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

» The local news boom in LA

» New report calls for community collaboration in local news

» Pittsburgh Post-Gazette strike ends

» Audiences unsure about AI in local news

» Court dismisses AI company’s motion to drop infringement lawsuit

🚀 The local news boom in LA

Nieman Lab reports that the local news ecosystem in Los Angeles is seeing a burst of new investment and activity: a major coalition backed by nearly $18 million is building hyper local newsrooms, while both for‑profit and nonprofit outlets are launching new newsletters and social efforts to fill coverage gaps.

📰 New report calls for community collaboration in local news

The new report This Is Local News Now argues that local journalism must shift from journalists working in isolation to a broader ecosystem where community groups, local businesses, and civic institutions all share responsibility for creating and circulating trustworthy information. Read more

🏛️ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette strike ends

The strike at the Pittsburgh Post‑Gazette has officially ended after three years, following a ruling by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals that the paper negotiated in bad faith and must restore the pre‑2020 contract terms and provide back pay. However, the paper’s management plans to appeal, meaning the fight isn’t fully resolved yet.

🧠 Audiences unsure about AI in local news

New research from the Local Media Association and Local Media Foundation shows that most local news consumers recognize and are cautiously open to use of AI in newsrooms, but they overwhelmingly want human oversight, transparency and clear guardrails around how that AI is used.

🤖 Court dismisses AI company’s motion to drop infringement lawsuit

A federal judge denied Cohere Inc.’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by a group of major news publishers, concluding the plaintiffs sufficiently alleged that Cohere’s “Command” AI model produced outputs that directly infringe the publishers’ copyright and trademark rights. Read more 

Small Press, Big Ideas

A podcast about the business of local news

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Philanthropy, AI, and the Future of Journalism

This week on the podcast I was joined by Sarabeth Berman, CEO of The American Journalism Project.

Sarabeth started her career in the performing arts and then helped launch Teach for China. While in China see saw the importance of foreign press bureaus in the country, and also saw the beginning of the decline of the industry during the 2008 financial crisis.

After returning to the US, she was recruited to become the first CEO of the American Journalism Project in 2020.

The AJP is the first venture philanthropy dedicated to local news. It raises national philanthropic capital and invests it into nonprofit local newsrooms.

Sarabeth and I talked about why the “rebirth” story in local news is often overlooked, what revenue models are actually working in 2025, how to attract talent, the AJP product & AI studio, where she sees the local news industry heading into the future, and a lot more.

Have a listen to our conversation today on your podcast app of choice!

More Stories

⏩ Small town forms ‘journalism trust’ to solicit donations, keep its local newspaper going

⏩ Media giant acquires stake in E.W. Scripps, has been in talks to do merger deal

⏩ Minneapolis media company purchases Cedar Rapids Gazette and 11 other Iowa papers

⏩ Local News, Global Reach: How White-Label DSPs Empower Independent Media

⏩ Minnesota executive makes the case for local newspapers, in print

⏩ Bill would require 120-day notice before sale of local news outlets to give communities time to organize buyouts

⏩ A “win-win” partnership brings a surge of reporting firepower to hyperlocal news outlets around Boston

⏩ Chicago Public Media teams up with alternative weekly Chicago Reader on advertising sales

⏩ Collaboration Not Competition: A New Path for Local Radio

⏩ Want to build a sustainable local newsroom? These 21 steps will help you get there, a new report finds

⏩ Nextdoor doubles down on local news — here’s why publishers should care