What Works

Mapping Black California turns data into stories of equity and resilience - Editor and Publisher What if a map could reveal more than streets and cities — what if it could expose redlining, track broken promises on racial justice, and chart the health crises hitting Black communities hardest? Tha...

Mapping Black California turns data into stories of equity and resilience. www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/mapp...

Meet the 40 news orgs in LION’s expanded Sustainability 360 program - LION Publishers Supported by the MacArthur Foundation and Google News Initiative, this program provides a year's worth of expert support and coaching.

Meet the 40 news orgs in @lionpubs.bsky.social's expanded Sustainability 360 program. lionpublishers.com/meet-the-40-...

Nonprofit local news is growing, but the revenue mix remains unbalanced, according to a new INN report By Dan Kennedy Nonprofit local news is on the upswing, according to a new report from the Institute for Nonprofit News. An INN survey of nearly 400 digital-first nonprofit news organizations showed…

New at What Works: Nonprofit local news is growing, but the revenue mix remains unbalanced, according to a new @inn.org report. whatworks.news/2025/10/09/n...

Grants that Work: The Pittsburgh Downtown Media Hub is a novel way for funders to support local news - Poynter In a quest to boost a city's downtown, a foundation brought needed space, collaboration to hyperlocal news sites.

A member of the Washington Post diaspora, @mgg.bsky.social, has launched a series for @poynterinstitute.bsky.social called Grants That Work. Her debut: "The Pittsburgh Downtown Media Hub is a novel way for funders to support local news." www.poynter.org/business-wor...

Recognition for ‘What Works in Community News’ from the Mass Book Awards By Dan Kennedy I was thrilled to attend the Mass Book Awards ceremony at the Statehouse earlier today, when “What Works in Community News: Media Startups, News Deserts, and the Future of the …

"What Works in Community News," by @ellenclegg.bsky.social and @dankennedy.net, is recognized by the Mass Book Awards as one of the top dozen nonfiction titles for 2025. whatworks.news/2025/10/07/r...

The Colorado Sun embraces a democratic nonprofit model that looks a lot like a co-op By Dan Kennedy For at least 15 years, local-news visionaries have been thinking about ways to build a media organization owned and governed by its staff and members of the community. The idea is to…

New at What Works: The @coloradosun.com embraces a democratic nonprofit model that looks a lot like a co-op. whatworks.news/2025/10/06/t...

Daily Memphian columnist cries censorship and quits, but sharp editing wins the day By Ellen Clegg The news was posted on Facebook, and it provoked immediate ire. Which, to be fair, is on brand for Facebook. Dan Conaway, a columnist for the Daily Memphian, reported that he had qui…

New at What Works: @dailymemphian.bsky.social columnist cries censorship and quits, but sharp editing wins the day. Great reporting by @ellenclegg.bsky.social. whatworks.news/2025/10/05/d...

Don’t dwell on “democracy,” and other new findings about how to market local news "Here’s the paradox: 93% of people believe reliable local news is necessary for democracy, yet many of these same people react negatively to explicit 'democracy' messaging."

A new study finds that local news organizations shouldn't call journalism journalism when appealing for support. www.niemanlab.org/2025/10/dont...

The Bay State Banner marks 60 years of serving the Black community in Greater Boston and beyond Congratulations to The Bay State Banner, which is embarking on its 60th year of publication. The Banner, founded by Melvin Miller, covers the Black community in Greater Boston and beyond. It was ac…

New at What Works: The Bay State Banner marks 60 years of serving the Black community in Greater Boston and beyond.
whatworks.news/2025/10/02/t...

Tracy Baim tells us about the LGBTQ+ Mapping Project and her work with Press Forward Chicago On the latest “What Works” podcast, Dan and Ellen talk with Tracy Baim, a Chicago-based journalist who directed the recently published LGBTQ+ Media Mapping Project, which tracks LGBTQ n…

On the brand-spanking-new "What Works" podcast, @tracybaim.bsky.social tells @ellenclegg.bsky.social and me about the LGBTQ+ Media Mapping Project and her work with Press Forward Chicago. whatworks.news/2025/10/01/t...

