As local news organizations continue searching for sustainability, a new national report finds that the path forward may depend less on new ideas and more on executing proven revenue strategies well. Researchers Caroline Porter and Mark Fuerst say the nonprofit news organizations making progress are investing earlier in business operations, building stronger local donor relationships and embedding themselves more deeply in their communities. Their findings suggest sustainability is possible — but only for publishers willing to think like both journalists and business leaders. more

Journalism is being forced to answer a question it long avoided: why should the public trust it at all? At a moment when credibility is eroding and the definition of a journalist is increasingly blurred, a new industry-wide framework is attempting to reset the standard. The 2026 Oxford Declaration on Journalistic Integrity and Public Trust is not just another set of principles — it is a direct response to a crisis of confidence. And as Steve Herman makes clear, the stakes are no longer theoretical — “the house is on fire and we need to respond to that.” more

E&P Reports went on the road as Mike Blinder hosted a live panel at the New York Press Services’s annual spring conference in Saratoga Springs. Joined by newsroom leaders Casey Seiler, Walter Sanchez and Kirstyn Brendlen, along with voices from the audience, the discussion tackled a question at the heart of modern journalism: are we delivering the news audiences want — or the news they truly need? more

In this episode of E&P Reports, we examine one of the most consequential local news stories in the country — the near-collapse and sudden reinvention of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — through separate interviews with two key voices: Andrew Conte, a leading local news advocate and managing director of the Center for Media Innovation at Point Park University, and Bob Cohn, president and CEO of The Baltimore Banner and The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism, the organization now stepping in to lead the paper’s future. more

For decades, local media relied on a simple formula: build audience, and advertisers would follow. Now, Gordon Borrell notes, that formula has quietly failed as the local business landscape and marketing decision-makers have shifted. Service businesses, in-house marketers, and AI-driven tools increasingly control ad spending. Borrell warns traditional media must rethink their sales approach to stay relevant with today’s advertisers. more

Investigative journalism has never been easy. But according to the latest State of Accountability Journalism report from the University of Florida’s Collier Prize, the reporters doing that work today say the obstacles are growing even as their commitment to watchdog reporting remains strong. Shrinking newsroom staffs, rising costs for public records and increasing resistance from government agencies are making investigations harder to pursue. Yet many journalists say the very pressures threatening accountability reporting are also reinforcing why it matters. more

The decline of traditional newsroom staffing has thinned one of journalism’s most important beats: statehouse reporting. As fewer reporters cover legislative chambers and the policy decisions shaping taxpayers’ lives, new models have emerged to fill the gap. Among the fastest-growing is The Center Square, a nonprofit newswire focused on government accountability reporting that publisher Chris Krug says was built to address what he sees as a structural hole in the American news ecosystem. more

For generations of service members, Stars and Stripes has been known as the soldiers’ newspaper, funded by the U.S. government but protected by law to report independently on the military it covers. Now that independence is facing renewed scrutiny. Signals from the Pentagon about refocusing the paper’s coverage and internal policy shifts have raised concerns among journalists and press freedom advocates that the Defense Department may be seeking to reshape the mission of one of the world’s most unusual news organizations. more

The Australian Financial Review once called Rod Sims “the most feared man in Australian business.” Big Tech soon learned why. As chair of Australia’s competition regulator, Sims helped design the groundbreaking News Media Bargaining Code that forced platforms like Google and Facebook to negotiate payments with publishers. In this conversation with E&P, Sims explores how the policy now sends roughly $250 million a year back to news organizations and what publishers around the world can learn from Australia’s fight to make Big Tech pay for journalism. more

A new industry survey from the Local Media Consortium (LMC) suggests that while digital revenue across local media remains relatively stable, the path forward is becoming more complicated. One of the most striking findings: the number of publishers identifying audience revenue as a major challenge has surged dramatically year over year. Fran Wills, CEO of the LMC, says the shift doesn’t necessarily signal collapse — but it does reflect a new phase of pressure on subscription growth and sustainability. In a conversation with E&P, Wills breaks down what the data reveals about the evolving economics of local journalism and where publishers may need to look next for long-term stability. more

For decades, media leaders have debated whether journalism can sustain itself as a standalone business. But in a rapidly evolving landscape, Hearst is offering a different perspective — one outlined in its latest annual letter from CEO Steven Swartz, which makes clear the company’s center of gravity has shifted far beyond traditional media. In a recent conversation on E&P Reports, David Carey, senior vice president of public affairs and communications at Hearst, expanded on that strategy, explaining how the company’s transformation wasn’t reactive, but decades in the making. His insights reveal a model that doesn’t abandon journalism, but strengthens it through broader business innovation. more

