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Houston Landing practices people-centered journalism

In early June, Houston Landing formally launched under the direction of CEO Peter Bhatia. A former editor, Bhatia is now at the helm of the business model — nonprofit, purely digital and expressly focused on Houston’s underserved communities. They solicit donations and members, but the journalism is free.

A journalist’s job can be exciting: uncovering a critical lead for a new story or elbowing aside a gaggle of other media pros to question a government official. Many journalists must also attend city council, school board or other local meetings — often for hours, waiting for a newsworthy decision or statement. Reading the minutes can require even more precious time to find the kernel of the story or determine who best to interview. Making that process easier is the goal of Agenda Watch

The circus is coming to town — to every city in America. And only the donkeys and elephants will be performing in the center ring. It’s America’s quintessential, quadrennial big show — the 2024 presidential, congressional, state and local elections. Despite how little attention and money print media and newspapers receive from many political campaigns, there are still opportunities to generate additional revenues — especially suburban and small-market newspapers with hyper-local reporting.
The "NewsMedia Revenue Summit" is programmed to be an information packed, fast-paced event designed to deliver actionable, take-to-market ideas and strategies that will grow "top line" revenue, now! Plus attendees will be able to submit their biggest revenue challenges in advance, so E&P can assess the latest research and industry knowledge available to present customized solutions, during a special session hosted by Mike Blinder.
As a manager, you must balance the things that need to get done and the time available. Are you spending your time wisely? Or are you wasting this resource on things that other people could be doing? That kind of examination is absolutely crucial to getting the most value out of your time.
Too often, the media focuses on the demise of newspapers and the expanding news deserts nationwide. It is certainly a transition of note, but another transition that deserves more coverage is the effort to recruit and train the next generation of journalists. How news is delivered is changing, but the journalist's role will remain critical to gathering, writing and providing editorial commentary about the news.
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After careful consideration, Column has decided to end its service of providing free public notice websites for press associations, effective for all partners no later than May 31, 2024.
Eighty-four participants representing news publishers in 25 states across the country will meet with Senators and Representatives on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., today as part of a Support Journalism Fly-In hosted by the News/Media Alliance, a nonprofit trade association representing more than 2,000 print and digital news and magazine publishers in the U.S. The Fly-In is being held to advocate for the importance of quality journalistic and creative content and the need for legislative action in the United States.
Max, Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming platform, has launched CNN Max, a 24/7 streaming news offering now available to users alongside expanded access to News content and CNN Originals. Current Max subscribers can now find this collection of content on the top navigation bar under News Beta, or through the CNN Max hub.
Advertisers paid a premium for airtime during the first Republican presidential debate on Fox News, but it looks like they’ll be getting a major discount during round two on Wednesday night.
The chief executive of New York Public Radio, which operates WNYC and the classical music station WQXR, said the organization was facing a “free fall” in advertising.
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In this episode of E&P Reports, we go beyond reporting on news publishers by focusing on the impact on a population when they learn they may lose their newspaper of record. Appearing in this interview and speaking about the value of local journalism as it affects the people and public policy of their community are Bedford County, Tennessee’s Chris White, director of planning, Greg Vick, county commissioner for District 2 and Curt Cobb, county clerk & master.

In this episode of “E&P Reports,” we go one-on-one with award-winning journalist and founder of the Global Press Institute (GPI) Cristi Hegranes, whose new book: “Byline” makes a case that the global news publishing industry can become more sustainable by rethinking how it provides global news coverage by focusing on local news sourcing — as opposed to: “The flawed discipline of parachute journalism.”
In this episode of "E&P Reports," we explore the groundbreaking move by two organizations that considered themselves competitive for decades. Arizona Newspapers Association and Arizona Broadcasters Association merge into Arizona Media Association. We chat about the "whys and hows" of the union with Lisa Simpson, the former executive director of Arizona Newspapers Association, and Chris Kline, the former president/ CEO of Arizona Broadcasters Association. We also learn their future plans for advancing the industry and serving their combined membership.
In this episode of "E&P Reports," we explore the recent Google Antitrust suit filed by the DOJ through one of the witnesses for the defense, news media industry digital ad software provider Kenny Katzgrau, CEO of Broadstreet. Katzgrau, who wrote an op-ed offering advice to small news publishers on how they can compete with big-tech local media advertising dollars, now finds that his words will likely become evidence presented by Google that they may be a less-dominant media giant than has been reported. Katzgrau, a local news publisher, discusses how even though he believes that Google is a powerful, dominant, monopolistic player in the local ad space, he may find himself sitting on a stand offering evidence for the defense.
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One of the dilemmas newsrooms face in the age of AI is whether and how to use generative AI technologies, and then how to create some structure and define ethics and policy around their use. The other dilemma is how to protect news publishers' interests through regulatory and fair-compensation advocacy.
