Local media companies don’t have a new business problem — they have a go-to-market problem. Too many executives confuse GTM strategy with a product list or a revenue target, when what’s really missing is a framework that unifies sales, marketing and customer success around advertiser outcomes. The result is painful: high churn, weak renewals and unpredictable revenue. Borrowing from the SaaS playbook, publishers can fix this blind spot and build a GTM that turns transactions into scalable, recurring growth. more

Strong reporting has always been the backbone of newspapers. But as Gary Randazzo argues in this Shoptalk column, the industry has overlooked something just as vital: brand. “We didn’t just run ads. We ran a brand,” he recalls of his time at the Houston Chronicle. Without a clear, consistent expression of value, newspapers risk losing ground not only with readers but also with advertisers and communities. more

Newsrooms know they need to meet audiences where they are — and today, that’s on TikTok and Instagram. But making videos that actually resonate takes more than quick clips. Spotlight Delaware’s viral “Tell Your Tía” series shows how creative framing and smart strategy can transform social media into a serious channel for local news. Here’s how they did it — and six lessons your newsroom can put to work right now. more

The Hagadone Newspaper Media Group has built its reputation on stewardship, storytelling and stability. But its role comes into sharp relief in moments of crisis — like when the Coeur d’Alene Press covered the shocking ambush that left two firefighters dead on Canfield Mountain. In this profile, learn how Hagadone’s commitment to community journalism has kept its newsrooms strong while much of the industry has struggled. more

When billion-dollar networks like CBS and ABC cave to political pressure and late-night stars like Colbert and Kimmel get muzzled, what chance does a small-town publisher have? If Washington can bend the most prominent players in media, local newspapers — already stretched thin by lawsuits, advertiser boycotts, and the rise of AI — are staring down an even harsher storm. That’s why Bob Corn-Revere, one of America’s top First Amendment lawyers, warns now is the moment to stiffen spines. “A spine is a terrible thing to waste,” he said — and for publishers, wasting it could mean losing the last line of defense for democracy. more

When floodwaters swept through Kerr County, national media crews rushed in, grabbed their dramatic shots, and just as quickly moved on. But Louis Amestoy and his small team didn’t pack up. They stayed. They documented the aftermath, told the stories of neighbors helping neighbors, and pressed for accountability long after the TV trucks rolled away. For Amestoy, that persistence wasn’t just reporting — it was a reminder of what only local journalism can do: stay rooted when the national spotlight fades. more

Fact-checking has always been a tough business, but in today’s AI-saturated media landscape, it’s bordering on impossible. As misinformation spreads unchecked across social platforms and newsrooms lose resources to chase it down, the very idea of holding power accountable is under siege. Rob Tornoe reports on what happens when fact-checking falters — and why journalism’s role as truth-teller has never been more vital. more

A brand-new survey of more than 500 small and midsize businesses uncovered what local advertisers value most — and why so many churn within the first year. In a recent webinar, two industry leaders unpacked the findings and offered strategies every publisher can use to boost retention and revenue. The results may surprise you. From the services SMBs expect, to the ROI they demand, this research offers a clear roadmap for publishers ready to deliver real value. See this important info and how it can shape your next move. more

Whistleblower tips are flooding in — nearly 300% more than last year, according to The Signals Network. But handling that first call can mean the difference between exposing the truth and endangering a source. In this reporting, Barbara Laker, Yaffa Fredrick, Abby Vesoulis and David Barstow share how they secure communications, build trust and transform leaks into credible journalism. more

The greatest threat facing publishers today isn’t just artificial intelligence — it’s hesitation. As consumer behavior shifts at lightning speed, driven by new technologies and shrinking referral traffic, the window to act is closing fast. The rules of engagement are being rewritten, and those who cling to old playbooks risk being left behind. To survive — and grow — media companies must rethink business models around what audiences actually value, scenario-plan for an AI-powered future and double down on trust, relevance and experiences that algorithms alone can’t deliver. more

In today’s crowded advertising market, the proposal is your make-or-break moment. Media sales consultant Shannon Kinney says AI won’t close the deal for you — but it can make every step of building and presenting a proposal sharper, faster and more persuasive. From instant market research to ad mockups that bring campaigns to life, she’s using AI to help sales teams win more pitches in less time. For media sellers, the edge no team can afford to ignore is already at their fingertips. more

