🤖 The impact and potential of AI on local news

Plus: Can public media power a hyperlocal future?

Author

Paul Gewuerz
June 12, 2025

Your weekly briefing of stories from around the local news space about business, policy, trends, and more

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

» The impact and potential of AI on local news

» How local TV fills in gaps left behind by shuttered newspapers

» ASU, Knight foundation to open new journalism center

» Can public media power a hyperlocal future?

» Local journalism must focus on two priorities

» Lee’s cyberattack affected nearly 40,000 people

» Americans trust local news, but aren’t willing to pay for it

🤖 The impact and potential of AI on local news

The Local News Initiative recently published a report on whether AI will foster growth for local news or turn out to be an existential threat. The results are a mixed bag, like most reports on AI in local media. While new tools offer major gains in efficiency, the misuse and need for human oversight remain. Read more here

📺 How local TV fills in gaps left behind by shuttered newspapers

A new study out of Harvard examines whether local TV stations can “do well and still do good”. The paper suggests that local TV stations can still meaningfully serve their communities by shifting from sensational breaking news toward reporting on local governance, investigations, and community issues. However, this requires substantial investment in digital and other newsroom resources. Read more here

🎓 ASU, Knight foundation to open new journalism center

Arizona State University will open the brand new Knight Center for the Future of News on July 1st, thanks in part to a $10.5 million grant from the Knight Foundation. The center will promote collaboration between educators, researchers, and newsrooms focused on strengthening local and regional outlets and work to develop strategies, tools, and training programs that help news organizations.

🔮 Can public media power a hyperlocal future?

Pivot Fund Founder and CEO Tracie Powell recently wrote about how public media can evolve from a centralized content producer to “a networked, civic infrastructure that enables and supports community-rooted journalism”. She argues that the current model is outdated and offers practical strategies like offering support to emerging local newsrooms. Read the full article here

🔎 Local journalism must focus on two priorities

The Institute for Nonprofit News’ Chief Network Officer Jonathan Kealing argues that there’s been no shortage of thinking about how to pay for local journalism over the past 20 years. The real focus, he says, should be on two key priorities: convincing Americans that news is a civic good, and to learn to connect with local audiences.

⚠ Lee’s cyberattack affected nearly 40,000 people

The cyberattack on Lee Enterprises in February that caused disruptions to dozens of its media outlets in the US leaked the personal information of 39,779 people. The data breach mostly affected current and former employees and exposed information such as Social Security numbers.

📰 Americans trust local news, but aren’t willing to pay for it

This piece from The Conversation claims that in a time when most Americans have lost faith in national news, the trust for local journalism is still strong. Unfortunately, while 85% of Americans believe that local news outlets are important, only 23% who pay for news claim to pay for a local or regional newspaper.

Post your job or event for free: Your job or event will be listed for free in the newsletter for up to 30 days. We do ask that the listing pertain to the local news industry or be closely related. To get started just click the link below.

Local Stories

Sponsor this newsletter - Contact us