The Baltimore Banner names Audrey Cooper as its new editor-in-chief - Editor and Publisher The Baltimore Banner, a nonprofit, multi-platform, Pulitzer Prize-winning news operation serving Greater Baltimore, Montgomery County and Maryland, announced that Audrey Cooper will be its new editor-...

The @thebaltimorebanner.com names Audrey Cooper as its new editor-in-chief. www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/the-...

Fred Rutberg to step down as publisher of The Berkshire Eagle; Gary Lavariere named successor Fredric D. Rutberg, who helped restore The Berkshire Eagle to local ownership in 2016 and guided it through nearly a decade of growth, will step aside as publisher Oct. 1.

Judge Fredric Rutberg, who led a local group that rescued the @berkshireeagle.com from Alden Global Capital a decade ago, is stepping aside as publisher but will remain as president. www.berkshireeagle.com/news/local/r...

Lauren Gustus: We’re launching The Southern Utah Tribune A new, free newspaper will serve people in Washington County — home to more than 200,000 people today and an anticipated 460,000 in the future — with news and information that’s just for them.

The nonprofit @sltrib.com is starting a free newspaper to cover southern Utah. www.sltrib.com/news/busines...

What Works' @dankennedy.net will be speaking on a panel about "Journalism in Jeopardy" in Waltham, Mass., next Tuesday, Sept. 30, at 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Details: www.facebook.com/events/13299...

NJ PBS Chairman puts some blame on state - New Jersey Globe OPINION I obviously am disappointed that the WNET board of trustees voted not to extend its management role of NJ PBS under any circumstances.  After June

Writing in the @newjerseyglobe.bsky.social, @njpbs.bsky.social chair Scott Kobler criticizes New Jersey officials for "intransigence or maybe even apathy" about a funding crisis that may lead to the closure of the state's public TV station and cuts to @njspotlightnews.org.

MAGA’s war on public media targets an innovative statewide news collaboration in New Jersey By Dan Kennedy The MAGA right’s war on public broadcasting has come for an innovative statewide news collaboration in New Jersey, leaving its ultimate fate uncertain. NJ PBS, the state’…

New at Media Nation: MAGA's war on public media targets @njspotlightnews.org and @njpbs.bsky.social, an innovative statewide news collaboration in New Jersey. whatworks.news/2025/09/24/m...

Local colleges targeted amid growing campus culture wars National media and conservative groups are seeking syllabi and student information from public colleges; professors say they feel targeted and harassed.

Kirk Carapezza of @gbhnews.bsky.social reports that a purveyor of pink-slime "local" news sites, is flooding Mass. public colleges and universities with public-records requests aimed at rooting out "anti-American" teaching materials. What Works' @dankennedy.net is among those Kirk interviewed.

A rare bit of good media news via @sarafischer.bsky.social: The tug-of-war between Hearst and Alden Global Capital over The Dallas Morning News is once again tilting in Hearst's favor following a shareholder vote earlier today. investor.dallasnewscorp.com/news-release...

LION to help 40 New England publishers thanks to Barr Foundation grant - LION Publishers This $265,000 Barr Foundation grant will support post-Audit tools and resources for up to 40 New England newsrooms.

>>> @lionpubs.bsky.social and the @barrfoundation.org collaborate on a $265,000 grant to help 40 New England newsrooms meet their sustainability goals. lionpublishers.com/lion-to-help...

The Current wants other local publishers to steal its event ideas “We started as an agency thinking of ourselves as feisty investigative journalists, and now we’re just feisty investigative journalists who also produce two events.”

The Current wants other local publishers to steal its event ideas. From @niemanlab.org. www.niemanlab.org/2025/09/the-...

