🤝 Local publishers losing major traffic to AI turn to collaboration

Plus: Reaching people where they actually consume the news | AI is changing who owns information | Inside a mission driven regional newsroom

Author

Paul Gewuerz
April 02, 2026

Your weekly briefing on business, policy, trends, and more in the local media industry

Good morning, here’s what’s in the newsletter this week:

⇒ Local publishers losing major traffic to AI turn to collaboration

⇒ Dozens of Iowa newspapers face possible closure

⇒ Scripps sells Indianapolis station and eyes regulatory approval to expand TV holdings

⇒ Big Tech’s sports broadcasting rights could hurt local TV

…. and this week on the Small Press, Big Ideas podcast:

📱 Reaching people where they actually consume the news

🤯 AI is changing who owns information

🧭 Inside a mission driven regional newsroom

🤝 Local publishers losing major traffic to AI turn to collaboration

Local news publishers are losing significant traffic and revenue as AI answers and platform changes reduce referral clicks, forcing a shift in strategy. In response, publishers are collaborating through shared tools and focusing on direct audience relationships to regain control over monetization and growth.

⚠️ Dozens of Iowa newspapers face possible closure

Mid-America Publishing plans to shut down or sell nearly two dozen Iowa newspapers due to ongoing financial strain and declining viability of print media. The move has sparked concern across rural communities that rely on these long standing publications as their primary source of local news and public record.

💰 Scripps sells Indianapolis station and eyes regulatory approval to expand TV holdings

The E. W. Scripps Company has completed the $83 million sale of WRTV in Indianapolis as part of a broader effort to reduce debt and potentially regain ownership of Ion affiliated stations. The company also plans to seek regulatory waivers to expand station ownership, reflecting a more favorable FCC environment for large media deals

📺 Big Tech’s sports broadcasting rights could hurt local TV

Big Tech companies are rapidly acquiring major sports broadcasting rights, raising concerns that key events could move behind paywalls and reduce free access for viewers. Broadcasters warn this shift could hurt local TV revenue and journalism, prompting calls for regulatory action to protect public access.

Meet LocalPod Studio: the podcast platform for local newsrooms

LocalPod.co is launching LocalPod Studio: the audio platform built for local media.

LocalPod Studio makes it simple for newsrooms to turn written reporting into distributed podcasts. A publisher can paste or upload a script, generate the audio, and publish an episode that goes out to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and everywhere else.

We’re opening early access to a small group of founding newsrooms who want to help shape the platform before it launches publicly.

👉 See the demo and join the waitlist: app.localpod.co

Small Press, Big Ideas

A podcast about the business of local news

📱 Reaching people where they actually consume the news

First up on the podcast this week I spoke with Oseye Boyd, editor in chief of Mirror Indy, a new nonprofit newsroom is reshaping local journalism in Indianapolis.

Our conversation explores how Mirror Indy meets audiences where they are through newsletters, social media, and even text message channels. We also talked about the city of Indianapolis, Indy Mirror’s business model, and newsroom culture (which you can get a feel for in Mirror’s 90s-style sitcom video).

🤯 AI is changing who owns information

Next up I sat down with Paul Myers and Ryan Clark from Lantrn AI. We had a wide ranging conversation exploring how AI is fundamentally reshaping the value of information and what that means for local publishers.

The episode covers why publishers should centralize their data, rethink distribution, and build direct relationships with their communities. We also touched on practical starting points, the importance of experimentation, and how local media can create entirely new products and revenue streams by owning their information instead of giving it away.

🧭 Inside a mission driven regional newsroom

I sat down with Noah Glick, executive editor of the Sierra Nevada Ally, to talk about building a nonprofit newsroom focused on civics, climate, and community in Northern Nevada.

We talked about why contextual reporting and explainers matter more than ever, how small outlets are experimenting with newsletters, podcasts, and partnerships, and the ongoing challenge of funding independent local news.