Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Keep It Local | Local Media Association

Local newsrooms are often asked to cover the economy — but rarely have the tools to cover economic mobility at a granular, data-driven level. One year ago, Local Media Association, Comcast NBCUniversal, and Opportunity Insights launched the Economic Opportunity Lab to change that.

In this episode of Keep It Local, host Ryan Welton talks with Dana Piccoli, Managing Director of News Is Out and Project Manager of the Economic Opportunity Lab, about what the first year produced: original reporting from 48 newsrooms and 10 NBC Telemundo stations across five regions (Chicago, Philadelphia, Miami, the Bay Area, and DC/Baltimore), and a new, free playbook for any newsroom, chamber of commerce, or city government that wants to do similar work in their own community.

They dig into how newsrooms partnered directly with researchers from Opportunity Insights to translate dense data — including the Opportunity Atlas — into personal, place-based stories on housing, education, and employment. Dana shares the story behind one of the Lab's most impactful pieces, a report on credit scores in Baltimore's Black community by the AFRO's Victoria Mejicanos, which prompted local bankers to convene a session to address the findings. She also talks about the role of trust and vulnerability in reporting on personal finances, and why public listening sessions were central to several newsrooms' approach.

The conversation closes with a look at what's next: making the playbook a living resource, helping communities find funding for similar collaboratives, and a reminder of News Is Out's LGBTQ+ media mapping project, which tracks coverage gaps for queer communities nationwide.

In this episode:

• Introducing the Economic Opportunity Lab and its one-year mark
• The scope: 48 newsrooms, 10 NBC Telemundo stations, 5 regions
• What's in the new playbook — and who it's for
• Common threads in the reporting: housing, education, employment
• Working with Opportunity Insights and the Opportunity Atlas
• The Afro's credit-score investigation and its real-world impact
• Building community trust through listening sessions
• Covering economic opportunity in the LGBTQ+ community
• News deserts, the $1 billion cost of losing local news, and why it matters most for marginalized communities
• What's next for the Lab

Links:

• Economic Opportunity Lab Playbook: https://playbook.economicopportunitylab.com/eol
• Contact Dana Piccoli: dana.piccoli@localmedia.org

Guest: Dana Piccoli, Managing Director, News Is Out; Project Manager, Economic Opportunity Lab

Host: Ryan Welton, Local Media Association

The loudest members of your audience may not be the most representative.

New research from Pew Research Center divides Americans into four broad groups based on how they participate in news, politics, civic life and religion: mobilizers, connectors, spectators and outsiders.

On this episode of Keep It Local, Local Media Association host Ryan Welton talks with Pew Research Center research associate Luxuan Wang about what those groups can teach local newsrooms about their audiences.

One group in particular should get publishers’ attention: spectators. They closely follow news and engage with information online, but they are far less likely to participate publicly in civic or political life. That means traditional engagement signals such as comments and public shares may miss a significant portion of a newsroom’s real audience.

Wang also explains why younger Americans may be more connected to news than conventional wisdom suggests, how social media and creators are reshaping news discovery, and why local journalism continues to enjoy greater trust than national news.

The conversation offers newsroom leaders a different way to think about one of journalism’s favorite words: engagement.

Read Pew Research Center’s report, “How Americans Are Engaged With News, Politics, Religion and Civic Life,” at PewResearch.org.

Keep It Local is a podcast from Local Media Association exploring innovation, strategy and the future of local journalism. Interested in sponsoring Keep It Local or appearing as a guest? Contact Lindsey Estes at lindsey.estes@localmedia.org and Ryan Welton at ryan.welton@localmedia.org.

What makes a local media company valuable to its community — and sustainable as a business?

Leo Cusimano has spent 34 years with Dallas Voice, including the past 13 as publisher. He joins Keep It Local host Ryan Welton at Local Media Fest 2026 to explain how his background in marketing and advertising shapes the way he runs one of the country’s most established LGBTQ+ media organizations.

Cusimano argues that publishers should stop thinking about simply “selling an ad” and instead build genuine relationships with advertisers, understand their marketing goals, and become long-term media partners.