Nearly 500 nonprofit journalists and news leaders converged in Minneapolis this June for the largest INN Days in history, and the timing could not have been more urgent. With lawsuits mounting, public media funding under threat and newsroom safety concerns rising, the Institute for Nonprofit News framed its record-breaking conference around one central message: embattled newsrooms are not alone. INN’s expanding network, legal partners and donor programs offered both lifelines and solidarity, underscoring what CEO Karen Rundlet called “a critical juncture for facts, for access, for journalist safety, digital and physical.” more

In a world where speaking out can result in being silenced forever, journalism itself is under attack. Hours before this conversation was taped, commentator and podcaster Charlie Kirk was gunned down at an event at Utah Valley University — a stark reminder that public voices, whether political or journalistic, face real and rising danger. Against that backdrop, Dr. Peter Laufer, world-traveling journalist, author and editor of the new book “Don't Shoot the Journalists: Migrating to Stay Alive,” joined E&P Reports to explore what’s at stake when reporters are exiled, threatened or even killed — and what our society loses when truth-tellers are taken off the stage. more

Local journalism’s future depends on more than new business models and revenue streams — it depends on people. Report for America (RFA) is helping fill that need by placing bright, ambitious reporters in newsrooms across the country, where they’re covering critical beats and building trust in the communities they serve. According to RFA’s 2025 Impact Report, the program has grown from just three placements in 2018 to 97 in this year’s class, with more than half securing permanent newsroom positions. Four of those corps members share what it means to “hit the ground reporting,” offering an inside look at their daily work and the impact they’re making on local news. more

A new player has entered the Philadelphia media market with the launch of the Fideri News Network, bringing together a portfolio of suburban news sites, niche digital platforms, and local broadcast assets. The initiative aims to strengthen coverage across the region, but its debut has sparked questions along with curiosity: What exactly is the network? How is it organized? And can it deliver something truly new, or is it more of a reshuffling of existing operations? more

When The Paper debuted this week on Peacock, it promised laughs — but inside America’s newsrooms, the reaction was anything but simple. Co-created by Greg Daniels of The Office fame, the mockumentary follows a struggling local paper. For publishers and editors who’ve lived that story, the premiere raised big questions: can a sitcom capture the grit, humanity, and relentless optimism of real journalism, or will it play into tired clichés? We want to hear your take — join the conversation on our LinkedIn page and be part of the story. more

In E&P’s Email Master Class, publisher Mike Blinder interviewed two experts—Letterhead CEO Chris Sopher and VP Marianne Maniero—on turning email from a time sink into a revenue engine. The conversation zeroed in on four demands from registrants: monetizing beyond basic ads, growing subscribers in crowded inboxes, running newsletters with lean teams, and proving ROI to advertisers. Sopher and Maniero treated newsletters as products, aligning revenue to format and reader intent, and showed how smart automation preserves the editorial touch while scaling. more

Over the past decade, Donald Trump has waged a relentless campaign against the press — not just in rallies or interviews, but in the 75,000 social media posts he’s fired off since 2015. More than 3,500 of them singled out journalists and news outlets by name, catalogued in a database that shows clear patterns of attack. What emerges is not off-the-cuff bluster but a deliberate strategy, one that senior reporter Stephanie Sugars says is reshaping how millions of Americans view the press — and raising alarms about the future of democracy itself. more

When the Guadalupe River rose more than 26 feet in less than an hour on July 4, it wasn’t just Kerrville, Texas, that was under siege — it was its people, homes, summer camps and way of life. National media swooped in to capture the devastation, but it was the town’s own journalists who stayed, delivering life-saving information, correcting misinformation and documenting both the tragedy and the resilience of their neighbors. From the Kerrville Daily Times’ all-hands-on-deck coverage to The Kerr County Lead’s relentless real-time updates, two small newsrooms proved that in a disaster of international scale, local press still matters most. more

Heather Burns has spent three decades breaking barriers in sports journalism — and now she’s making history as USA TODAY’s first women’s sports editor. From building ESPN’s NFL Nation team to championing deeper coverage of women’s athletics, Burns brings both experience and passion to the role. “It can’t always be cheerleading,” she says. “It’s also got to be good journalism with integrity.” With a new strategy called Studio IX and the power of the USA Today Network behind her, she’s determined to give women’s sports the coverage it has always deserved. more