Sun-Times expands readership by centering community needs

I first started by wanting to get to know the community. I knew I didn’t know enough. I came in saying to the staff, ‘I know that I don't know — you’ve been here longer. It doesn’t matter what I think. What matters is what the community needs, what they tell us they need.’”

Jennifer Kho, executive editor, Chicago Sun-Times

In recent years, the Chicago Sun-Times has fully embraced community-focused journalism under the leadership of Jennifer Kho, who was appointed executive editor in 2022. The first woman and person of color to lead the newsroom, Kho has driven a transformation rooted in listening and collaboration.

Before joining the Sun-Times, Kho was managing editor at HuffPost, where she became the director for strategic innovation and created an innovation team. So, she brought with her comfort and enthusiasm for experimentation. However, she was new to the Chicago market, so she prioritized understanding the insights of those already in the newsroom and learning about the needs of the city’s diverse communities.

“I first started by wanting to get to know the community. I knew I didn’t know enough,” Kho said. “I came in saying to the staff, ‘I know that I don't know — you’ve been here longer. It doesn’t matter what I think. What matters is what the community needs, what they tell us they need.’”

Kho conducted listening sessions with the Sun-Times team to get their insights and partnered with Tran Ha at the Tiny Collective, a Chicago-based community design company, to conduct a focus group session with a diverse group of Chicagoans to learn what they most wanted from their local news.

The responses revealed that readers valued tools to help them navigate life events, understand policies and stay informed and relevant. These insights became the foundation for changes across the newsroom, including a reorganization of beats, which now include public safety, justice, local features and money. 

“I didn’t come up with all of this; the whole team created the missions. We did this together,” Kho said. “We took time to think about what we wanted to do and what was needed, and we’ll try things and look at them. We’ve had a lot of iterations — not everything goes as you initially think it will.” 

Kho also deeply engaged with her team during this transformation, hosting listening sessions to ensure staff members were part of crafting the new structure. This collaborative approach allowed the newsroom to better align its work with community needs while empowering reporters to shape the beats they covered. 

Community engagement has remained central to the Sun-Times’ strategy. The paper holds regular listening sessions with readers, often in collaboration with trusted community partners, and conducts an annual survey to guide its editorial decisions. Some listening sessions have invited community members to participate directly in editorial meetings. “We love it and will do it again,” Kho said. “It’s a cool opportunity for us to explain our decisions and promote media literacy.” 

These efforts have driven tangible changes. After hearing readers wanted deeper investigative pieces on Sundays and lighter, event-focused coverage on Saturdays, the Sun-Times revamped its weekend editions. Sunday editions now include expanded features, cultural content and a new Community page. Saturday editions focus on quick updates and community events. 

The Sun-Times has also launched initiatives to increase diversity in its coverage and staffing. A source-tracking effort has improved the diversity of voices in its reporting, and the paper has introduced new programs like Next Voices, a columnist contest that also includes a student version to engage younger audiences. 

Kho is especially proud of the Sun-Times’ Oath Keepers reporting, which examined issues within Chicago law enforcement that allowed extremists to flourish. “It wasn’t naming and shaming a bunch of individual police officers. It showed a change in our approach,” she said. “We did the bigger, more interesting work of looking at the systemic situations that allow things to happen and grow.” 

Looking ahead, the Sun-Times is focused on experiments to engage younger readers, including partnerships with the Medill Local News Accelerator and vertical video initiatives with its sibling newsroom within Chicago Public Media, WBEZ. “We've seen a 50% growth in return readers over all, including a 45% increase in returns by 18-24 year olds,” said Kho. She added they also doubled their efforts helped them double their TikTok following in 2024.

By blending community feedback, newsroom collaboration and bold experimentation, Kho has positioned the Sun-Times as a model for responsive, innovative journalism in an evolving media landscape.

Diane Sylvester is an award-winning 30-year multimedia news veteran. She works as a reporter, editor, and newsroom strategist. She can be reached at diane.povcreative@gmail.com.