley (Tiny News Collective), Michael Shapiro (TAPinto), Kenny Katzgrau (redbankgreen and Broadstreet), John Garrett (Community Impact), Shannon Kinney (Dream Local Digital), Larry Ryckman (The Colorado Sun),  Frank Mungeam (Local Media Association), Kelly Ann Scott (Alabama Media Group), Sara Lomax and S. Mitra Kalita (URL Media), Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro (National Trust for Local News), Mike Rispoli and Richard Young (via When the People Decide), Sarabeth Berman (American Journalism Project), Rabbi Hillel Goldberg and Shana Goldberg (Intermountain Jewish News),  Lyndsay C. Green (via The Journalism Salute), Rashad Mahmood and Mark Glaser (New Mexico Local News Fund), Christian Vanek and Barbara Hardt (The Mountain-Ear), Dan Grech (BizHack), Zack Richner (Easy Tax Credits), Tracie Powell (Pivot Fund), Dan Oshinsky (Inbox Collective), Linda Shapley (via What Works), Yehong Zhu and Jake Seaton (Zette, Column), Charity Huff (January Spring), Joaquin Alvarado and Dave Perry (Aurora Sentinel), Steve Waldman (Rebuild Local News), Maritza Félix (Conecta Arizona), Michael Bolden (American Press Institute), Jeff Roberts and Corey Hutchins (CFOIC, Colorado College), Eve Pearlman and Erica Anderson (Spaceship Media), Jennifer Brandel (Hearken, Democracy SOS), Corey Hutchins with Bay Edwards, Todd Chamberlain and Raleigh Burleigh (Sopris Sun). 

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. Lisa emphasizes the importance of intentional, community-centered journalism that aims to elevate underrepresented voices and provide a nuanced perspective on Baltimore’s complex social issues.

She also delves into the dynamics of diversity within newsrooms, the need to foster an inclusive environment, and the unique challenges Black-led media face in navigating networks of power. Lisa highlights the Baltimore Beat’s approach to journalism as a means of empowering residents through trustworthy storytelling and tangible community engagement, such as the Beat Box initiative distributing both newspapers and essential goods.

With reflections on the current state of local news, Lisa offers insights into maintaining sustainable and impactful reporting amidst an ever-changing media landscape, particularly for underserved audiences.

Episode chapters:

(00:02:40) - Origins of Baltimore Beat and Lisa’s journalism journey

(00:09:42) - Financial planning after a seven-figure donation

(00:12:35) - Baltimore’s diverse communities and the need for another news source

(00:17:41) - Sustainably reaching underserved audiences and the role of print

(00:23:29) - Diversity challenges in newsrooms and fostering inclusion

(00:34:22) - Black publishers and navigating networks of power

(00:40:31) - Transitioning to leadership and lessons in entrepreneurship

(00:50:37) - Rapid-fire questions

(01:02:32) - Media and local recommendations

• Lisa Snowden: Linkedln,Twitter/X

• Baltimore Beat

• Mentioned

• Towson University

• Baltimore Sun

• LION Publishers

• The Real News Network

• Baltimore Museum of Art

• Baltimore AFRO American Newspapers

• Baltimore Times

• Episode with Sara Lomax and S. Mitra Kalita of URL Media

• Local recommendations

• Nick's Fish House

• Koco’s Pub

• Think beyond the inner harbor

• Media recommendations

• News For All the People by Juan Gonázlez and Joseph Torres

• Capital B

• Outlier Media 

• MLK 50

• The TRiiBe

• Local News Matters: web, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn

• Pirate Audio

• Colorado Press Association: web, Twitter, Facebook

• Tim Regan-Porter: bio, Twitter

For show notes, transcripts, newsletter sign-up and past guests on the Local News Matters podcast, please visit localnewsmatterspodcast.com or lnmpod.com.

