Local News Summits

We gather news leaders from across the country for our highly participatory, invitation-based events that provide a welcoming and collaborative space for media and journalism leaders to think boldly. These summits advance solutions that help news leaders on the specific topics at hand. 

We seek to host two to four summits each year, where:

• Every attendee is an active participant who can share their expertise, deepen their skills and gain actionable insights from their peers.
• We also bring non-industry experts to inspire out-of-the-box solutions and partnerships.
• Participants continue to build on their learnings from the summit through virtual reunions.
• Travel scholarships are usually available to help ensure we are gathering a diversity of voices, perspectives and people.

Information on 2025 Local News Summits will post to this page when available.

For opportunities to fund our Local News Summits or travel scholarships to help journalists and news leaders attend, please email funding@pressinstitute.org.

Rural Journalism, Community and Sustainability Summit on June 11 and 12, 2024, Tulsa, Oklahoma explored how rural-serving news leaders can strengthen community relationships and sustainability by embracing their role as a community convener.

Elections, Trust and Democracy Summit on April 3-4, 2024 in Akron, Ohio convened leaders making decisions about how they cover elections and contribute to civic discourse.

Mental Health and Sustainability Summit on Oct. 10-11, 2023, in Atlanta, Ga., gathered more than 60 news leaders to discuss mental health solutions for news teams. 

Opinion, Civic Discourse and Sustainability Summit on April 12-13, 2023, in Austin, Texas, focused on reimagining local opinion journalism to promote healthier civic discourse.