Google deal divides the industry

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

→ Google deal divides the industry

→ The financials of a daily nonprofit newspaper

→ Is the “doom and gloom” in local media overhyped?

→ AI’s impact on local news

→ LA public radio outlet receives $2.4 million grant

📰 Google deal divides the industry

The recent deal cut by Google to avoid paying California newsrooms has divided industry leaders since the announcement was made.

Some say that the deal should be celebrated as a significant stream of money to pay journalists in the state, while others argue that the deal doesn’t go nearly far enough and won’t stop the bleeding in the local news industry in California in the long term.

While opinions vary, the only sure thing is that the industry needs to come together in order to find sustainable, long term solutions for local publishers.

Read more here.

📰 The financials of a daily nonprofit newspaper

The Salt Lake Tribune, which became the first daily to become a nonprofit in 2019, is on a quest to eliminate what it calls a “necessary evil” - the paywall.

The Tribune, which has slowly but surely become profitable with a growing newsroom, looked at its numbers in a transparent public report on their website.

The report, which breaks down its business for readers, donors, and stakeholders of all kinds, shows the inner workings of a large, stable, daily nonprofit newspaper.

Read more here.

📰 Is the “doom and gloom” in local media overhyped?

A new report from the Poynter Institute titled OnPoynt questions whether the negative coverage about the local news industry may be overstating the facts.

The report shows that contrary to popular belief, 83% of survey respondents believe their local news sources, and 71% say local journalists are reporting the news accurately.

The key takeaways:

• The local news ecosystem is complex

• Major news outlets may be more to blame for the misconception

Read more here.

📰 AI’s impact on local news

The Empire State Local News Coalition and the Columbia School of Journalism held a panel on AI’s impact in the local news industry on Monday, September 9th.

The panel included a diverse cross section of leaders and focused on challenges facing local newsrooms, AI’s potential to foster innovation, and the potential implications of the technology in the industry, among other topics.

Read more here.

📰 LA public radio outlet receives $2.4 million grant

Los Angeles public radio outlet LAist received a $2.4 million dollar grant from the LA Local News Initiative to fund its accountability journalism efforts in the city.

The grant, which will be distributed over 5 years, is part of a larger $15 million investment throughout the City of Angels from several charitable foundations.

LAist President and CEO Alejandra Santamaria said, “We are thrilled and deeply grateful for this grant from the L.A. Local News Initiative, which will not only empower LAist to expand our coverage but also foster even greater collaboration with our partners.”

Read more here.