Past guests on the Local News Matters podcast include: Karen Rundlet (INN), Jim Brady (Knight Foundation), Candice Fortman (Exit interview, Outlier Media), Jean Friedman-Rudovsky (Resolve Philly), Jay Rosen (NYU), Sue Cross (Exit interview, INN), Mary Margaret White (Mississippi Today), Amy Kovac-Ashley (Tiny News Collective), Michael Shapiro (TAPinto), Kenny Katzgrau (redbankgreen and Broadstreet), John Garrett (Community Impact), Shannon Kinney (Dream Local Digital), Larry Ryckman (The Colorado Sun),  Frank Mungeam (Local Media Association), Kelly Ann Scott (Alabama Media Group), Sara Lomax and S. Mitra Kalita (URL Media), Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro (National Trust for Local News), Mike Rispoli and Richard Young (via When the People Decide), Sarabeth Berman (American Journalism Project), Rabbi Hillel Goldberg and Shana Goldberg (Intermountain Jewish News),  Lyndsay C. Green (via The Journalism Salute), Rashad Mahmood and Mark Glaser (New Mexico Local News Fund), Christian Vanek and Barbara Hardt (The Mountain-Ear), Dan Grech (BizHack), Zack Richner (Easy Tax Credits), Tracie Powell (Pivot Fund), Dan Oshinsky (Inbox Collective), Linda Shapley (via What Works), Yehong Zhu and Jake Seaton (Zette, Column), Charity Huff (January Spring), Joaquin Alvarado and Dave Perry (Aurora Sentinel), Steve Waldman (Rebuild Local News), Maritza Félix (Conecta Arizona), Michael Bolden (American Press Institute), Jeff Roberts and Corey Hutchins (CFOIC, Colorado College), Eve Pearlman and Erica Anderson (Spaceship Media), Jennifer Brandel (Hearken, Democracy SOS), Corey Hutchins with Bay Edwards, Todd Chamberlain and Raleigh Burleigh (Sopris Sun). 

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. Rundlet emphasizes that supporting an informed public, not just journalism, is critical in today’s landscape.

She also highlights the role of local news in fostering community connection, touching on how INN members are covering vital issues like municipal government, education and culture. Rundlet discusses the importance of engaging local funders and ensuring that newsrooms help solve community problems by being transparent, impactful and connected.

Rundlet reflects on the future of local news, from addressing news avoidance to ensuring transparency in funding. She explores how organizations can focus on accountability, co-design content with their communities and maintain mental health and sustainability for both leaders and journalists.

Episode chapters:

(00:02:21) - Reflections on Knight Foundation, NewsMatch and fundraising in local news

(00:11:30) - Engaging local funders and the role of local news in community building

(00:16:51) - It’s not “save journalism.” Save an informed public.

(00:25:31) - The role of support organizations in strengthening news ecosystems

(00:30:14) - Operating support, transparency and other issues in funding

(00:36:17) - Addressing news avoidance and making news useful

(00:38:57) - Rapid-fire questions

(00:50:33) - Media and local recommendations

• Karen Rundlet: Linkedln,Twitter/X

• Institute for Nonprofit News

• Mentioned

• Knight Foundation 

• NewsMatch

• Press Forward

• Miami Herald

• WNBC

• WLRN 

• ProPublica

• PBS NewsHour

• Hechinger Report

• Ben Thompson

• Earn Your Press Pass

• New Mexico In Depth

• Local recommendations

• Pérez Art Museum Miami

• B & M Market

• Cuban coffee

• Media recommendations

• If I Survive You by Jonathan Ostroffery 

• Ten Percent Happier podcast by Dan Harris

• The Daily

• Political Miami

• Local News Matters: web, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn

• Pirate Audio

• Colorado Press Association: web, Twitter, Facebook

• Tim Regan-Porter: bio, Twitter

For show notes, transcripts, newsletter sign-up and past guests on the Local News Matters podcast, please visit localnewsmatterspodcast.com or lnmpod.com.

Past guests on the Local News Matters podcast include: Jim Brady (Knight Foundation), Candice Fortman (Exit interview, Outlier Media), Jean Friedman-Rudovsky (Resolve Philly), Jay Rosen (NYU), Sue Cross (Exit interview, INN), Mary Margaret White (Mississippi Today), Amy Kovac-Ashley (Tiny News Collective), Michael Shapiro (TAPinto), Kenny Katzgrau (redbankgreen and Broadstreet), John Garrett (Community Impact), Shannon Kinney (Dream Local Digital), Larry Ryckman (The Colorado Sun),  Frank Mungeam (Local Media Association), Kelly Ann Scott (Alabama Media Group), Sara Lomax and S. Mitra Kalita (URL Media), Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro (National Trust for Local News), Mike Rispoli and Richard Young (via When the People Decide), Sarabeth Berman (American Journalism Project), Rabbi Hillel Goldberg and Shana Goldberg (Intermountain Jewish News),  Lyndsay C. Green (via The Journalism Salute), Rashad Mahmood and Mark Glaser (New Mexico Local News Fund), Christian Vanek and Barbara Hardt (The Mountain-Ear), Dan Grech (BizHack), Zack Richner (Easy Tax Credits), Tracie Powell (Pivot Fund), Dan Oshinsky (Inbox Collective), Linda Shapley (via What Works), Yehong Zhu and Jake Seaton (Zette, Column), Charity Huff (January Spring), Joaquin Alvarado and Dave Perry (Aurora Sentinel), Steve Waldman (Rebuild Local News), Maritza Félix (Conecta Arizona), Michael Bolden (American Press Institute), Jeff Roberts and Corey Hutchins (CFOIC, Colorado College), Eve Pearlman and Erica Anderson (Spaceship Media), Jennifer Brandel (Hearken, Democracy SOS), Corey Hutchins with Bay Edwards, Todd Chamberlain and Raleigh Burleigh (Sopris Sun). 