He also discusses philanthropic funding, lessons from the Lab for Journalism Funding, expanding Dallas Voice journalism into an underserved community, and the powerful story of a reader who said discovering Dallas Voice helped save his life.

Plus, Cusimano shares what he teaches small and independent publishers about sales: You don’t necessarily have to become a salesperson. You have to learn how to build relationships and partnerships.

Keep It Local is a podcast from Local Media Association.

If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast or sponsor it and reach news organizations across North America, reach out to Lindsey Estes (lindsey.estes@localmedia.org) and Ryan Welton (ryan.welton@localmedia.org).

Local news is losing more than two newspapers a week—but that is only one side of the industry’s story.

Tim Franklin, professor and John M. Mutz Chair in Local News at Northwestern University’s Medill School, says local journalism is experiencing both troubling decline and encouraging growth. Digital-only publications, local news networks and independent content creators are emerging as the industry searches for sustainable ways to serve communities.

Franklin joins Keep It Local host Ryan Welton at Local Media Fest 2026 in Chicago to discuss what he calls the greatest transformation in local news since the penny press of the 1830s.

The conversation explores the civic and economic consequences of news deserts, the urgency of experimentation and the need for news organizations to reach audiences through platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp and text messaging.

Franklin also explains why strong local sports coverage can attract audiences, build community and drive subscriptions or memberships. And as a former Chicago Tribune sports editor, he offers an insider’s perspective on the Cubs-White Sox rivalry.

Franklin is the founding director of the Medill Local News Initiative, which conducts the State of Local News Project and supports news organizations through research, acceleration, leadership training and other programs designed to strengthen local journalism.

Learn more at localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu.

Keep It Local is a podcast from Local Media Association. If you'd like to be a guest on an episode or to sponsor the podcast, reach out to Lindsey Estes (lindsey.estes@localmedia.org) and Ryan Welton (ryan.welton@localmedia.org).

Sustainable local journalism requires more than a single source of revenue. It requires experimentation, collaboration and a culture willing to embrace transformation.

Local Media Association coach and consultant Liz White joins Keep It Local host Ryan Welton at Local Media Fest 2026 in Chicago to discuss how Local Media Association helps news organizations develop new ideas and build stronger business models.

White explains how LMA’s labs combine peer learning with hands-on coaching, giving local media leaders a place to discuss shared challenges and experiment together. She also outlines the revenue pillars that can support long-term sustainability, including events, digital agencies and philanthropy—all built upon a foundation of trusted local journalism.

A fifth-generation family media owner and former publisher in central Connecticut, White previously participated in LMA programs and served eight years on the organization’s board. Now, she uses those experiences to coach other publishers through their own transformation.

In this episode:

• Why collaboration is so valuable for local media leaders

• How LMA’s labs combine peer learning and individual coaching

• Why transformation must become part of a company’s culture

• How multiple revenue pillars can strengthen a news organization

• Why trusted local journalism must remain the foundation

Keep It Local is a podcast from Local Media Association. If you'd like to be a guest on an episode or to sponsor the podcast, reach out to Lindsey Estes (lindsey.estes@localmedia.org) and Ryan Welton (ryan.welton@localmedia.org).

Former New York Times executive editor Dean Baquet believes the erosion of local journalism is helping drive America’s civic and political divisions.

In this conversation recorded at Local Media Fest 2026 in Chicago, Baquet explains why strong local reporting gives communities a shared identity, helps residents understand the decisions affecting their lives and strengthens democracy.

Baquet also shares a lesson local newsrooms can take from The New York Times: Ask what journalism you can provide every day that your audience cannot get anywhere else. He discusses the need for news organizations to communicate their value, become more transparent about editorial decisions and own their mistakes.

Baquet now leads The New York Times’ Local Investigations Fellowship, supporting reporters pursuing ambitious accountability journalism in communities across the country.

In this episode:

• Why the erosion of local news affects the entire country

• What local publishers can learn from The New York Times

• How news deserts weaken accountability

• Why communities must financially support local journalism

• How transparency can rebuild audience trust

• Baquet’s work supporting local investigative reporters

Keep It Local is a podcast of Local Media Association, hosted by Ryan Welton. If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, or if you'd like to sponsor it — email Lindsey Estes at lindsey.estes@localmedia.org and Ryan Welton at ryan.welton@localmedia.org.

