Four news organizations will participate in the American Press Institute’s new Beyond Print program, which will help guide publishers away from print-centric revenue models toward a sustainable digital future.
Under the new initiative, news organizations will review their reliance on print revenues and create digital-first products and workflows. As part of the cohort, participants will test new ideas to create and expand sustainable digital models tailored for their organization and audiences. They will also develop strategies to increase print readers’ use of digital products, and adjust their print operations to align with their print revenues. Additionally, they will receive coaching on the principles of diversity, equity and belonging from API’s partners at the Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education.
Members of the Beyond Print cohort pose for a photo during one of their sessions.
The following news organizations will participate in the program:
- La Voz at The Arizona Republic
- The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
- The Philadelphia Inquirer
- The Seattle Times
“We see this move beyond print as the next crucial and urgent shift for local newspaper survival. This shift, and the creation of products these news organizations can provide for their customers, will better help them serve their diverse communities,” said Emily Ristow, director of local news transformation at API.
Throughout the cohort, each organization will receive coaching from industry experts as they explore adjusting their print footprint. The coaches include:
- Peter Doucette, Chief Revenue Officer at The Philadelphia Inquirer and Strategic Advisor for Digital Revenue at The Lenfest Institute
- Ken Herts, COO and Director of Operations at The Lenfest Institute
- Amy Kovac-Ashley, Head of National Programs at The Lenfest Institute
- Pat Richardson, a digital transformation coach who was most recently with the Times Union in Albany, N.Y.
The Lenfest Institute, a key design and program partner, will publish lessons and best practices from Beyond Print to help share resources with other news organizations working to create digital-first revenue streams. If you would like to receive insights and updates, please complete this form.
Beyond Print is funded by an anchor donation from the Andrew and Julie Klingenstein Family Fund with additional funding from The Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund, a joint initiative of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism.
For more information, please contact Emily Ristow, director of local news transformation, at emily.ristow@pressinstitute.org.
About the American Press Institute
The American Press Institute advances an innovative and sustainable news industry by helping publishers understand and engage audiences, grow revenue, improve public-service journalism, and succeed at organizational change. We believe that for democracies to thrive, people need accurate news and information about their communities, the problems of civil society and the debates over how to solve them. That requires an economically sustainable free press that reflects the diversity of American society and understands the needs of its communities. 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 is designed to strengthen local journalism at scale, by supporting journalistic excellence and serving the information needs of communities. The Knight-Lenfest Fund collaborates 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 is a joint venture of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism.
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