Local — and live 

Events are a booming business for national news organizations trying to reach an influential audience of thought leaders. Semafor recently announced a major expansion of its events arm. At Bloomberg Media, events revenue is up, according to a recent memo from CEO Karen Saltser. The Atlantic is “doubling down on live journalism,” Adweek’s Mark Stenberg wrote last week.

For local news, though, the events business looks different — aimed at revenue, yes, but also community engagement and local problem solving.

Among the newsrooms we work with at API, events are seen as a way to bring the community together around their journalism, said Emily Ristow, API’s director of journalism strategy.

“Live journalism events are an excellent avenue for building trust and relationships in the community. They’re also a way to share your journalism with community members in a space and format they like,” she said. “And for local newsrooms, community engagement and brand awareness tend to be the main goals, with any revenue being seen as a way to offset the costs of putting on an event, rather than adding to the organization’s bottom line.”

An example of this kind of engagement was profiled in Nieman Lab last week. Christiaan Mader, founder of The Current in Lafayette, La., shared event strategies at the recent LION Independent News Sustainability Summit, writes Sophie Culpepper. His rundown includes ideas for and elements of a good event — and questions to ask as you embark on an events strategy.

News In Focus
Headlines, resources and events aligned with API’s four areas of focus.

Civic Discourse & Democracy

>> Why unsigned newspaper editorials no longer work (Poynter)

They might be high-minded, but “anonymous editorials also often go unread, sometimes deservedly so,” writes Ellen Clegg. Columns with bylines, she writes, are usually sharper and will attract a broader audience.

>> 404 Media is suing ICE for its $2 million spyware contract (404 Media)

The lawsuit says ICE should be required to disclose its $2 million contract with a company that makes spyware used to break into mobile phones and access encrypted messaging apps.

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Culture & Inclusion

>> Trust tip: Survey your staff about internal culture and trust (Trusting News) 

Diversity of perspective is necessary for good journalism. But too often newsroom culture doesn’t reward bold or dissenting opinions, writes Joy Mayer. She suggests a survey to get a sense of how well people communicate about challenging issues.

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Community Engagement & Trust

>> New from API: How creator collaborations can help increase civic engagement during low-interest, local elections (Better News)

Here’s an idea to steal and adapt. THE CITY, a nonprofit news organization serving New York’s five boroughs, collaborated with a local trusted messenger to reach more voters ahead of the 2025 June primary elections. The goal was to help people understand the election process and campaign tactics through short videos, write Diana Riojas and Rachel Holliday Smith.

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Revenue & Resilience

>> Remedies vs reality: Publishers weigh what Google’s ad tech break up could really deliver (Digiday)

Even if Google is forced into settlements with publishers, many fear it won’t matter, writes Jessica Davies. “AI Overviews is hollowing out traffic so quickly that remedies may land after the industry has already bled out.”

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What else you need to know

🚫 Local TV giants boycott Jimmy Kimmel’s return to late night (The New York Times)

✂️ Seattle’s Cascade PBS announces layoffs, end of online long-form journalism (KUOW)

😣 Shooting at ABC10’s Sacramento building highlights increasing risks faced by journalists (KRCR TV)

📢 CPJ, Free Press lead call for journalist Mario Guevara’s release from ICE detention