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 an optimistic view of how new technologies and business models can help them thrive.

He also emphasizes the role of philanthropy in creating a stronger, more resilient local news ecosystem. From increasing audience engagement to reducing operational costs, Jim explores how local journalism can adapt to the evolving media landscape. He also touches on the importance of rebuilding trust with audiences and the need to reconnect local news with community needs.

Throughout the conversation, Jim highlights how local news plays a vital role in a functioning democracy, advocating for a collective effort to ensure its future. Whether through innovative startups or legacy media adapting to new realities, the future of local journalism hinges on collaboration and creativity.

Episode chapters:

(00:02:23) - The state of local news: Challenges and progress

(00:09:33) - Building infrastructure for local news sustainability

(00:15:31) - The “huddling for warmth” phase of journalism

(00:25:53) - Press Forward’s national effort to save local news

(00:31:10) - Public awareness of the local news crisis

(00:34:10) - Adapting to the new reality

(00:37:16) - Hopes for a transformed news ecosystem

(00:48:03) - Trust, bubbles, and journalism’s future

(00:58:07) - Rapid-fire questions

(01:05:47) - Media and local recommendations

• Jim Brady: Linkedln,Twitter/X

• Knight Foundation

• Mentioned

• Press Forward

• The Washington Post

• AOL

• ESPN 

• Seattle Times

• News Revenue Hub

• Billy Penn

• Newspack

• WordPress

• Indie Graf

• Tiny News Collective

• Jennifer Preston

• American Journalism Project

• Report for America

• Institute for Nonprofit News

• LION Publishers

• Kansas City Defender

• Big Bets by Raj Shah

• Gates Foundation

• USAID

• Rockefeller Foundation

• KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation)

• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

• Documenters

• Salt Lake Tribune

• The Daily Memphian

• The Baltimore Banner

• LMA (Local Media Association)

• Bloom Lab

• Local recommendations

• El Carajo

• Joe’s Stone Crab

• Coconut Grove

• Coral Gables

• Vizcaya Museum and Gardens

• Miami Beach

• Wynwood

• Media recommendations

• 12 Angry Men (1957)

• Parting the Waters by Taylor Branch

• Moving Pictures by Rush

• The Silence of the Lambs (book) by Thomas Harris

• Annie (musical)

• Annie (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

• Local News Matters: web, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn

• Pirate Audio

• Colorado Press Association: web, Twitter, Facebook

• Tim Regan-Porter: bio, Twitter

For show notes, transcripts, newsletter sign-up and past guests on the Local News Matters podcast, please visit localnewsmatterspodcast.com or lnmpod.com.

Past guests on the Local News Matters podcast include: Candice Fortman (Exit interview, Outlier Media), Jean Friedman-Rudovsky (Resolve Philly), Jay Rosen (NYU), Sue Cross (Exit interview, INN), Mary Margaret White (Mississippi Today), Amy Kovac-Ashley (Tiny News Collective), Michael Shaprio (TAPinto), Kenny Katzgrau (redbankgreen and Broadstreet), John Garrett (Community Impact), Shannon Kinney (Dream Local Digital), Larry Ryckman (The Colorado Sun),  Frank Mungeam (Local Media Association), Kelly Ann Scott (Alabama Media Group), Sara Lomax and S. Mitra Kalita (URL Media), Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro (National Trust for Local News), Mike Rispoli and Richard Young (via When the People Decide), Sarabeth Berman (American Journalism Project), Rabbi Hillel Goldberg and Shana Goldberg (Intermountain Jewish News),  Lyndsay C. Green (via The Journalism Salute), Rashad Mahmood and Mark Glaser (New Mexico Local News Fund), Christian Vanek and Barbara Hardt (The Mountain-Ear), Dan Grech (BizHack), Zack Richner (Easy Tax Credits), Tracie Powell (Pivot Fund), Dan Oshinsky (Inbox Collective), Linda Shapley (via What Works), Yehong Zhu and Jake Seaton (Zette, Column), Charity Huff (January Spring), Joaquin Alvarado and Dave Perry (Aurora Sentinel), Steve Waldman (Rebuild Local News), Maritza Félix (Conecta Arizona), Michael Bolden (American Press Institute), Jeff Roberts and Corey Hutchins (CFOIC, Colorado College), Eve Pearlman and Erica Anderson (Spaceship Media), Jennifer Brandel (Hearken, Democracy SOS), Corey Hutchins with Bay Edwards, Todd Chamberlain and Raleigh Burleigh (Sopris Sun).