Publishers are switching up, but not abandoning, print

The first monthly issue of Bloomberg Businessweek is currently on newstands, and editor Brad Stone says that the print product fulfills the need for “a distraction-free, lean-back news product.” He told Sarah Scire at Nieman Lab that he feels that the printed version complements Bloomberg’s daily news coverage with longer-form, more evergreen content. 

In North Carolina, the Charlotte Observer is cutting back its daily print edition to three days per week. Print subscribers will receive Wednesday, Friday and Sunday editions via the postal service, with the Sunday edition delivered on Saturday. Executive Editor Rana L. Cash writes that while she recognizes this will be a difficult change for some people, “the journalism itself is more salient than the medium.”  

While cutting print schedules often makes financial sense for publishers, there are downsides. The assassination attempt on former President Trump on Saturday evening came late enough that many newspapers around the country didn’t have news of the event in their Sunday morning papers, as a result of fewer printings and earlier deadlines for print editions, Poynter reports. 

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

Civic Discourse & Democracy

>> TV news coverage of the Trump rally shooting was repetitive — and responsible (Poynter)

After the shooting at a Trump rally on Saturday, cable news outlets acted cautiously and refrained from passing along rumors or speculation, writes Tom Jones. Media reporter Brian Stelter called it the “best-case coverage of a worst-case scenario.” 

>> Join us: Retaining and engaging audiences post-election (American Press Institute)

Elections can energize existing audiences and bring in new eyes and ears to your news organization. Tune in to experts at the American Press Institute, The Associated Press, and Louisville Public Media who will share a “lightning round” of ideas on how to keep everyone engaged after votes are counted and winners are announced. Join us for the webinar on Thursday, July 25 from 1 to 2 pm ET. 

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Culture & Inclusion

>> Meet the student journalists who report on Florida’s most influential and powerful elected officials (Poynter)

A student journalist at the University of Florida pored over campaign documents and discovered that a seven-term state representative wasn’t listed as living in the district he represented. The student journalists there have been focusing on the nuts-and-bolts local reporting that is often missing from mainstream news. 

>> Join us: Source Matters Refresher/New User training (American Press Institute) 

News leaders, are you looking for better audience insights? Learn how API’s powerful analytics tool, Metrics for News, can help you drive growth and make better editorial decisions at this training tomorrow at 3 pm ET.

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Community Engagement & Trust

>> KUNR partners with StoryCorps to foster connection across America’s political divide (University of Nevada, Reno)

Public radio station KUNR and six other stations will join StoryCorps’ One Small Step program, which invites strangers with different political views to record a 50-minute conversation to learn about each other.

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Revenue & Resilience

>> Time is running out to solve the digital revenue puzzle (Current)

Public media is facing fundamental questions, writes consultant Scott Finn. Should it double down on digital expansion, or get back to broadcast basics? Some stations may be reaching broader digital audiences, but they’re not generating the revenue needed to avoid layoffs and cutbacks. He writes that individual giving seems like the best prospect for bringing in more money.

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What else you need to know

💰 NPR gets $5.5 million grant to strengthen local journalism as news deserts spread (NPR)

🗳️ PBS News and PolitiFact announce partnership through 2024 election cycle (PBS) 

📻 LAist cuts 28 positions with buyouts, layoffs (Current) 

🫱🏽‍🫲🏿 Sahan Journal names Vanan Murugesan as next executive director (Sahan Journal) 

🏛️ Former DCist staff launch the 51st, new local news site for Washington (The Washington Post)