The Table Stakes Local News Transformation Programs ran from 2015 to 2024. More than 200 local news organizations from across the United States benefited from these programs. The following people contributed to the success of these programs:
- Douglas K. Smith, who created the Table Stakes program, the “table stakes” and Performance Driven Change, and who is also the founder of the Media Transformation Challenge program built around this intellectual property
- Jennifer Preston, who as vice president of Journalism at Knight Foundation saw a need for a program to help newsrooms fully embrace digital best practices, and Alberto Ibargüen, LaSharah S. Bunting, Karen Rundlet and Jim Brady, for their continued support of the program at Knight
- Leaders at the Temple’s School of Media and Communication, especially Dean David Boardman and Assistant Dean Arlene Morgan, who helped create the initial Knight-Temple Table Stakes project in 2015
- Charlie Baum, Erica Beshears Perel, Susan Leath, Lizzy Hazeltine, Susan King and Sarah Vassello, who led and supported the Table Stakes program at UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media’s Center for Innovation and Sustainability in Local Media
- Quentin Hope, Cheryl Carpenter, Kate Myers, Sitara Nieves and Neil Brown, who led and supported the Poynter Institute’s Local News Innovation program
- Tim Griggs, Andrew Heyward, Mark J. Lodato, Frank Mungeam and John Misner, who led and supported the Knight-ASU Table Stakes for Broadcast at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
- Mackenzie Warren, Lauren Gustus, Robyn Tomlin, Amalie Nash and Kristin Roberts, who led and supported the Gannett-McClatchy Program along with Charlie Baum
- Tom Rosenstiel, Jeff Sonderman, Michael D. Bolden and Samantha Ragland, who led and supported the American Press Institute’s involvement in Table Stakes; Amy Kovac-Ashley, who created the Table Stakes alumni community, along with other involvement and support of API’s Table Stakes efforts; and Tricia Cantor, Larry Graham, Kamaria Roberts and Jan Ross P. Sakian, who helped manage API’s Table Stakes programming along with Emily Ristow
- Martin G. Reynolds, Evelyn Hsu and Felecia Henderson of the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education, who brought a necessary focus on diversity, inclusion, equity and belonging to the Table Stakes programs
- Aron Pilhofer, Heather Bryant and Tyler Fisher, who during their time at News Catalyst supported Table Stakes organizations with digital tools
- The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, which funded the initial program in 2015 as well as programs at ASU, UNC and Poynter
- The Lenfest Institute for Journalism, which along with Knight Foundation funded the Major Market and alumni programming through The Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Program; special thanks to Roxann Stafford, Diana Lu, Jim Friedlich and Ken Herts for their unwavering support.
- The more than 60 coaches who supported teams across the five Table Stakes programs and remain constant cheerleaders and trusted advisers to their teams
Several American Press Institute colleagues and collaborators were also crucial to this project: editorial manager Lilly Chapa, digital strategist Nathan Hall, illustrator Sylvia Asuncion-Crabb and Tom Huang, who for nearly six years served as editor for API’s BetterNews.org, which was the source for most case studies highlighted in this report.
And finally, thank you to the hundreds of news leaders who participated in the Table Stakes programs. You not only made a difference in your own news organizations as you reimagined how you worked, centered your communities, and grew audiences and revenue, you also inspired others to embrace change, learn new skills and take risks. A special thank you to those who generously shared their failures and successes on BetterNews.org and the Better News podcast so that others in local media can benefit from what you learned.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Emily Ristow, Director of Journalism Strategy
Emily Ristow coordinates efforts across the various Table Stakes programs and managed the Major Market and Alumni Sprint Table Stakes programs, and the Beyond Print program.
Before coming to API in 2019, Emily was the Loyalty and Engagement News Director for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, her hometown newspaper. She helped develop and oversee the Journal Sentinel’s strategy to grow its loyal audience and to increase its number of digital subscribers.
Emily oversaw the newsroom’s engagement strategy across digital platforms, including its sites, apps and social media accounts. She developed the Journal Sentinel’s social media strategy, and under her direction, the Journal Sentinel grew its Facebook reach by six times in a year.
The social media and digital subscription efforts came out of the Journal Sentinel’s participation in the 2017 Table Stakes program, as did the “stop doing” list concept, which became a key part of future cohorts. Emily later led the Journal Sentinel team as it participated in the alumni program. She was a coach in the Gannett-McClatchy Table Stakes program.
She also coaches journalists on audience-focused thinking, social listening and digital storytelling techniques.
Emily has also worked as a digital producer, copy editor and print designer. She graduated from the University of Missouri with degrees in journalism and political science.
ABOUT THE AMERICAN PRESS INSTITUTE
The American Press Institute supports local and community-based media through research, programs and products that foster healthy, responsive and resilient news organizations. API envisions an inclusive democracy and society, where communities have the news and information they need to make decisions and thrive. API is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization affiliated with the News/Media Alliance.
ABOUT THE KNIGHT-LENFEST LOCAL NEWS TRANSFORMATION FUND
With a focus on sustainability and equity, The Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund was designed to strengthen local journalism at scale, by supporting journalistic excellence and serving the information needs of communities. The Knight-Lenfest Fund collaborated with news organizations, leaders and communities to grow capacity and meet journalism’s technology, business and audience realities of the future. It believes that journalism is at its best when it is of service. The Knight-Lenfest Fund was a joint venture of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism.
