Climate reports like the Lancet Countdown are large documents, laden with data, and can be difficult to summarize in one news story. But local journalists can look for specific issues that apply to their communities to produce stories that resonate with their audiences. Here are six tips to cover major climate reports like the Lancet Countdown. more

A declining share of U.S. adults are following the news closely, according to recent Pew Research Center surveys. And audiences are shrinking for several older types of news media — such as local TV stations, most newspapers and public radio — even as they grow for newer platforms like podcasts, as well as for a few specific media brands. more

The First Amendment does not protect messages posted on social media platforms. The companies that own the platforms can — and do — remove, promote or limit the distribution of any posts according to corporate policies. But all that might soon change. more

November 27, 2023 - That an AI model was trained on copyrighted material does not make all of the model’s outputs a copyright violation. more

After more than a century and a half of independent, family ownership, the Record-Journal announced Monday that it has reached a preliminary sales agreement with Hearst Connecticut Media Group. more

CEO/Publisher Frank Blethen discusses how the for-profit Times gets donors to support vital reporting. more

Early growth was strong, but most top publishers have yet to achieve audience parity between Threads and X. more

A new survey of financial executives pulls back the curtain on just how profitable digital revenue is for local media companies. Conducted by Borrell Associates and the Media Financial Management Association, the survey found that the average EBITDA margin was 32.8% and the average gross margin 41.5%. It also found that, while executives expressed high confidence in the calculations, some expenses associated with digital operations were included. more

Reggie Ponder has worked at community newspapers in eastern North Carolina for 27 years, most recently as a staff writer for The Daily Advance in Elizabeth City and the Perquimans Weekly in Hertford. more

November 21, 2023 - This post summarizes what is known so far about how Americans view AI in everyday life, the workplace, and health and medicine. more

The Benjamin Franklin Prize for outstanding contributions to America's Talking Network is being presented to Orphe Divounguy, Ph.D., senior economist at Zillow. more

As a complement to its most recent INN Index Report on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Nonprofit News Sector, published in October 2023, INN explored specific, real life practices nonprofit news organizations are using to build more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplaces — as well as the lessons learned in implementing these practices. more

Retired publisher Mike Klingensmith answered questions about the importance of local ownership in an email exchange with State of Local News project manager George Stanley. more

The Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) issued a notice and order on Nov. 17 granting the Alliance’s Motion for Acceptance of Comments on the USPS Proposed Flats Plan, which is a requirement of the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022. more

North Carolina and other states add new laws that make it harder for constituents and journalists to hold government leaders to account. more

Several factors distinguish AL.com from other news outlets featured as Bright Spots in the 2023 State of Local News Report. more

Mike Fortman, associate publisher of TH Media, Dubuque, Iowa, has announced that Todd Benz has been named TH Media/Woodward Community Media director of sales. more

Tess Ware is the new editor of The Aberdeen (South Dakota) American News, The Watertown (South Dakota) Public Opinion and The St. Cloud Times in Minnesota. more

Some called the images "traumatic." Others hoped they would shock the public into action. Experts say the effect of such photos — whose publication breaks an unwritten media rule — is unclear. more

Karen Rundlet, senior director for the Journalism Program at the Knight Foundation, talks about why collaboration is a key aspect of sustainability in local journalism, even for funders themselves. more