What does the local news crisis actually cost communities?

According to new research from Rebuild Local News, the answer is about $1.1 billion every year in higher borrowing costs alone.

Keep It Local host Ryan Welton sits down with Matt Baker, director of research at Rebuild Local News, to discuss the organization's latest report and why communities without watchdog journalism pay more to finance schools, roads and public infrastructure.

They also explore the broader consequences of news deserts, including civic engagement, public accountability, financial misconduct and the growing body of research showing that local journalism delivers measurable economic value.

• Why lenders charge more when local news disappears
• The connection between watchdog journalism and taxpayer costs
• Examples of communities where accountability reporting made a difference
• The broader economic impacts of news deserts
• Why rebuilding local journalism will require more than one solution

Guest: Matt Baker, Director of Research, Rebuild Local News

Learn more about Rebuilding Local News at https://www.rebuildlocalnews.org/

If you'd like to be a guest on the Keep It Local podcast or, perhaps, to sponsor Keep It Local — reach out to Lindsey Estes at lindsey.estes@localmedia.org and Ryan Welton at ryan.welton@localmedia.org

Artificial intelligence is creating new possibilities for local newsrooms — including finding stories that they might not otherwise know about.

In this episode of Keep It Local, host Ryan Welton sits down with Jim Haddadin, investigative editor at Connecticut Public, and Susan Bell, senior director of data and digital services, to discuss the organization's award-winning Public Meeting Monitor.

The AI-powered system analyzes government meetings, identifies potentially newsworthy developments, and helps reporters uncover stories happening across communities throughout Connecticut.

The conversation also explores Curio, Connecticut Public's audience-support chatbot, along with broader lessons about newsroom adoption, transparency, audience trust, and the future of AI in local journalism.

Topics discussed:

• Why Connecticut Public built the Public Meeting Monitor
• How AI reviews and summarizes public meetings
• The role of human journalists in the reporting process
• Stories that originated from AI-generated news tips
• Building audience-service tools with AI
• Lessons for local news organizations exploring AI
• Where newsroom innovation is headed next

Guests:

Jim Haddadin, Investigative Editor, Connecticut Public

Susan Bell, Senior Director of Data and Digital Services, Connecticut Public

Hosted by Ryan Welton for Local Media Association's Keep It Local podcast.

The journalism profession is undergoing significant change, leaving many media professionals wondering what comes next.

In this episode of Keep It Local, host Ryan Welton talks with Bridget Thoreson, founder of MyCareerRiver, about the realities of navigating journalism careers in an era of layoffs, disruption, entrepreneurship, and rapid technological change.

Drawing from interviews with more than 160 professionals, Bridget shares practical insights on career reinvention, adapting to uncertainty, and recognizing the value of journalism skills beyond traditional newsroom roles.

Among the topics discussed:

• Why the traditional journalism career ladder no longer works for many professionals
• The three principles that emerged from Bridget's career research
• How journalists can reframe uncertainty as an opportunity for discovery
• The surprising job-search breakthrough that helped one journalist land a job after more than a year of unemployment
• Why skills matter more than titles
• How newsletters, podcasts, consulting, and entrepreneurship are creating new opportunities for journalists
• What media professionals can do today to prepare for the future

Learn more about Bridget's work at MyCareerRiver.com.

Would you like to sponsor a future episode of Keep It Local? Our membership comprises more than 3,000 local media companies of all sizes and media. We have a variety of ways to get you in front of key decision-makers within the industry.

Podcasting can feel intimidating for local media organizations. Questions about equipment, studios, editing, distribution and monetization often stop projects before they begin.

In this special episode of "Keep It Local," host Ryan Welton turns the microphone on himself to discuss his new LMII Innovation Insights report on podcasting and explain why he believes podcasts have become one of the most powerful content engines available to local media organizations today.

Ryan shares practical lessons from his work in local journalism, digital audience strategy and podcast production, offering a step-by-step look at how newsrooms can launch sustainable podcast programs without massive budgets or complicated studio setups.

