At 12:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 10th, Chris Urso braved the howling winds and pelting rain of Hurricane Milton to take this photo of a crane that had collapsed into The Tampa Bay Times building in St. Petersburg, Florida. more

In a landmark case with significant implications for journalism and democracy, Emmerich Newspapers Inc., Helena World Chronicle and Boone Newspapers have joined forces in a class-action lawsuit against Google, challenging what they describe as an unfair “tying” relationship. Filed in December 2023, Helena World Chronicle LLC v. Google LLC alleges that Google’s control over search and content indexing is undermining publishers’ abilities to attract traffic and monetize content independently. In this interview, Wyatt Emmerich, president of Emmerich Newspapers, shared insights into the lawsuit’s motivations, the road ahead, and what’s at stake for the news industry. more

LION Publishers' annual Independent News Sustainability Summit was brimming with sessions and hallway discussions about the same challenges we face in public media. How do we grow our audiences? What forms and formats of information best serve our communities? And, above all: How in the heck are we going to pay for all of this? more

In business, a name can make or break a product, transforming a great concept into a must-have or letting it fade into obscurity. Doug Phares explores this phenomenon in this month's column, sharing stories from his own experiences, from rebranding a “Base Revenue Worksheet” to a sales success to the rise of “oat milk” over “oat juice.” Phares makes the case that a thoughtful name gives a product identity, purpose, and even power—showing that, in today’s market, words truly matter. more

AI is a moving target. It’s overwhelming. It’s moving faster than any technology we’ve ever had in the modern era. Many people don’t even know what they don’t know, but more importantly, they don’t know where to start. Here are five things publishers need to do TODAY! more

Although the daily challenges of reporting and publishing have never been greater, both must continue to evolve. Being a leader of that change is the mission of Julia Angwin and her team at Proof News, which she founded in February 2024 and serves as its CEO. more

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism, in partnership with OpenAI and Microsoft, has introduced a $10 million AI Collaborative and Fellowship program to support innovation, sustainability, and new business models across five major U.S. metro newsrooms. Lenfest CEO Jim Friedlich, in a discussion on E&P Reports, highlighted how the initiative leverages AI for diverse newsroom applications, from business model optimization to increasing public data accessibility. The program aims to restore the depth of local reporting through AI-assisted research, enabling newsrooms to cover more ground with limited resources. Beyond the initial fellows, the program aspires to scale its impact, offering frameworks and tools for industry-wide adoption that reinforce the sustainability of journalism in an AI-driven future. more

It’s been a year. Hasn’t it? If you’re like Robin Blinder, editor-in-chief of E&P Magazine, you’re coming off this election year drained — either drained and elated or drained and defeated. Either way, it’s been an exhausting season. She encourages you this holiday season to give yourself a little love “because we all need self-care now and then.” more

As E&P’s Publisher of the Year, Elinor Ruth Tatum, publisher and editor-in-chief of the New York Amsterdam News, makes history for the 140-year-old magazine. She is the first Black woman to receive the honor. E&P Publisher Mike Blinder surprised Tatum with the Publisher of the Year award during a Zoom attended by more than 30 current and former staff members, freelance contributors, community leaders, friends and industry peers. Each chimed in to offer congratulations. more

Elinor R. Tatum, publisher and editor-in-chief of New York Amsterdam (AmNews), personifies inspiration. Before E&P Magazine surprised her with the announcement that she is E&P's 2024 Publisher of the Year, Tatum took Robin Blinder and Gretchen Peck through the landmark in Harlem that has housed AmNews for nearly 100 years. more

Unsurprisingly, it has been challenging for legacy news organizations to transition from an older, lucrative business model that once served the community well to a sustainable business model that serves the community better. That challenge hasn’t deterred Reade Brower, a leader in local media in Maine, and Kathleen Fleury Capetta, publisher, from reimagining a news outlet for the communities of mid-coast Maine. more

In today’s media landscape, video consumption is exploding. The Paris Olympics, the most-streamed in history at 82% higher than the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, proves that digital video is the present, not the future. This shift presents a unique opportunity for local newspaper publishers: FAST channels. more

Television reaches almost every U.S. household. And — it’s Americans’ first choice for entertainment and information. As ubiquitous as television is, there is more evidence that television broadly and local broadcast specifically may be in a similar position to legacy newspapers 10 or more years ago. more

The Washington Informer, sought to expand its online presence while retaining its commitment to impactful, community-focused journalism. Adopting Nota’s AI-powered empowered them to meet the demands of a modern media landscape, making their unique content more accessible and engaging. This digital evolution enables The Informer to stay relevant and impactful, reinforcing its legacy in the community while embracing new technologies that drive efficiency, growth, and deeper audience connections. more

In the world of local journalism, the need for both cost-effectiveness and cutting-edge technology is becoming increasingly critical, especially for mid-sized newspapers. The New Jersey Hills Media Group (NMG) recently embraced a new technological partner: Newzware. This business software platform, developed by ICANON Associates, is designed to help publishers streamline operations, reduce costs, and focus on the core mission of local journalism. The transition proved to be a turning point in how NMG manages its operations, providing solutions for editorial, advertising, circulation, and finance. more

In an era defined by an information deluge, rapidly advancing technology, and the decentralization of media, how society perceives news and journalism has become increasingly complex. Addressing this crucial issue, the Center for News, Technology & Innovation (CNTI) has launched the “Defining News Initiative.” Amy S. Mitchell, CNTI’s founding Executive Director, recently joined E&P Reports to delve into the initiative’s insights and discuss the challenges facing journalism’s evolving definition. more

James Madison, the fourth U.S. president, was small in stature but very big in ideas. He was one of the seven Founding Fathers and had a critical role in developing the U.S. Constitution and, ultimately, the Bill of Rights. He would be dismayed if he were with us today, with political polarization and social rancor throughout our nation on a clear upward trajectory. more

Sports and sports heroes like Wayne Gretzky and Michael Jordan can teach us a lot about sales. In sales, as in sports, you get up to the plate, take a lot of swings and don’t always produce a hit. You play a lot of games but don’t win them all. Yet you suit up every day and compete again. more

With many media reports focused on the challenging business environment for the general news industry, one segment of that industry deserving more attention is college news organizations. Plunging readership, the fight for ad dollars, declining funding support and a preference for editorial independence are all contributing to a difficult time for college newspapers today and in the future. more

The Chestnut Hill Local, a longtime pillar of its Philadelphia community, is making a bold leap into the future by implementing a suite of advanced advertising, production, and editorial solutions from SCS. This strategic move aims to streamline operations, enhance workflow efficiency, and strengthen the paper’s ability to serve its readers and advertisers in an evolving media landscape. By integrating SCS’s cutting-edge technology, The Local is not only modernizing its newsroom but also reinforcing its commitment to high-quality, community-driven journalism. more