Every week seems to bring another announcement of a newspaper closing, a newsroom shrinking or another community joining the growing list of America's news deserts. Against that backdrop, launching a new local news organization might seem like a risky proposition. Expanding into print less than a year later might sound almost unimaginable. Yet that's exactly what Alabama Newswire has done. During this episode of E&P Reports, founder Scott Centers and publisher Jackson Kimbrell shared why they believe local journalism still represents an opportunity for entrepreneurs willing to meet communities where they are. more

For the third consecutive year, Northwestern University's Medill School has tracked how Americans' local news habits are changing. The latest survey confirms that audience demand for local journalism remains remarkably resilient, but it also reveals widening cracks in the industry's business model, growing skepticism about AI and an accelerating shift away from traditional broadcast platforms. During this episode of E&P Reports, researchers Tim Franklin and Dr. Stephanie Edgerly explained what every news leader should take away from the findings. more

Twenty-five years after the attacks of September 11, leading journalists, First Amendment advocates and scholars gathered at Columbia University for The Forever War and the First Amendment, a symposium examining how two decades of conflict reshaped journalism. Fresh from the event, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter Azmat Khan joined E&P Reports to discuss what the press learned—and failed to learn—from covering the War on Terror. She argued that many of the challenges exposed after 9/11, from overreliance on government sources to growing secrecy and declining public trust, continue to shape journalism today. For local news leaders, Khan said, those lessons remain as relevant in their communities as they are on the world's biggest stories. more

Could a deal to ease the U.S.-Canada trade war let Big Tech off the hook for funding news? Canada’s Online News Act has secured millions for journalism, but publishers fear that support could become a bargaining chip in negotiations with Washington. For newsrooms receiving the money, the stakes are immediate; for publishers elsewhere, the outcome could shape their own fight for compensation. Four industry and policy leaders joined E&P Reports to examine the threat, challenge the trade arguments and explain why this Canadian battle matters far beyond its borders. more

Local news remains under enormous financial pressure, but the market for community publications is far from dead. A varied group of independent publishers, entrepreneurs and nonprofit organizations is stepping forward to invest in titles that still matter to their communities. Sara April, president of Dirks, Van Essen & April, says many of these buyers are motivated by more than profit. Their commitment to preserving local journalism gives her renewed optimism about its future. more

When wildfires roared toward Spokane, the journalists covering the disaster suddenly found their own homes, neighbors and newsroom in its path. Three newsroom leaders reveal how The Spokesman-Review raced toward the danger to deliver lifesaving information, verify rapidly changing facts and document the devastation consuming its community. Their experience offers a powerful lesson in what local journalism demands when the story hits home. more

Alternative weeklies were once the unruly heartbeat of American cities, shaping politics, culture, nightlife and public conversation before collapsing advertising and changing media habits pushed many toward extinction. Brady Walkinshaw believes the industry mistook disruption for irrelevance. Through Noisy Creek, he is acquiring, reviving and reinvesting in beloved local publications that others had written off. His wager is that their fiercely independent voices, community roots and tangible print presence may be more valuable in an increasingly automated media world than ever before. more

She expected to find an industry weighed down by layoffs, closures and uncertainty. Instead, a summer spent visiting independent newsrooms across America introduced Jasmine Shiffer to publishers, editors and reporters who remain deeply committed to serving their communities—and surprisingly optimistic about the future. Along the way, she discovered that local journalism's greatest strength isn't its technology or business model. It's the people who still believe the work matters. more

For job seekers, landing a newsroom job can feel increasingly dependent on luck, connections and an opaque hiring process. Cristina Silva, managing editor for Operations & Standards at The Boston Globe and the new author of Poynter’s Ask the Recruiter column, says candidates have more control than they may realize. The key is to understand how editors make decisions, communicate clearly and make it easier for a hiring manager to see your value. more

Local journalism does not need another obituary. It needs a new operating model. In New Jersey, Stefanie Murray is helping build one that treats local information as civic infrastructure, supported by collaboration, philanthropy, local business revenue and carefully protected public funding. Her message to the industry: The future may not look like the past, but communities still need journalism that serves them. more

As broadcasters debated whether to air President Donald Trump’s recent prime-time address live and local newspapers continued rethinking political opinion pages, one question has become increasingly difficult to ignore: Has journalism’s greatest challenge shifted from protecting free speech to preserving productive public discourse? Constitutional scholar Stuart Brotman believes the First Amendment remains remarkably strong. It is America’s ability to engage respectfully with one another that is showing signs of strain. more