The conversation covers everything from microphones and audio quality to Riverside workflows, video production, content repurposing and revenue opportunities through branded content.

• Why podcasting should be viewed as a content pillar
• The biggest mistakes newsrooms make before launching a podcast
• Why audio quality matters more than video quality
• Recommended microphones, headphones and recording setups
• Riverside vs. other remote recording platforms
• Simple lighting techniques for better video podcasts
• Editing workflows using Adobe Premiere Pro, Audition and HandBrake
• Getting podcasts onto Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube
• Turning one podcast into articles, newsletters and social media content
• Using podcasts to support branded content and sponsorship sales
• Why long-form conversations are thriving in 2026

• LMII Innovation Insights Report: Podcasting
• Riverside
• Adobe Premiere Pro
• Adobe Audition
• HandBrake
• Captivate
• Beehiiv
• Opus Clip
• Canva

Have questions about podcasting, newsroom workflows or content strategy?

Contact Ryan Welton at Local Media Association to continue the conversation.

What happens when a journalist sees critical gaps between communities and local media?

For Ruby Jones, the answer was to build something entirely new.

Ruby is the founder of Empower Media Exchange, a Colorado-based nonprofit dedicated to community storytelling, media literacy, youth engagement and civic information. Her innovative work earned her Local Media Association's 2025 Digital Innovation Award for Rising Star in Innovation.

In this episode of Keep It Local, Ryan Welton talks with Ruby about creating Colorado's first Community Information Commons, helping young people become storytellers, building trust through relationship-centered journalism and why communication skills matter far beyond the newsroom.

• How Ruby's journalism journey began early
• The inspiration behind Empower Media Exchange
• Why media literacy is about more than spotting misinformation
• Creating opportunities for youth storytellers
• The role of intergenerational collaboration in journalism
• Building the Community Information Commons
• Why every organization should think like a media company
• How local journalism can better connect with communities
• The future of storytelling and audience trust

Ruby Jones is the founder of Empower Media Exchange, a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening communities through storytelling, media literacy and civic engagement. Through initiatives including Front Range Focus, the Community Information Commons and NextGen Media Literacy Labs, she is helping create more inclusive pathways for people to share their stories and participate in local media.

Empower Media Exchange — https://empowermediaexchange.org

Follow Ruby Jones on LinkedIn

Follow Ruby on Instagram: @writing4real

Local Media Association — https://localmedia.org

Local Media Association revealed its 2025 Digital Innovation Awards on Wednesday, celebrating the local media organizations, journalists and teams pushing the industry forward through creativity, audience engagement and innovation.

Presented in partnership with Upland Second Street, this year’s awards honored impactful work across audience growth, storytelling, AI, product development, public service journalism and new business models.

LMA leaders said the honorees represent the resilience and forward-thinking ideas helping shape the future of local news at a time of rapid industry change. The awards recognize organizations and individuals developing fresh approaches to connecting with audiences, growing sustainable businesses and strengthening local journalism in communities across North America.

This special anniversary episode of Keep It Local, a podcast from the Local Media Association, looks back at a full year of conversations with leaders across the local news industry.

Host Ryan Welton highlights the biggest takeaways on revenue, AI, audience trust, and innovation — all focused on one mission: helping local media organizations build sustainable business models.

Branded content that actually works

1. Why internal alignment is critical to success
2. How storytelling drives advertiser value

AI in the newsroom

1. Practical use cases beyond writing
2. How AI can improve accessibility and efficiency
3. Why trust and transparency matter more than ever

New revenue opportunities

1. Donation strategies that convert audiences into supporters
2. “Best of” campaigns as long-term revenue engines
3. Monetizing short-form video and branded content

Audience trust & data strategy

1. What consumers actually think about AI in news
2. How zero- and first-party data strengthen relationships

Growth strategies for modern newsrooms

1. Short-form video adoption
2. Community-first engagement models
3. Building direct audience relationships

Local journalism is evolving fast. The organizations that survive — and thrive — will be the ones that adapt, experiment, and connect deeply with their communities.

