Local News & Information

Imagine a “Civic Residency” where a Signal Ohio reporter has a dedicated desk in the North Canton or Dublin B&N. This isn’t just about filing copy. It’s about making journalism relational again. By having a predictable physical presence, the journalist becomes a neighbor. You go to B&N to share your thoughts on a zoning issue or ask for help with a... See more

But we’re not the only element — perhaps not even the most important element — in the public information ecosystem. And it’s important to ensure we distinguish between two discussions — one on the survival of journalism, and one on ensuring a healthy public information landscape.

Just as medicine is only one part of a functioning public health... See more

Just as important, they wanted information that was directly relevant to their lives and reflective of their communities. They were not interested in paying for a bundle of content that felt distant from their daily concerns. If local news is to earn financial support, it must first demonstrate local value.

In short, they wanted consistent, reliable... See more

To say that Americans pay for civic participation and not news is to say that they care about paying for membership in a community, not digital content.

Hyperlocal is the only model. Between yesterday’s Pew Research survey data and last week’s newsroom revenue analysis from Justin Bank, journalism funders and support organizations have two sets of data they can no longer ignore. Together, they expose the fallacy of national and metro-centric economics and confirm what funders have long suspected:... See more

I am moving away from the “grant for life” model. This $330k seed investment acts as the bridge to self-sustainability. The grant covers the first 12 months of professional salaries and the total front-loaded cost of the “Coordination Layer.” By Month 13, our target 20% conversion rate should generate the monthly recurring revenue required to carry... See more

This isn’t groundbreaking. Organizations like CoastAlaska, the Tiny News Collective, and Indiegraf have proven pieces of this. But all of them are missing the shared secret sauce I believe can elevate all hyperlocal newsrooms at once: professional employment and a PEO within a geographic cluster.

Local journalism shouldn’t just close gaps. It should help residents understand how to show up better at public meetings. When people know the backstory, civic participation closes the loop.