More Exclusives from the E&P Newsroom
As Big Tech platforms and artificial intelligence (AI) continue to disrupt the news media industry, newspapers possess a competitive advantage that tech giants simply cannot replicate: their deep roots in the communities they serve. New research suggests that local newspapers continue to earn readers’ trust across generations, including Millennials. In his October “The Newspaper Perspective” op-ed, Dean Ridings explains why being local is journalism’s superpower and offers practical advice for publishers looking to strengthen community connections, build trust and remind audiences and advertisers of their unique value.
Obituaries have long been a reliable revenue stream for newspapers and an important connection to the communities they serve. But as families increasingly turn to funeral-home websites, social media and other digital alternatives, publishers are seeing that business decline. Can newspapers reclaim their place in this changing market? In this E&P Quick Read, Taayoo Murray examines new research on obituary revenue, the competitive challenges publishers face and innovative approaches to preserving a valuable business, a historical record and an enduring community tradition.
There’s no single bullet for sustaining a profitable news media business, but publishers are finding creative ways to diversify their revenue streams and strengthen audience relationships. From membership programs and community experiences to sponsored podcasts, niche publications and innovative advertising products, opportunities abound. In this E&P “Revenue Roundup,” Bob Miller speaks with three industry leaders — Chicago Public Media CEO Melissa Bell, Publisher Uriah Kiser from Potomac Local News, and Ryan Dohrn, founder and president of Brain Swell Media — about the strategies they’ve deployed, what’s generating revenue today and where they see opportunities for growth.
Newsrooms have spent decades documenting history, but are they making the most of their own archives? Artificial intelligence (AI) is creating new opportunities for newsrooms to unlock decades of reporting, rediscover valuable institutional knowledge and uncover stories hiding in plain sight. In this E&P Quick Read, Tandy Lau explores how digital preservation efforts and emerging AI tools are helping publishers turn yesterday’s news into a valuable resource for tomorrow’s reporting.
As advertisers begin planning for 2027, media sales professionals may be asking the wrong questions. In her latest “Ad Sales Life” op-ed column, Shannon Kinney explains why conversations shouldn’t begin with advertising budgets, but with clients’ larger business objectives — and how getting into the room earlier can transform a salesperson from vendor to trusted adviser.
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Following the money behind federal political appointees can require digging through thousands of documents scattered across government agencies. ProPublica has done much of that legwork for journalists. In this E&P Quick Read, E&P’s Editor-in-Chief Gretchen A. Peck reveals how ProPublica’s “Trump Team Financials” project combines data, technology and accountability journalism.
Fresnoland has grown from an experiment in public-service journalism into a nine-person nonprofit newsroom producing ambitious accountability reporting for California’s Central Valley. But proving the value of the journalism is only part of the challenge, building a sustainable business to support is another. In this E&P exclusive “News Media Profile,” Taayoo Murray explores how Fresnoland is growing its audience, diversifying revenue and remaining steadfastly focused on the community it serves.
Temple University’s student journalists aren’t merely practicing how to produce a newscast — they’re doing the real thing, complete with breaking news, live reporting and the pressure to get the story right. In this E&P Quick Reads exclusive, Bob Miller goes beyond the scenes of “Temple Update,” whose student team recently earned the program’s first Student Edward R. Murrow Award for the “Excellence in Video Newscast” category.
What if local newsrooms could expand their coverage and reach simply by sharing more of their journalism with one another? In this E&P Quick Reads exclusive, Alyssa Choiniere introduces readers to Plucky Wire, a free collaborative newswire connecting more than 400 newsrooms and helping publishers find, share and amplify local reporting from around the country.
What can open-door newsroom policies teach us about a healthy democracy? In his latest “Democracy Desk” op-ed column, Stuart N. Brotman reflects on Gloria Steinem’s philosophy of the editorial meeting — freewheeling, inclusive and open to unexpected voices — and considers what it can teach us about listening, challenging our assumptions and making room for different points of view in civic life.
As data centers spread across the country, communities are asking urgent questions about water, power, land use, tax incentives and public benefit — and local journalists are being called on to find the answers. In this E&P exclusive, reporter Tandy Lau explores what it’s like for reporters on the front lines of the data-center boom — how they’ve mastered an emerging beat, navigated public concerns and uncovered the local consequences of Big Tech’s far-reaching expansion.
