Dave Morgan, a digital media pioneer who helped shape the evolution of online advertising, offers a candid look at the challenges and opportunities facing local news in this episode of E&P Reports. From the rise of AI and social video to the limitations of subscription models, Morgan shares why traditional revenue strategies are faltering and what publishers should focus on instead. He also explores how local news organizations can rethink their business models, embrace new advertising approaches and stay relevant in a rapidly shifting media landscape. more

When there is mass uncertainty and a lot of the unknown barreling toward you, your best defense is having the right tool. And as a business leader in uncertain times, your best tool is information. In the face of precarity, your ability to absorb, process and act on information will define your success (or lack thereof). more

With the help of artificial intelligence, Tracie Powell, founder and CEO of the Pivot Fund, debuted the Style Guide for Covering Communities of Color, an AI tool powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The style guide merges the existing style guides from several associations to create "the mother of all style guides,” which will help journalists identify any instances of implicit bias or a stereotype in their coverage. more

Public media’s audience is aging, broadcast is fading, and digital-first competitors are winning. Yet, many still cling to outdated models. Tom Davidson lays out a bold challenge: stop fixating on broadcast and start acting like modern media organizations. From rethinking audience engagement to embracing data, he outlines what must change—before it’s too late. more

As we barrel towards the midpoint of the 2020s, the local media landscape is poised for seismic changes that will redefine the industry as we know it. From the shedding of unprofitable properties to the rise of AI-powered autonomous media companies, here are five interrelated trends that E&P columnist Guy Tasaka believes will shape the future of local publishing in 2025 and beyond. more

As NPR grapples with funding threats and industry upheaval, its sprawling network of journalists is proving that collaboration isn’t just a strategy—it’s a lifeline. With more than 200 affiliate stations and nearly 3,000 reporters, NPR’s regional and topical partnerships have become essential for covering breaking news, crises, and underreported stories. But with political and financial pressures mounting, can this model sustain itself in an era of uncertainty? more

The local news industry is experiencing a surge in mergers and acquisitions, with valuations holding steady and strategic buyers reshaping the market. But who’s buying, who’s selling, and what does it mean for the future of community journalism? In this exclusive interview, respected media brokers Sara April of Dirks, Van Essen & April and John Thomas Cribb of Cribb & Associates break down the latest trends, reveal what’s driving deals, and offer insights for publishers looking to buy, sell, or strengthen their operations. more

Your readers are probably not as sensitive to graphic war photography as you think. That’s the takeaway from academics who led a study examining readers’ sensitivity to photos that depict war’s reality. more

A federal appeals court decision regarding the continued availability of a social media site seems to have little to do with local newspapers in South Carolina. However, the ruling could have important implications for the First Amendment and be a harbinger of more government actions limiting freedom of speech. more

Mike Luckovich hasn’t felt the need to pull any punches during his three decades of drawing political cartoons for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. But the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist admits even he’s a bit apprehensive as Donald Trump reoccupies the White House. He spoke with Editor & Publisher about his approach to drawing Trump, the difficulty finding an online audience for local cartoons and the current state of the profession. more

If you had to distill down to a single phrase the educational culture at the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication (SOJC), it might read, “a place for innovative experiential learning.” From SOJC’s newly designed curricula to internships, study-abroad opportunities, student-run magazines and radio and TV stations, graduates are exceptionally prepared for the ever-evolving, demanding fields they professionally pursue. more

Nonprofit newsrooms are not the only ones securing philanthropic dollars. A 2023 report from Media Impact Funders and NORC at the University of Chicago found that two-thirds of for-profit newsrooms received some form of donor support, including direct grants, training programs or access to services. more

Meta’s recent announcement to end its third-party fact-checking program by January 2025 has sent ripples through the media and fact-checking industries. To unpack the implications of this decision, Editor & Publisher Publisher Mike Blinder spoke with Katie Sanders, editor-in-chief of PolitiFact, a Pulitzer Prize-winning fact-checking organization under the Poynter Institute. more

The courts and the FCC have noted that “public interest” implies a balance of all relevant factors that the agency should consider. However, the FCC and the courts have failed to build a body of precedent to imbue the public interest standard with a concrete, durable meaning. This decades-long lack of clarity calls for more focused legislative attention to what decisional guidance should be delegated to the FCC. more

The increasing intensity of wildfires, hurricanes, tornados and other natural disasters and emergencies that can occur any time and anywhere has only made reporting the news more perilous. Kate Maxwell, founder and former publisher of The Mendocino (California) Voice, experienced this firsthand when covering the deadliest fire in Mendocino County history in 2017 and very severe winter storms and droughts. This motivated her to develop and launch the Local News Go Bag Toolkit project. more

The transfer marks a milestone in the fight against tech companies that featured journalism on their platforms but failed to compensate companies creating the content. more

The Center for Journalism Liberty, a division of the Open Markets Institute, is defending journalism’s role in the U.S. democracy by closely watching how Big Tech is breaching antitrust principles and creating an unfair atmosphere for news publishers. The Center is picking through the thorny issues while also recommending policy. more

The 29th Annual EPPY Awards, announced on November 17, 2024, celebrated the pinnacle of digital media innovation and excellence. With over 500 entries from around the globe, this year’s competition showcased the best in local journalism, cutting-edge website design, and impactful storytelling across more than 40 categories. From The Boston Globe to The Outlaw Ocean Project, and Consumer Reports to emerging college journalists, these winners exemplify the talent and creativity redefining modern media. Here’s a closer look at some of the standout winners and their remarkable achievements. more

The Baltimore Banner, a nonprofit news organization, closed out 2024 with remarkable achievements, positioning itself as a model for sustainable local journalism in 2025. With 55,000 paid subscribers, a rapidly growing newsroom and diversified revenue streams, The Banner proves that innovation and community focus can drive success. Editor & Publisher (E&P) spoke with CEO Bob Cohn and Chief Revenue Officer Sharon Nevins to explore their strategies and vision for the year ahead. more

In the current environment, small, local news outlets must consider any strategy to remain solvent and sustainable. A merger was the strategy for Emily Sachar, founder and editor of The Daily Catch in Red Hook, New York, which she launched in 2021, and Mark Fuerst, founder and publisher of the Hudson Valley Pilot since the fall of 2022, serving the nearby town of Rhinebeck. more