For decades, the leaders of America’s newspaper industry have gathered separately to tackle many of the same challenges — from protecting journalism and strengthening business models to navigating public policy and emerging technology. This September, that changes as the News/Media Alliance and America’s Newspapers bring their flagship meetings together in Washington, D.C., creating an unprecedented week of collaboration, advocacy and education. In an exclusive conversation with E&P, Danielle Coffey and Dean Ridings explain why they believe a more unified industry is essential to protecting local journalism’s future. They also discuss the growing fight over AI, the need for stronger publisher advocacy on Capitol Hill and why they remain optimistic that local news can not only survive, but thrive. more

While much of the news industry continues to focus on shrinking newsrooms, disappearing newspapers and expanding news deserts, Village Media is proving another path is possible. In this exclusive E&P Reports conversation, founder and CEO Jeff Elgie and Board Chair Richard Gingras explain how their digital-first company has grown into one of North America’s most successful local news organizations by putting community, audience reach and disciplined execution at the center of its strategy. Rather than chasing legacy business models, they argue that local journalism can still thrive when publishers understand how audiences and advertisers have changed. Their insights offer a practical roadmap for news leaders determined not just to survive, but to grow. more

Local media sales has entered a new era. Advertisers no longer need a salesperson to launch a marketing campaign, buy digital ads or build an online presence, giving them more choices—and less patience for generic sales pitches—than ever before. According to Dream Local Digital founder and E&P “Ad Sales Life” columnist Shannon Kinney, the sales professionals who thrive won’t be those with the best rate cards or biggest audiences. They’ll be the ones who consistently deliver ideas, insights and strategic value, positioning themselves as trusted advisors rather than order takers. more

News organizations have spent years debating whether artificial intelligence will replace journalists, whether social media is helping or hurting democracy, and whether younger audiences still value news. But according to Nebraska Public Media Chief Innovation Officer Chad Davis, those may no longer be the most important questions. During a recent episode of E&P Reports, Davis argued that journalism’s greatest challenge is understanding how audience behavior is changing in a world increasingly shaped by gaming, creator-driven platforms, conversational media and AI. His message: The future of journalism may depend less on protecting old models and more on adapting to entirely new ways people consume information, build habits and engage with media. more

A new global study suggests journalism’s biggest challenge may not be AI, declining trust or shrinking revenues. Instead, it may be the widening gap between what news organizations say their priorities are and how their newsrooms actually operate. In a recent E&P Reports conversation, WAN-IFRA CEO Stig Kirk Ørskov and FT Strategies Insights Manager Lamberto Lambertini discussed findings from the Future Newsrooms Study, which surveyed more than 400 newsroom leaders across 86 countries and revealed an industry still spending far more time producing content than building audience relationships. As engagement replaces reach as the defining metric of success, the report raises difficult questions about newsroom culture, strategy and the skills journalists will need for the future. more

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how media sales teams prospect, research, communicate and report results. Yet according to media revenue strategist Ryan Dohrn, the technology itself is not the competitive advantage. The real differentiator remains the same as it has always been: the salesperson using it. In a conversation with E&P, Dohrn argues that AI won’t replace strong salespeople or save weak ones. Instead, it will amplify existing strengths, expose existing weaknesses and reward those who learn how to combine technology with relevance, preparation and authentic human relationships. more

Can journalism accept public support without sacrificing independence? Can newsrooms pursue audience growth without losing relevance? Those questions ignited two recent debates stemming from E&P Reports episodes, drawing responses from both The Wall Street Journal and local news publisher Christian Hendricks. E&P Publisher Mike Blinder turned to media critic and author Jeff Jarvis to tackle what may be journalism’s biggest questions: who pays for it, what it should produce and where it goes next. more

For decades, local journalism’s business model rested on advertising, subscriptions and philanthropy. Now, according to Rebuild Local News co-founder Steven Waldman, a fourth leg is rapidly emerging: public policy. New state laws, tax credits and government-backed initiatives have already directed more than $129 million into local newsrooms, with tens of millions more expected this year alone. Waldman says the shift signals a major new chapter in how communities may ultimately sustain local journalism. more

As America approaches its 250th birthday, USA TODAY is reviving a nearly forgotten newspaper tradition with the debut of the “USA TODAY March,” a new Sousa-style composition celebrating journalism, patriotism and community connection. In this recent E&P Reports vodcast interview — featuring video from the May 15 debut performance of the march — USA TODAY’s Liz Johnson and composer and features writer Jim Beckerman discussed how the unusual project evolved from a piece of newspaper history into a modern effort to reconnect audiences with the civic and cultural role journalism once played in American life. more