In the wake of the Revolutionary War and the birth of the United States, founding fathers like Thomas Jefferson and James Madison agreed that securing and growing a free press was essential to the country’s future. So in 1792, then-President George Washington signed into law a sweeping act that created the postal service and subsidized the delivery of newspapers. This lesson of government support of the news industry is extremely relevant today, as communities across the country continue to lose local news sources at an alarming rate.
You may have noticed the #AAJAFamily hashtag trending on social media this summer. That's how members of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) describe the organization and its annual conference to E&P, “like a family.” E&P reached out to AAJA officers and members to hear about their experiences at AAJA23 and what this organization has meant to them professionally and personally.
The ReNews Project seeks to revive campus newspapers, especially at Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs). Many have had funding cuts or have experienced censorship threats. Before the coordinators arrive on campus, they meet with the students and advisers virtually to understand the newsroom and the training and resources needed.
In each of the last two years, E&P has announced our “15 Over 50” salute. However, again this year, the nominees have been so deserving that we expanded the group to include “20 Over 50.” We were excited about our robust response and the stellar individuals we salute. They range in age from 51 to 75. Some have spent most of their career in news with one organization, and others have progressed through several positions across organizations.
We are seeking your assistance in recognizing a leader with business acumen, technical savvy and a deep understanding of what needs to be done to stay successful — along with the fortitude and tenacity to implement change. “Publisher of the Year” recognition is open to all news media publishers worldwide.
September 15 is International Democracy Day, but in the month leading up to the holiday, democracy itself seemed under attack — acutely in the small town of Marion, Kansas. On Friday, Aug. 11, the full arm of the law came down on the local newspaper, The Marion County Record, and its family owners. Publisher Eric Meyer had the support, ears and eyes of news outlets worldwide.
Patrick Merlihan, who runs digital strategy for the Woolwich Observer in Elmira, Ontario, thought he was about to tackle a monumental task in a quest to make the website fully accessible for the 15,000-circulation newspaper in September 2021. “I thought I was going to have a lot of challenges to make our site accessible, and then it was, like, 10 minutes,” he said.
The people and communities of southwest Colorado and northwest New Mexico embrace the spirit and history of the Old West while proactively developing the social, cultural and economic diversity of their part of the New West. Having recently celebrated its 70th year, Ballantine Communications has been a leading partner in that development as a primary news and information outlet and a multimedia resource to support local business growth.
A year into his role as NPR's audience editor, Latino audiences, Pablo Valdivia reflects about his job and what he’s discovered about NPR’s Latino listeners. He notes that he consults with the newsroom, introducing them to stories of interest to Latino listeners and steering them away from stories that speak about Latinos without hearing from Latinos.
The buzz was electric as over 200 media executives packed into the Gleacher Center in downtown Chicago on Aug. 2, eager to hear insights on the future of local news from industry leaders at the opening keynote of LMA Fest. Moderator Tracy Brown of WBEZ/Chicago Public Media welcomed a star-studded panel featuring Catherine Badalamente, CEO of Graham Media Group, Mike Reed, CEO of Gannett, and Evan Smith, senior advisor at Emerson Collective and former CEO of The Texas Tribune.
E&P spoke with engagement editors this summer to hear firsthand about their career paths, how closely they work with newsrooms today and their thoughts on how the quality of the content is vital to engagement. Learn from the engagement editors at The Star Tribune in Minneapolis, The Marshall Project and the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
The International Center for Journalists empowers journalists to follow the money behind disinformation in the Americas. ICFJ President Sharon Moshavi says it is critical to expose the sources of disinformation and find who is funding the intentional dissemination of false information.
Despite widespread attacks on those principles and fundamental changes to the news industry, 77% of U.S. journalists responding to a 2022 Pew Research Center survey said they “would pursue a career in journalism again,” 75% “are extremely or very proud of their work” and 70% ”are very or somewhat satisfied with their job.” Conversely, the surveyed journalists were not blind to the turmoil in their industry.
The people of Aberdeen, South Dakota, were not about to allow their town to become a news desert. The local newspaper of many years, The American News, was withering on the vine. Contractions, layoffs and buyouts had reduced the staff to one reporter. Troy McQuillen, publisher of the Aberdeen Magazine, launched The Aberdeen Insider and feedback from the community has been very positive.
Every year, the small town of Keene, New Hampshire, transforms its downtown into an event space for the Radically Rural Summit, an annual event for community-minded people to share how they solve problems in their towns. This year’s theme is Reimagining Rural and will include events focused on communication, connection and philanthropy.
Merchandising has become a valued revenue stream for many newspapers and news outlets to generate new subscriptions, increase awareness of their quality journalism, promote community identity and boost the bottom line to expand newsrooms and coverage. Although the purpose of merchandising promotions is extra revenue, they are also often fun — for the community and newsrooms.
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The Routt County Planning Department plays a vital role in ensuring that land usage in the county is lawful, efficient, and sustainable. The department issues various permits for different land uses, each requiring a public notice component.
The 2023 class of “E&P’s Creative Visionaries,” salutes the creative directors, graphic artists and multimedia designers of our industry. Help us salute these essential colleagues who bring storytelling to life, curating captivating images, informative graphics, copy, and increasingly, video and audio.