This episode is a roadmap for doing exactly that.

Editor's note: These podcast notes were written by AI from an episode transcript plus inputs from its host.

Vertical video is rapidly becoming one of the most powerful tools available to local media companies — both for audience engagement and new revenue opportunities.

In this episode of Keep It Local, Ryan Welton speaks with David Arkin of David Arkin Consulting about the findings from his recent LMII report on the opportunity for media companies using Reels and vertical video.

They discuss how platforms like Instagram Reels, Facebook Reels, YouTube Shorts, and TikTok are changing how audiences consume news — and why local publishers should embrace vertical video as a key part of their digital strategy.

Arkin explains how these formats can help media companies build stronger brand recognition, deepen audience loyalty, generate story tips, and unlock new advertising opportunities.

The conversation also dives into practical strategies for newsrooms trying to build sustainable vertical video workflows and the importance of experimentation and consistency.

• Why vertical video is reshaping how audiences consume news

• Differences between Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube video ecosystems

• How vertical video strengthens brand recognition for local media

• Why these platforms are more about loyalty than traffic

• New monetization opportunities through branded video content

• The role of vertical video in AEO and search visibility

• Practical newsroom strategies for producing effective Reels

• Why consistency and experimentation are essential

David Arkin Consulting

https://www.davidarkinconsulting.com

Local Media Association

https://localmedia.org

For decades, “Best Of” programs have been associated with newspapers. But broadcast stations are increasingly discovering they may be even better positioned to win in this space.

Julie Foley of Second Street joins Ryan Welton to explain how TV and radio stations are:

1. Generating six-figure annual revenue
2. Growing newsletter lists by thousands
3. Capturing first- and zero-party data
4. Building stronger advertiser relationships
5. Using self-serve e-commerce tools to unlock new revenue
6. Adding text-to-vote for incremental upsell

We discuss real-world examples, including stations in Myrtle Beach, Biloxi, and Kentucky that are seeing measurable results.

Julie also breaks down:

• How to structure a nomination, voting and winners phase

• What categories work best for broadcast

• Why mindset — not market size — is often the biggest barrier

• How to shift sales conversations from impressions to ROI

If you lead revenue, audience development or digital strategy at a local station, this episode offers a practical roadmap.

🔗 Learn more: lab.secondstreet.com

📧 Contact Julie Foley: jfoley@uplandsoftware.com

Third-party data is fading. Privacy regulations are tightening. Platform referrals are shrinking.

So what’s the plan?

On this episode of Keep It Local, Ryan Welton is joined by Todd Handy, CEO of Disruptive Impact, to discuss his latest LMII report: Winning with Zero and First-Party Data.

Todd explains:

1. What zero-party is (and how it differs from first-party data)
2. Why anonymous impressions are losing value
3. How consent-based audience signals improve advertiser performance
4. The connection between data strategy and audience trust
5. Practical steps local publishers can implement immediately

If you don’t have a clear audience data strategy heading into 2026, you’re behind the eight ball.

📘 The LMII report is available through the Local Media Association. LMII subscribers receive access. Others can purchase at localmedia.org.

Would you like to sponsor the Keep It Local podcast? We have several packages available.

Ethan Holland joins the Keep It Local podcast from Local Media Association to discuss the real state of AI in 2026 — from newsroom workflows and ethics to emerging tools that are reshaping how journalists work.

Key Topics

• Why AI mirrors the early internet
• Multimodal AI and information digestion
• Prompting strategies that actually work
• Ethics, accountability and newsroom policy
• Likeness and trust
• Predictions for AI’s next phase

Guest

Ethan Holland

Vice President, Draper Digital Media

Board Member, Local Media Association

🔗 ethanbholland.com

As artificial intelligence becomes more common in journalism, one question matters most: what do audiences actually think about newsrooms using AI?

In this episode of Keep It Local, host Ryan Welton is joined by John M. Humenik, Chief Strategy and Operations Officer for Local Media Association, and Lynn Walsh, Assistant Director of Trusting News, to unpack findings from a new national survey on AI and journalism.