Alden Global raises bid for DallasNews, topping Hearst A bidding war for newspapers seems almost as antiquated as print papers themselves.

Alden Global Capital absolutely will not give up in its bid to buy the Dallas Morning News. Let's hope the DallasNews board stands firm. Hearst would be a far better steward. www.axios.com/2025/09/16/a...

Always search out local coverage. Here's @mississippitoday.org on the death of Trey Reed, a Black college student whose body was found hanging in a tree: mississippitoday.org/2025/09/16/b...

Here is the @mississippifreepress.org: www.mississippifreepress.org/trey-reeds-f...

At least 19 take buyouts at Ocean State Media, R.I.’s public TV and radio outlet - The Boston Globe “I don’t know how they’re going to do anything now that many of us have left,” said one longtime staffer who took the buyout.

Another tough day for public media as "at least 19" employees of Ocean State Media in Rhode Island take a buyout.
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/09/16/m...

Home – Weston Observer Welcome to the launch of the Weston Observer website! This could not have happened without the support of our community. We hope this website and its companion newsletter and weekly […]

The nonprofit Weston Observer, in Boston's western suburbs, has launched with a print paper, an editorial staff of three, an ad rep and an impressive board. Congratulations and best wishes! westonobserver.org

Bill Marx tells us how he’s working to keep local arts journalism and book reviews alive On the latest “What Works” podcast, Dan and Ellen are back from summer break and talk with Bill Marx, the editor-in-chief and founder of the The Arts Fuse. For four decades, he has writ…

The "What Works" podcast is back! On our new episode, Bill Marx of The Arts Fuse and Viva la Book Review tell @ellenclegg.bsky.social and @dankennedy.net how he's working to keep local arts journalism alive. whatworks.news/2025/09/16/b...

2026-2027 Report for America Host Newsroom Application - Report for America We are now accepting applications from newsrooms to host a corps member starting in July 2026. If you've applied previously, you'll have the opportunity to update a previous application instead of sta...

Would your newsroom like to work with a @reportforamerica.bsky.social corps member? Applications are now open. www.reportforamerica.org/2026-2027-ne...

The nonprofit Cambridge Day names a veteran journalist as its new editor The nonprofit Cambridge Day is beefing up, hiring veteran journalist Michael Fitzgerald as its editor. Founding editor Marc Levy will remain on board as well. For many years the Day operated as pre…

New at What Works: The nonprofit @cambridgeday.com names veteran journalist Michael Fitzgerald as its new editor. Founding editor Marc Levy is staying in a senior position. whatworks.news/2025/09/12/t...

Mapping LGBTQ media; plus, news behind bars, going mobile and some well-deserved recognition By Dan Kennedy A new grant-supported project tracks LGBTQ media projects across the country. According to News Is Out, the LGBTQ+ Media Mapping Project “offers the first in-depth look at the …

New at What Works: Mapping LGBTQ media; plus, news behind bars, going mobile and some well-deserved recognition. whatworks.news/2025/09/12/m...

A third news project is set to launch in Marblehead as the nonprofit Current trims its sails By Dan Kennedy The town of Marblehead, an affluent community of about 20,000 residents on Boston’s North Shore, is proving to be a hotbed for hyperlocal journalism. Just a few years ago, its …

New at What Works: A third news project is set to launch in Marblehead as the nonprofit @mhdcurrent.bsky.social trims its sails. whatworks.news/2025/09/09/a...

MassLive has spun a small-market newspaper into a web traffic powerhouse Advance Local's dailies continue to punch above their weight. Here’s our monthly ranking of the top 25 local newspaper websites in the United States.

In the new @niemanlab.org web rankings, @masslive.bsky.social is kicking butt. www.niemanlab.org/2025/09/mass...

@ellenclegg.bsky.social and I talked strategy with MassLive execs Joshua Macht and Ronnie Ramos on the "What Works" podcast last year. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...