When a newsroom can’t hire reporters, the problem isn’t always pay — sometimes it’s rent. In one coastal community, the cost of living got so high that journalists simply couldn’t afford to cover the news. So, instead of raising salaries or cutting coverage, the solution took an unexpected turn: they bought a condo. It’s a bold move that may point to a new model for keeping local journalism alive. more

Local journalism isn’t disappearing — it’s being rebuilt in real time, and a new report from FT Strategies aims to show exactly how. Drawing on global data, newsroom case studies and on-the-ground experience, the Local News Playbook shifts the conversation from crisis to what’s actually working. Instead of asking how to save journalism, the report examines what the most resilient organizations already have in common — and how others can follow. In a conversation with E&P, George Adelman, director and head of partnerships at FT Strategies, unpacks the patterns, priorities and practical steps that are redefining sustainability for local news. more

When national attention suddenly converges on a single city, the decisions made inside one local newsroom can shape how the entire world understands what’s happening. That is the position The Minnesota Star Tribune now finds itself in as immigration enforcement activity in Minneapolis draws intense national and international scrutiny. In this moment, journalism, safety, credibility, and brand strategy are no longer separate conversations — they are happening at once, in real time. This behind-the-scenes look reveals how the Star Tribune’s newsroom and leadership are navigating pressure, responsibility, and purpose as the world watches Minneapolis. more

Local journalism has no shortage of big ideas about innovation — but far fewer examples of those ideas being funded, tested, and trusted by the people closest to the work. After a year of scrutiny, retrenchment and hard questions about its future, the National Trust for Local News is experimenting with a different approach: putting real money and real authority directly into the hands of journalists. At the center of that shift is a first-of-its-kind Innovation Sprint designed to surface newsroom-driven solutions, not executive theory. This conversation explores what happens when innovation moves from the boardroom to the newsroom floor — and why that change may matter more than any single tool or grant. more

Disinformation is no longer a background hazard of modern journalism — it is a coordinated, weaponized assault on truth itself. In a world where lies travel faster than facts and chaos is deliberately engineered to exhaust the public, national security correspondent JJ Green says journalists are now fighting a real war for credibility. Drawing on decades of coverage of intelligence, conflict zones and information warfare, Green frames today’s media crisis as an existential battle for democratic survival. His new book, “The Noise War,” is not a warning shot — it’s a field manual for journalists on the front lines of disinformation. more

Local journalism is shrinking in much of the country — but The Baltimore Banner is moving in the opposite direction. In just two years, the nonprofit newsroom has grown into Maryland’s largest reporting operation, expanded beyond Baltimore, and built a fast-growing base of paying subscribers. Now, with their new editor-in-chief, Audrey Cooper, at the helm, The Banner is doubling down on a belief that many in the industry have quietly abandoned: scale still matters. In this wide-ranging conversation, the newsroom’s new leader explains why growth, impact and sustainability are inseparable — and what local journalism risks losing if it stops thinking big. more

A new national survey of nearly 1,500 local news consumers reveals growing concern about AI’s role in journalism — but also a clear path forward. Funded by the Walton Family Foundation and conducted by the Local Media Association (LMA) and Trusting News, the study shows audiences overwhelmingly want human oversight, transparency and clarity about how AI is used. John Humenik of LMA and Lynn Walsh of Trusting News joined E&P Reports to break down the results. Their message: Trust is still journalism’s greatest asset. AI can’t replace that. more

Jeff Jarvis has never been interested in nostalgia. In a wide ranging conversation with E&P Magazine, the longtime media critic, author and journalism educator argues that the survival of local news depends not on preserving legacy structures, but on abandoning them. From print to platforms, from content to community, Jarvis insists that journalism’s future lies in collaboration, service and listening — not scale or tradition. more

Free expression in America isn’t collapsing all at once — it’s eroding quietly, often in ways the public barely notices. In a wide ranging conversation, First Amendment scholar Stuart N. Brotman warns that political pressure, platform power and public misunderstanding are reshaping the boundaries of press freedom in real time. Drawing on decades of experience across academia, government and media policy, Brotman makes the case that the next few years will be decisive. And he argues that local journalism may be the strongest remaining force capable of rebuilding trust, civic understanding and a shared commitment to free expression. more