The survey — conducted with more than 1,400 local news consumers — offers rare, audience-driven insight into trust, transparency, and the role humans must play when AI is involved in news production.

• Why nearly 99% of respondents say humans must review AI-assisted journalism
• Which AI uses audiences are most comfortable with — and which raise red flags
• How transparency and disclosure affect trust in AI-assisted news
• Why AI familiarity among audiences leads to greater acceptance
• How newsrooms can use audience feedback to shape ethical AI policies
• Why AI literacy may be a trust-building opportunity, not a threat

Humenik and Walsh also discuss how newsrooms can responsibly experiment with AI, communicate openly with their communities, and use audience expectations as guardrails — not obstacles — as technology continues to evolve.

The full survey report is available at localmedia.org and is designed to be used inside newsrooms as a discussion and decision-making tool.

Keep It Local is a podcast from Local Media Association focused on sustainability, innovation, and the future of local journalism.

If you enjoyed this episode:

• Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform
• Leave a five-star review to help other journalists discover the show
• Share the episode with a colleague or newsroom leader

Lookout Local turns five this year — and its story offers one of the clearest roadmaps yet for rebuilding local journalism.

In this episode of Keep It Local, host Ryan Welton talks with Ken Doctor, founder and CEO of Lookout Local, and Ashley Harmon, the organization’s chief of staff, about how Lookout launched during one of the most turbulent moments in modern journalism — and emerged with a sustainable business, a Pulitzer Prize, and expansion underway.

Topics include:

• Why Lookout rejected the “start small” approach
• What made covering the Santa Cruz floods a defining moment
• How community engagement and revenue work together
• Why reporter visibility matters more than ever
• How Lookout’s app, newsletters, and short-form video strengthen relationships
• Lessons learned expanding to Eugene-Springfield
• What profitability really takes in local news
• Why Lookout believes this is an unprecedented moment for local journalism

This is a candid, practical conversation about what it actually takes to build a modern community newsroom — and why optimism may be justified heading into 2026 and beyond.

⭐️ Rate & review the podcast

🔔 Follow Keep It Local for more conversations with local media leaders

Giving Tuesday strategies for newsrooms with LMA’s Kristyn Cooper

Show Notes:

On this episode of Keep It Local, host Ryan Welton sits down with Kristyn Cooper, director of fundraising initiatives at the Local Media Association, to explore how local newsrooms can make the most of Giving Tuesday. Cooper shares insights from two decades in the nonprofit world—covering how to normalize fundraising, connect storytelling to generosity, and build long-term donor relationships.

Listeners will learn:

• How Giving Tuesday evolved into a $3.6 billion global movement
• Why journalists already possess the skills to be great fundraisers
• Best practices for donor engagement and impact storytelling
• Simple ways to make giving easy and friction-free

In this episode of Keep It Local, host Ryan Welton interviews Todd Handy, founder of Disruptive Impact and board member for the Local Media Association, about his new report, The SaaS-ification of Media. Handy shares how local publishers can learn from software companies by focusing on recurring revenue, retention and customer lifetime value.

Listeners will learn:

• What “SaaS-ification” means in practical terms for local media
• Why advertiser churn is the “silent killer” of sustainability
• How to run a Go-To-Market Audit to assess digital readiness
• Why every publisher needs a CRM to track renewals and growth
• How to start applying SaaS principles immediately — no matter your size

Resources Mentioned:

• The SaaS-ification of Media — Purchase via Local Media Association
• Contact Todd Handy: https://disruptiveimpact.co
• Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddjhandy/

Description:

In this episode of Keep It Local, Ryan Welton talks with Dana Piccoli, managing director of News Is Out, about the LGBTQ+ Media Mapping Project — a first-of-its-kind national effort to document where queer news outlets exist, how they’re sustaining, and what it will take to secure their future.

Mapping the Future of LGBTQ+ Media with Dana Piccoli of News Is Out

Description:

In this episode of Keep It Local, Ryan Welton talks with Dana Piccoli, managing director of News Is Out, about the LGBTQ+ Media Mapping Project — a first-of-its-kind national effort to document where queer news outlets exist, how they’re sustaining, and what it will take to secure their future.

