Hello! Here’s what’s in this week’s issue:

» CPB to shut down amid funding cuts

» Some public broadcasters have built substantial online presences

» A new AI curation app

» ‘Pink slime’ sites still pose a threat

» Print isn’t dead?

» Did Craigslist decimate local newspapers, or was it a larger business model problem?

🏛️ CPB to shut down amid funding cuts

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is shutting down after a major federal funding cut, dealing a huge blow to local TV and radio stations. Supporters call it a win for taxpayers and media neutrality, while critics warn it will devastate local news and cultural programming.

📻 Some public broadcasters have built substantial online presences

Nieman Lab reports that public radio stations are thriving online, building loyal digital audiences that can cushion the blow of federal funding cuts. The piece ranks the top 25 local public media sites, and suggests that their success shows that strong local content and smart digital strategies can help stations survive in a shifting media landscape.

🤖 A new AI curation app

Japanese news discovery company SmartNews has launched NewsArc, a new app that curates news with AI to keep users engaged longer and reduce polarization. The project is paying a rev share to its 3,000 publisher partners to supply content. As with many AI news products, some media companies see it as both a potential traffic boost and yet another platform they’ll need to navigate.

⚠️ ‘Pink slime’ sites still pose a threat

This piece warns that “pink slime” sites, fake local news outlets pushing partisan agendas, are eroding trust and confusing readers. According to a report from last year, there are now more pink slime sites than real local newspapers in the US.

📰 Print isn’t dead?

Some small newspapers are finding new life in print, using special editions and niche products to reconnect with local readers. This case study shows that The Morgan County Correspondent, launched in Indiana in 2023, has 2,100 subscribers (96% of which are print), and is nearing profitability.

💻 Did Craigslist decimate local newspapers, or was it a larger business model problem?

Poynter takes a look at Craig Newmark, founder of online classifieds platform Craigslist, and how his creation became a scapegoat for the newspaper industry’s collapse. But the roots of that decline stretch back to the rise of TV in the ’60s and later to digital disruption, ad consolidation, and slow adaptation.

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Small Press, Big Ideas

A podcast about the business of local news

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Reinventing Local Journalism in Toronto

Many legacy local news publishers made a mistake at the dawn of the digital age by simply copying and pasting their papers onto the internet. This made sense at the time, after all newspapers are a format that people know and trust, but the truth is that the internet is a whole new realm that took a different evolutionary path.

What would the ideal hyperlocal news site built for the modern digital age look like? I would argue that this week’s podcast guest has hit the nail on the head. Anita Li is the Publisher and CEO of The Green Line, an award winning Toronto newsroom.

Anita and I talk about the design of The Green Line, which is built for a social media generation, as well as “news donuts” in major metro areas, implementing a community driven Action Journey framework, and why Anita chose to launch The Green Line as a mission-driven for profit instead of going after non-profit status.

We also talked about Anita’s roots in journalism, which go back to age 14, the value of working with a broad age range of journalists at The Green Line, and navigating social media algorithms with Meta’s Canadian news blackouts.

Listen to our full conversation on your podcast app of choice! 🎧 Apple Podcasts | 🎵 Spotify

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