Five tectonic shifts set to reshape local media in 2025

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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 I believe will shape the future of local publishing in 2025 and beyond.

  1. Shedding the lower 90

Roll-up companies that have been snapping up family-owned newspapers are starting to realize that 90% of their profits come from just 10% of their properties. As economic headwinds intensify, expect these companies to jettison their underperforming assets to streamline operations and boost profitability.

The downside? This trend will likely accelerate the creation of news deserts. But it will also unleash a wave of seasoned media operators onto the market — professionals with the skills and experience to build the next generation of local media companies from the ground up.

  1. The rise of media entrepreneurs

As roll-up companies shed their lower-performing properties, they’ll also be shedding some of their best talent. Publishers, sales directors and other key personnel who understand the nuts and bolts of running profitable media businesses will suddenly find themselves unshackled from the relentless pressure of meeting quarterly targets for sinking ships.

These media entrepreneurs, steeped in the ethos of local publishing but liberated from legacy constraints, will be ideally positioned to build leaner, more innovative media companies laser-focused on solving the real-world problems of local businesses and communities.

  1. The age of autonomous media

In previous articles, I’ve explored how artificial intelligence (AI) will revolutionize far more than just headline writing and content SEO. The real game-changer will be AI’s ability to tackle complex tasks traditionally requiring human ingenuity — business development, media planning, subscriber acquisition and audience engagement.

Powered by sophisticated AI agents, the autonomous media companies of 2025 will give those displaced media entrepreneurs the leverage to rapidly build next-level publishing businesses, even in markets that could never previously sustain them. By automating many of the resource-intensive aspects of media operations, AI will dramatically lower the barriers to entry and success.

  1. Solving business model problems

The industry has been fixated on getting readers to directly support local journalism for too long. But as I've argued before, the true lifeblood of local media has always been the small businesses that advertise on its pages. Media 1.0 and 2.0 worked because of the symbiotic relationship between local publishers and the businesses they served.

To thrive in 2025, media entrepreneurs will need to refocus on solving the existential problems of their advertisers — putting heads in beds, driving foot traffic and ringing the cash register. The most successful publishers will be those who see themselves not just as content creators, but as indispensable partners in the economic vitality of their communities. 

  1. Non-media companies owning media

One trend already percolating but deserves far more attention and emulation is non-media companies’ ownership of media properties. Take New England Living, which operates a city magazine, website and TV show. It is not a conventional media company; it is actually owned by the region’s largest Sub-Zero refrigerator distributor.

For them, media isn't the product — it’s the marketing channel. They’re creating a pipeline for selling high-end appliances by building an audience of affluent homeowners. This gives them a very different ROI calculus than a traditional ad-supported or subscription-based media business.

Imagine a local news site owned by a real estate brokerage or an arts publication underwritten by a restaurant group. Diversified ownership structures could provide much-needed stability for local media entering a turbulent future. As one astute observer recently told me, the mission is high-quality journalism, but the business model is whatever keeps the lights on and the presses running.

Embracing the future

As local media approaches 2025, the only certainty is change. However, that disruption presents a tremendous opportunity for those willing to think differently about what a media company can be and how it can best serve its community.

The publishers who will thrive in this new era will not cling to the old ways of doing things. They will be entrepreneurs and innovators who understand that the core mission of local journalism is more important than any particular business model or distribution channel.

So, to all the editors and publishers reading this: Stay curious. Stay flexible. And most importantly, stay focused on the needs of your advertisers and your audience. Because if you can find new ways to create value for your community, you’ll always have a bright future in local media.

Guy Tasaka is a seasoned media professional with a 35-year track record of leading change in the industry. He has collaborated with renowned organizations such as Macworld Magazine, Ziff-Davis and The New York Times, where he honed his expertise in research, strategy, marketing and product management. As the former chief digital officer at Calkins Media, Guy was acknowledged as the Local Media Association's Innovator of the Year for his work in advancing OTT and digital video platforms for local news organizations. He is also the founder and managing partner of Tasaka Digital, specializing in helping media and technology companies navigate business transformations using his extensive experience and forward-thinking approach. Guy can be reached at guy@tasakadigital.com.

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