Topics Covered:

• What inspired the LGBTQ+ Media Mapping Project
• Why 18 U.S. states have no queer media outlets
• The financial and political pressures facing LGBTQ+ publishers
• How funders can support sustainable queer journalism
• Why collaboration is fueling resilience and growth in the field

Guest:

Dana Piccoli – Managing Director, News Is Out

📍 Learn more and explore the map: newsisout.com

Host:

Ryan Welton, Director of Digital Content, Local Media Association

🎙️ Produced by Local Media Association

💌 Subscribe to Keep It Local wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode of Keep It Local, host Ryan Welton of Local Media Association sits down with John Rust, Sho Rust, and Michael Machiah to talk about PubGen.AI, an AI-powered content management system built by PubGen.AI and Rust Communications.

Learn how PubGen.ai is transforming newsrooms with AI-driven efficiency, grounded in local journalism ethics and archives. The team shares why they built the platform, how it streamlines editorial and business operations, and why they believe journalism deserves better technology.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why Rust Communications decided to build a new CMS from scratch
• How PubGen.ai boosts newsroom efficiency and revenue
• What makes this platform different from other CMS options
• Why grounding AI in local archives is critical for trust and community relevance
• Real-world results: 228% digital revenue growth in 90 days

If your newsroom is exploring AI or CMS upgrades, this is a conversation you can’t miss.

Links & Resources:

• PubGen.ai: https://pubgen.ai
• Contact Sho Rust: sho@pubgen.ai
• Learn more about Local Media Association: https://localmedia.org

At a time when many local newsrooms fear artificial intelligence, The Baltimore Times is leaning in. In this episode of Keep It Local, host Ryan Welton talks with Paris Brown — one of Local Media Association’s Digital Innovators of the Year — about how a 40-year-old community paper is using AI, AR and VR to serve its audience in fresh, creative ways.

Brown shares how the Times is:

• Making health coverage more accessible with narrated AI summaries and avatars.
• Creating immersive AR/VR storytelling experiences like racing alongside legendary Black cyclists.
• Building trust through partnerships with artists, technologists, and community groups.
• Exploring new AI tools (Perplexity, ChatGPT, Gemini, Zapier) to streamline workflows.
• Developing an AI model to process community-submitted stories through a custom style guide.

Why It Matters

The Baltimore Times is proving that innovation isn’t reserved for large media companies. By treating AI as a partner, not a threat, the paper shows how small publishers can lead in digital transformation while staying rooted in community trust.

🎧 Listen to learn why Paris Brown calls AI “a friend, not a threat,” and what’s next for The Baltimore Times.

Description:

Back-to-school isn’t just a moment on the calendar — it’s a major opportunity for local newsrooms to deliver value, grow audience, and drive new revenue.

In this episode of Keep It Local, Ryan Welton talks with David Arkin, founder of David Arkin Consulting, about practical, proven strategies for turning back-to-school content into audience-building, SEO-friendly, and sponsor-ready coverage.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction: The Problem with School Websites

00:17 Welcome to Keep It Local Podcast

00:36 Meet David Arkin: A Journey in Journalism

01:43 David Arkin's Consulting and Projects

04:04 H Town Dads: A Successful Promotion

08:16 Back to School Strategies for Newsrooms

17:36 Monetizing Back to School Content

19:47 Conclusion and Contact Information

David shares:

• A promotion playbook that turned dads into subscribers
• The three types of back-to-school content every newsroom should create
• How AI can help speed up data, graphics, and formatting
• Sponsorship ideas that go beyond traditional “special sections”

If you're looking for utility-driven content ideas that resonate with your community and your advertisers, this episode is a must.

Links:

• 💼 David Arkin Consulting (davidarkinconsulting.com)
• ✉️ Contact David: David@davidarkinconsulting.com

In this episode of Keep It Local, host Ryan Welton talks with Bethany Lane, revenue strategist at QCity Metro in Charlotte, N.C., and a Local Media Association Innovator of the Year.

Bethany shares how she helped the Black-owned digital publication grow from about 100 donors to record fundraising campaigns — all by getting comfortable with direct asks, using human-centered video and deeply understanding their audience.

