Promising developments are seen across the local news industry
The importance of local news has been the focus of journalism industry discussion for decades, and there is reason to think that progress is being made. In the Columbia Journalism Review, Chris Moody writes that more journalists are leaving big media-hub cities to report from smaller towns across the country. This has helped them understand and better cover the nuances of regions that have been overlooked by national media.
In a new report from The Poynter Institute, Poynter Institute President Neil Brown writes that there is promising news from the industry. “More news and information creators than ever before now seek to use facts, know-how and engaging story forms to help audiences make sense of the world,” he writes.
But there is still room for improvement. In the third part of a series on local news, the Pew Research Center found that most Americans (70%) at least sometimes get news about local crime from local news outlets — but that these stories often make them feel angry or concerned. 85% of Americans say they would like to know about how local officials are doing to address crime, but only 22% say it is easy to stay informed on the topic.
News In Focus
Headlines, resources and events aligned with API’s four areas of focus.
Civic Discourse & Democracy
>> New from API: Reimagine local opinion journalism by partnering with philanthropy. Use these resources to get started.
Opinion and commentary spaces are one natural spot for media to embrace their role as convener, a longtime function of media and one that speaks to many Americans’ needs today. How might you partner with philanthropy or take donations to bolster your opinion section’s role as a convener and contributor to civic discourse?
>> Also from API: 4 ideas on election engagement that can lead to longer-term relationships
News organizations are doing the work to create election resources that reflect the needs of the communities they cover. We also heard from non-news experts on what ongoing community engagement and listening might look like, taking inspiration from fields including civic engagement, civic education and bridge-building. Together we imagined how local media’s work this year might lead to greater relationships after the results are final.
>> ICYMI: Three new Critical Conversations on Elections — Guides to help you decide how to handle tricky election situations
We’ve added to our series of conversation guides to help with some of the more difficult conversations newsrooms face in election coverage. Consider how the political labels you use shape your audience’s understanding of politics, decide which races you’ll prioritize, and prepare for covering political violence.
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Culture & Inclusion
>> A ‘media organizer’ built an abolitionist newsroom in Kansas City. Is he a journalist? He’s not yet sure. (Poynter)
Ryan Sorrell, the founder of Black nonprofit community media platform The Kansas City Defender, describes himself as a “media organizer” because his organization is more interested in honoring the values and principles of the radical Black press than it is in maintaining traditional journalistic norms.
>> New from API: The pros and cons of building a local media collaborative (Better News)
Here’s an idea to steal and adapt: Discover how a group of nonprofit, public media organizations in Kansas City joined forces to sustain local journalism.
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Community Engagement & Trust
>> Newsrooms are finding new ways to build community, online and off (Nieman Lab)
News avoiders tend not to be a part of communities where news is shared. So newsrooms are looking for ways to build communities so that readers can find and share information with other news consumers.
>> New from API: How to structure convenings to build lasting connections
When participants feel comfortable and welcome, they are more likely to engage in activities, which helps to ensure the success of your event. It’s important to establish guidelines, make time for building personal connections, make it interactive, end with a purpose and create pathways for continued engagement.
>> Also from API: Laura Zommer, co-founder of Factchequeado: “Collaboration is our best option to fight misinformation”
Zommer says that people who benefit from disinformation work in a structured way to get their message out, so fact checkers seeking to counter these forces must also work together in an organized manner.
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Revenue & Resilience
>> New from API: 6 strategies for approaching ad buyers in your community (Better News)
Here’s an idea to steal and adapt: Prioritize your team’s “return-on-effort” while managing your relationships with ad buyers. Researcher, entrepreneur and media operator Ted Williams shares tips for business development professionals working in news.
>> Also from API: How to build resilience for yourself and your news organization (Better News)
Resilience is the byproduct of “productive stress,” like the kind you get when you try something new … and maybe don’t succeed at it. Three news leaders share how they turned high-stakes failures into successes.
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What else you need to know
🇷🇺 Russia jails journalist for eight years over Ukraine war reporting (The Independent)
🧑⚖️ Man sentenced to 27 months in prison for harassing journalists (The New York Times)
⚖️ Sarah Palin wins new trial in New York Times defamation case (Reuters)
📰 Felicia Sonmez’s dismissal by the Washington Post will go before the NLRB (Washingtonian)
🗞️ Former Las Vegas official convicted in journalist’s murder (The New York Times)
