🤝 Major broadcaster merger approved

Plus: The future of local news through the eyes of a longtime TV news director | How hyperlocal print newspapers still make money | Running a local newspaper across two states

Author

Paul Gewuerz
March 26, 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:

⇒ Major broadcaster merger approved

⇒ How news publishers can approach younger audiences

⇒ News/Media Alliance secures AI licensing deal

⇒ Google rewriting news headlines with AI

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

📺 The future of local news through the eyes of a longtime TV news director

🗞 How hyperlocal print newspapers still make money

🗺 Running a local newspaper across two states

🤝 Major broadcaster merger approved

Federal regulators approved the Nexstar and Tegna merger, clearing the way for one of the largest local TV station deals in years. So far, at least 8 states have asked a judge to temporarily stop the deal. Politico reports on media mergers and how they could either revive struggling local news outlets by pooling resources or accelerate decline by cutting jobs and reducing coverage.

📱 How news publishers can approach younger audiences

A new study shows how young audiences are reshaping how news is consumed, favoring social platforms, video, and personalities over traditional outlets. News organizations must adapt quickly or risk losing relevance with a generation that expects more engaging and accessible formats

🤖 News/Media Alliance secures AI licensing deal

The News/Media Alliance struck a deal with Bria AI to license publisher content for training AI models, aiming to ensure news organizations are compensated. The move signals a push by the industry to regain control and value as AI companies rely more on news content.

🔍 Google rewriting news headlines with AI

Google is experimenting with AI that rewrites news headlines in search results, potentially changing how users interact with news content. Publishers worry it could reduce clicks and weaken their control over how stories are presented and monetized.

Small Press, Big Ideas

A podcast about the business of local news

📺 The future of local news through the eyes of a longtime TV news director

First up on Small Press, Big Ideas this week I sat down with Mario Orellana.

Mario spent three decades inside a television newsroom in San Antonio, working his way from a teenage intern to news director.

In our conversation he shares what it was like building a career during massive shifts in the media industry and why local journalism still plays a critical role in communities.

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.

Watch a quick demo:

👉 Join the waitlist: app.localpod.co

🗞 How hyperlocal print newspapers still make money

I also spoke with Kirk Kern, who spent decades inside traditional newspapers before launching his own hyperlocal media company in Las Vegas.

After losing his job during the 2020 shutdowns, he rebuilt from scratch with a simple model with Hyperlocal Media Nevada: small monthly newspapers mailed directly to tightly connected neighborhoods.

Kirk shares lessons from launching multiple neighborhood papers, the realities of selling ads as a journalist, and why hyperlocal print can still be a profitable media business when done right.

🗺 Running a local newspaper across two states

Finally I spoke with James Bright, who leads the Texarkana Gazette as both editor and general manager, a rare role that bridges newsroom priorities with business realities.

James explains how his team shifted from a print focused model to digital subscriptions, introduced an iPad program for readers, and began experimenting with philanthropy as a funding pillar for local journalism. The conversation also explores the challenges of monetizing short form video, practical uses of AI in the newsroom, and a lot more.