Looking for ownership models that work

The billionaire class has proven to be a poor steward of media, writes veteran editor Norman Pearlstine for CJR. The key, says Pearlstine — who’s worked for billionaire owners — is “owners committed to editorial independence.”

He cites the rise of nonprofit news as a bright spot, including The Baltimore Banner, which by all accounts had a remarkable year in 2024. CEO Bob Cohn this week explained to Editor & Publisher that the Banner’s success is partly due to its “non-profit heart and a for-profit brain.” Its “four-legged stool” of revenue through subscriptions, advertising, events and philanthropy will eventually help it to close the gap between revenue and spending, he said.

At the same time, another ownership model is gaining prominence: The worker cooperative. Angela Fu writes for Poynter that layoffs and controversial management in big media companies have fed a rise in journalist-owned organizations like Hell Gate in New York City and The 51st in Washington D.C.

The move away from corporate ownership stems from an increasing interest in “finding new models that can really rebalance the power dynamics in journalism by giving workers more control,” 51st cofounder Abigail Higgins told Fu.

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

Civic Discourse & Democracy

>> Study documents steep, painful decline of Olympia press corps (Seattle Times)

In Washington’s state capital of Olympia, the number of full-time statehouse reporters fell to eight last year, down from 19 in 2000, according to a new report. The reporters “will do their best, but there simply aren’t enough of them to adequately cover state government,” writes Brier Dudley in his Voices for the Free Press column.

>> The media isn’t ready for Trump’s mass deportation moment (The Bulwark) 

News organizations aren’t prepared for the “humanitarian catastrophe” when the incoming Trump administration starts its promised mass deportations of immigrants. “This is not a border story — it’s a national story that will have economic impact on entire industries, from food processing to meatpacking plants in Iowa and Nebraska far away from the border,” Univision’s Enrique Acevedo told Adrian Carrasquillo.

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Culture & Inclusion

>> New from API: Unapologetically Inclusive: How PublicSource made community-centered journalism a newsroom-wide effort

Letrell Crittenden, API’s director of inclusion and audience growth, details one Pittsburgh-area newsroom’s efforts to strengthen its connections with traditionally marginalized communities through the API Inclusion Index project.

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Community Engagement & Trust

>> Two newsrooms stand out in their coverage of the nightmarish Los Angeles wildfires (Poynter)

Tom Jones cites coverage by The Los Angeles Times and CNN as particularly notable, saying he has found himself turning to those sources repeatedly for information about the fires. He also commends the work of NBC News correspondent Jacob Soboroff, who is covering the fire in his hometown of Palisades.

>> API wants your input: Help us help you in 2025

We at API are seeking to gain a better understanding of the impact that our work has had for those who have engaged with us, and what we can do in 2025 to continue to serve news organizations. Help us out by filling out this survey.

>> If you report on the US economy, get to know these 8 data sources (Journalist’s Resource)

BLS? FRED? CPI? These acronyms aren’t just useful to economic reporters. Clark Merrefield has assembled a helpful list of 8 free sources of government economic data and how they can be used by reporters on all beats, like education.

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Revenue & Resilience

>> Journalism, media, and technology trends and predictions 2025 (Reuters Institute)

The news industry faces a number of familiar challenges heading into 2025, among them the need to re-engage audiences who aren’t in the habit of consuming news and to find ways of attracting younger people. This annual survey of more than 300 media leaders around the world explores these challenges and potential ways to address them.

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What else you need to know

⚖️In trial testimony, contractor says CNN story ruined his career (The Washington Post)

🎒 Is your newsroom Go Bag ready? (Editor & Publisher)

👀 Meta’s fact-checking partners brace for layoffs (The Guardian)

✂️ Vox Media lays off 12 more employees just one month after last round of cuts (The Wrap)

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Weekend reads