They also dive into culturally specific fundraising strategies, overcoming the fear of unsubscribes and new frontiers like AI-read articles and community food festivals.

✅ Be direct — local journalism can’t survive on passive goodwill.

✅ Humor + human connection beat polished, generic pitches.

✅ Build campaigns around what your community actually values.

✅ Don’t fear unsubscribes; fear building a list of disengaged people.

✅ Think beyond stories: events, AI audio, and social experiments all fuel sustainability.

In this episode of Keep It Local, Ryan Welton sits down with Liz White Notarangelo, co-CEO of Local Media Association and Local Media Foundation, for a frank and energizing conversation on the real work of newsroom transformation.

Liz brings deep experience as a fifth-generation publisher who led a legacy newsroom through digital transformation—and now helps lead innovation across the local media industry.

They dig into:

• Why every newsroom must adopt a culture of continuous change
• The power of “succeed or fail fast”—and how to operationalize it
• Why listening is a newsroom’s most underutilized superpower
• How trust lays the groundwork for any sustainable revenue model
• What to stop doing—and how to focus on what matters

Plus: Liz previews LMA Fest 2025, where AI, branded content, philanthropy, and revenue innovation will take center stage.

Resources:

• Learn more: localmedia.org
• Learn more about LMA Fest: https://localmedia.org/event/lma-fest-2025/

Subscribe to "Keep It Local" for more ideas on the future of local journalism and its sustainability.

🎧 If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a review. It helps the platform algorithms surface our content for other journalists and newsrooms to hear.

John Celestand joins Keep It Local host Ryan Welton to talk about his work with the Knight x LMA BloomLab.

🎙️ Topics Covered:

• What the Knight x LMA BloomLab is and how it works
• Supporting 25 Black-owned newsrooms across the U.S.
• Lessons learned from 3 years of digital transformation
• AI's evolving role in local media
• Why community trust must be earned again and again
• The unique role of Black-owned media in the American press

🔗 Learn more: https://localmedia.org/knight-x-lma-bloomlab/

💬 Connect with John Celestand on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/johncelestand

Collaboration over competition: How Oklahoma Media Center is strengthening local news

In this episode of Keep It Local, host Ryan Welton chats with Rob Collins, executive director of the Oklahoma Media Center, about how a statewide collaborative is helping newsrooms band together to tackle big challenges—and build a stronger future for local journalism.

They discuss:

• What a news collaborative is and why it matters
• How Oklahoma Media Center supports newsrooms with funding, training, and tools
• Why collaboration—not competition—is key to sustainability
• Creative ways to rebuild trust with local audiences
• The future of local news in Oklahoma and beyond
• Rob’s vision for recruiting, training, and retaining the next generation of journalists

🚨 Plus: Rob shares how OMC has distributed nearly $300,000 in project funding and launched innovative campaigns like “Free Press Isn’t Free” to promote the value of journalism.

📍 Mentioned in this episode:

• OklahomaMediaCenter.com – Learn more about OMC’s work
• LocalMedia.org – More about the Local Media Association

🎧 If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review and share it with a newsroom leader or journalist you know!

Episode description / show notes:

In our debut episode of Keep It Local, host Ryan Welton sits down with Shannon Kinney, founder of Dream Local Digital and longtime LMA collaborator, to unpack the power of branded content — storytelling that builds audience and revenue.

They discuss:

• What branded content is (and isn’t)
• How it creates value for both advertisers and audiences
• Real-world success stories from local media companies
• How the Branded Content Project is helping newsrooms generate sustainable revenue
• Why alignment between editorial and sales is essential
• The value of trust, transparency, and utility in content strategy

🚨 Plus: Shannon shares how media companies can join upcoming Branded Content Project cohorts, tap into free training, and get support through hands-on boot camps and case studies.

📍 Mentioned in this episode:

• BrandedContentProject.com – Resources, case studies, and cohort info
• LocalMedia.org – More about the Local Media Association
• DreamLocal.com – Shannon Kinney’s agency helping 75,000+ businesses grow online

🎧 If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review and share it with a newsroom leader or journalist you know!