MEDIA SUPERPOWERS Podcast

🧠 Five Revenue Nuggets for Local Media Publishers

If you want to increase revenue and keep your team focused on what works, here's your cheat sheet from my interview with Randi Stevenson, GM of Austin Monthly and Austin Home at Hearst:

* Do a regular audit: “Be real with yourself about what is working and what is not—and kill your darlings or reinvent them.”

* Spend your budget deliberately: Invest in custom photos where it matters, and use PR images when it doesn’t. Know what’s worth it.

* Track what’s working—and double down: “Reader photos of weather events… the editor looks at the numbers and sees that those do well and seeks out those opportunities.”

* Instagram is king for engagement: Especially when print is your core product, use Instagram (or whatever works for your market) to get rapid reader feedback.

* Less but better: “Can we pull it back? Let’s do something really well instead of four things not well.”

Now let’s rewind and tell the story.

Randi’s Journey: From J-School to GM

Randi’s a data-driven connector with a print-loving heart. She started at Arizona State’s Cronkite School, landed her first gig in Omaha, then joined the Chicago Tribune. From audience development to content marketing to real estate editor, her path eventually led her to Hearst.

But what’s beautiful is that she never lost sight of how revenue powers journalism. “Even out of J-School, it’s like the advertisements in the printed newspaper are paying my salary… that has never been lost on me.”

Now she’s GM of Austin Monthly and Austin Home, overseeing editorial, revenue, marketing, events, audience—everything. She’s the castle-tender who knows what to feed and what to prune.

Her Superpowers: Castle-Tending and Data Grit

Let’s name it. She’s not trying to be the wild creative on the ship. She’s the one keeping the castle from burning down. “I’m a ‘do less better’ girl,” she said. “It’s okay to just enjoy a spreadsheet.”

Randi also dropped one of the hardest truths in media: “Use that time and those resources and that money for something that people are gonna read and that makes a difference.” That’s hard. But it’s honest.

Integrity Meets Strategy

Let’s be clear: She’s not advocating for clickbait or abandoning mission. “It doesn’t mean you stop covering City Hall… You can absolutely and should cover City Hall in a smart way that reaches readers and they’re willing to pay you for that coverage.”

This is essentialism at its finest—less but better. It's how lean teams create excellence without burnout.

Find Your Turd in the Punch Bowl

My favorite line from this convo: “Someone’s gotta be the turd in the punch bowl.”

That’s the person willing to say no when the team wants to chase four ideas and only has budget for one. And if you’re not that person? Find one. You don’t need to become a Randi. You just need a Randi.

So do the audit. Follow the numbers. Hold your integrity. And for the love of your newsroom—find your turd in the punch bowl.

—

👋 If you're a local media leader trying to figure out what to double down on and what to let go of, come join the conversation at peopleofmedia.com.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit datajoe.substack.com

As part of DataJoe's People of Media initiative, I had the pleasure of sitting down with my friend Joel Pape, founder of Media OS. Our conversation wasn’t just about his media journey. It was about redefining the future of publishing technology.

Who is Joel Pape?

Joel is a problem solver at his core. He started his career building custom websites for businesses in high school, transitioned into freelance consulting, and eventually found himself in the office of a magazine publisher. That one meeting led to a decades-long journey of building tech solutions for publishers, culminating in Media OS, a comprehensive platform designed to tackle the biggest pain points in media.

Why Publishers Struggle with Tech

Joel has seen firsthand how technology can feel like the enemy for publishers. The big players—Google, Facebook, Amazon—have mastered data and automation. Publishers have not.

Common Publisher Tech Challenges:

* Scattered Tech Stacks – Multiple disconnected tools that don’t communicate.

* Unclear Data Strategy – Publishers don’t fully own or understand their audience.

* Risky Investments – Buying software that doesn’t deliver or requires expensive consultants.

* Manual Processes – Repetitive tasks that could be automated.

Joel’s mission with Media OS is simple. Give publishers the technology, strategy, and people needed to thrive without the confusion and chaos.

The Media OS Vision: One Platform, One Strategy

1. Technology That Works Together

Joel’s goal isn’t to add one more tool to a publisher’s already bloated tech stack. Media OS is the stack, a fully integrated platform that includes the following and more:

* Subscriptions and paywalls

* Email marketing

* Business directories

* News aggregation

* Event and best-of voting systems

* Analytics, CDP functionality

2. Strategy That Converts

Having the right tech is just step one. Joel and his team also bring best practices and playbooks from successful publishers, ensuring the platform drives revenue.

3. People Who Get It Done

Unlike other software solutions, Media OS includes the people who run it, ensuring publishers don’t just buy tech. They buy results.

Who Is Media OS For?

Joel works best with small to mid-sized publishers who are:

* Committed to digital growth

* Open to first-party data strategies

* Willing to trust and implement proven strategies

Who It’s Not For:

* Startups with no audience – Media OS isn’t for building an audience from nothing.

* Massive corporations with large tech teams – If you have a million-dollar tech budget, you might not need Media OS.

* Publishers looking for a quick fix – MediaOS will require an investment of time. Transformation takes time, can’t be done overnight, and can’t be a standalone “Hail Mary.”

Why This Matters

Joel isn’t just another tech guy. He has spent over a decade listening to publishers and building what they actually need. His vision isn’t about selling software. It’s about giving publishers control over their data, audience, and revenue.

His challenge to publishers? Take ownership of your technology. Invest in knowing your audience. Build something that lasts.

Final Thought

I walked away from this conversation fired up. Joel is swinging for the crazy, but I have always respected the guts of this guy. He sees the big picture, and is willing to take on the biggest problems and build the future. Even if it sounds (and sometimes feels) CRAZY.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit datajoe.substack.com