As more newspapers add a digital platform to distribute news and other content, they’ve discovered they need a comprehensive and flexible subscription management system. Such a system generates …
Positive trends abound during the continued transformation of the news industry: from local entrepreneurs launching new publications to the benefits of alternative revenue streams.
The journey into selling digital advertising has presented challenges and opportunities for publishers and print salespeople. We’ll dive into the experiences of one publisher who found their footing in the digital landscape and effectively doubled (even tripled) its digital revenue thanks to a partnership with AdCellerant.
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A top European Union official said Tuesday that the social network X, formerly known as Twitter, is the biggest source of fake news and urged owner Elon Musk to comply with the bloc’s laws aimed at combating disinformation.
"The Constitution is meant to safeguard the rights of anyone engaging in acts of journalism — not just professional journalists." — Seth Stern, director of advocacy, Freedom of the Press Foundation
The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project is excited to announce its new podcast, “Dirty Deeds: Tales of Global Crime & Corruption,” featuring inside stories of how the powerful, unscrupulous, and well-connected can acquire unimaginable wealth — and of what it takes to expose them.
WBUR Radio, Boston’s NPR station, is accepting applications for their Fellowship program which will run from January through December 2024. To apply for the Newsroom Fellowship program, visit https://www.wbur.org/inside/newsroom-fellowship-application.
Black Americans are critical of news coverage of Black people and say educating journalists would make coverage fairer.
Eight newsroom teams from the U.S and around the world will develop products and processes that harness AI to amplify truth and combat mis- and disinformation, as part of ICFJ’s Leap Innovation Lab kicking off this week. 
A man who attacked an Associated Press photographer and threw a flagpole and smoke grenade at police officers guarding the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, was sentenced on Friday to five years in prison.
Ohio HB-33 allows municipalities to publish many or most of their notices on their own websites and social media feeds or on the Ohio News Media Association’s statewide public notice website, instead of publishing them in local newspapers or legal journals.
Approved by the 2023 legislature, the new law states e-editions of a newspaper may satisfy publication rules for legal notices, which in the past had to be published in an actual newspaper.
New comprehensive, global report on what news organizations are doing with AI exposes challenges and opportunities — and offers valuable insights for newsrooms of the future.
A liberal watchdog group on Monday sued a secret panel investigating the criteria for impeaching a liberal Wisconsin Supreme Court justice, asking a judge to order the panel to stop meeting behind closed doors.
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Mather has acquired Sophi Inc. Mather and Sophi together accelerate the scale and speed at which we collectively create customer value with transformative products and services.
AdPerfect, which re-launched its industry-leading obituary platform last September, will provide the hosting technology for the legendary metro daily The Toronto Star, as well as Metroland Media’s 54 local media titles.
BlueLena is receiving a critical investment to expand affordable access to its solutions for independent media as part of the LION Publishers’ newly announced Maintaining Affordable News Ecosystem (MANE) initiative.
Lyle Printing and Publishing, of Salem, Ohio, has selected SCS to provide its Community Advertising System and Community Publishing System. Farm and Dairy, which serves the rural communities of Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, is the company’s flagship publication.
PressReader has announced an expanded partnership with Gannett. This collaboration brings together content from USA TODAY, USA TODAY International Edition and 50 local publications within the USA TODAY Network to readers across PressReader's global Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Consumer (B2C) channels.
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CalMatters has added seven hires to its team, reflecting its commitment to increased nonpartisan coverage of news in the coming election year and its ongoing focus on building a staff that closely reflects the wonderful diversity of the Golden State. 
Paul Reynolds is responsible for APG’s seven daily and weekly publications in Ohio, which includes the Athens Messenger, Athens News, Circleville Herald and Logan Daily News.
The leader in charge of getting the Tulsa (Oklahoma) World delivered each day is retiring after almost 46 years with the company.
Rhonda Pringle, the longtime Baltimore Business Journal publisher and market president, has been named director, diversity business initiatives for American City Business Journals, the BBJ's parent company.
Shyla Raghav has spent her entire career working on climate solutions and advocating for climate action. She brings 15 years of experience in climate change policy, international climate finance, coalition building and nature conservation.  
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Foxboro’s Jack Authelet, whose passion for local history and civic boosterism was exceeded only by his commitment to community journalism, died Sept. 18 at Life Care Center in Attleboro, eight days shy of his 91st birthday.
Braxton “B.I.” Moody III, a longtime business and community leader in Crowley, Acadia Parish and Acadiana — and the namesake of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s college of business — died Sept. 13 at the age of 97.
The Tampa Bay Times’ longtime Tallahassee bureau chief investigated corruption in Tampa Bay and beyond.
Lisa Walsh was a pillar in the Sarasota-Manatee community; a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister and daughter; and the backbone of one of the most successful media companies in Florida.
A historian as well, Peter C. Newman challenged, with a muckraker’s spirit, the political and corporate establishment of a country he adopted after fleeing Nazi-occupied Europe.