In this episode, Paul sits down with Mike Gyi, founder of TownSpot, a hyperlocal events platform born from a passion for place making, social impact, and uncovering hidden gems in your own backyard. From his architecture roots to building tech with social purpose, Mike shares the story behind TownSpot: a digital calendar that aims to rewire how we engage with our communities. Links: Townspot.co Mike Gyi - LinkedIn Mike Gyi - Twitter/X mike@townspot.co --- This podcast is sponsored by Loc...
Oct 27, 2025•53 min•Season 4Ep. 11
Today on the show Paul Myers explains how Mineral King Publishing is confronting the crisis in local journalism by rethinking the business model. Traditional advertising and subscriptions no longer cut it and AI is both a threat and a tool. With Lantern AI, Paul aims to turn high value local reporting into products for businesses (like developers and entrepreneurs) who need timely, local insights. Links : Paul Myers - LinkedIn Lantrn.ai The Sun-Gazette Mid Valley Times --- This podcast is sponso...
Oct 20, 2025•46 min•Ep. 50
In this episode, Paul talks with TJ Larkin, the publisher behind Larkin Media and the creator of 14 hyperlocal newsletters (and counting). TJ shares his unexpected journey from a family insurance business to becoming a driving force in the revival of community driven media. They explore why email newsletters are uniquely powerful for local engagement, TJ's data driven growth and monetization strategies, and how local entrepreneurs can transform newsletters into full fledged local media businesse...
Oct 13, 2025•39 min•Season 4Ep. 9
In this episode, Paul sits down with Ryan Heafy, COO and Co-Founder of 6AM City, one of the fastest growing local media companies in the U.S. Ryan shares how his background in aerospace engineering and process driven thinking collided with traditional journalism to create a scalable, sustainable local news model. The conversation explores 6AM City's unique approach to content, how they’re leveraging AI for efficiency and expansion, and how 6AM is positioning itself for the future of news without...
Oct 06, 2025•39 min•Season 4Ep. 8
Today I'm airing an episode from another podcast that you may be interested in: The Journalism Salute hosted by Mark Simon. On The Journalism Salute, Mark Simon interviews working journalists about who they are and what they do. The emphasis is on a diverse guest list. Half the guests are people of color, more than 60% are women, and there's representation from all 50 states. Gain insight on what you need to know to be a successful journalist in 2025. pod.link/journalismsalute Mark Simon - Linke...
Oct 02, 2025•26 min
Today Paul talks with Warwick Sabin, President and CEO of Deep South Today, about how his organization is rethinking local journalism in the South through a collaborative, nonprofit model. Based in Mississippi and New Orleans, Deep South Today supports two award winning newsrooms, Mississippi Today and Verite News, and is laying the groundwork for broader regional expansion. Links “Multi-local” newsrooms aim to get more news to more people Deep South Today Mississippi Today Verite News --- This ...
Sep 29, 2025•35 min•Season 4Ep. 7
Today Paul sits down with Ken Doctor, Founder and CEO of Pulitzer Prize winning newsroom and Lookout Local, to discuss how local journalism can not only survive but thrive in the digital era. From launching a digital first newsroom in Santa Cruz to expanding across the West Coast, Ken shares the strategic building blocks behind Lookout's success: strong models, sustainable funding, and mission driven people. Links: Ken Doctor - LinkedIn Lookout Local Lookout in the Classroom Google News Initiati...
Sep 15, 2025•28 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Today Paul sits down with Matthew Watkins, Editor-in-Chief of The Texas Tribune, for a conversation on nonprofit journalism, civic engagement, and navigating polarization in today’s media environment. Matthew shares his journey from local Texas reporting to leading one of the nation's premier nonprofit newsrooms, and offers candid insights into what makes The Tribune unique, from its funding model and newsroom culture to its commitment to transparency and nonpartisanship. Links : The Texas Tribu...
Sep 08, 2025•28 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Today sits down with Jonathan Kealing, Chief Network Officer at the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN), to explore the future of local journalism and the challenges of building, and keeping, an audience. Links: Jonathan Kealing - LinkedIn Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) Journalism without an audience is just creative writing - Jonathan's piece in Editor & Publisher FindYourNews.org – Discover nonprofit news outlets near you NewsMatch – Year-end matching gift campaign for nonprofit news Tr...
Aug 18, 2025•40 min•Season 4Ep. 4
Today Paul sits down with veteran journalist turned UX consultant David LaFontaine to break down what local and niche publishers really need to know about analytics, design, and building trust. From the myths of "data-driven" decisions to the hidden costs of bad UX, David explains how small publishers can use data not just to survive, but to thrive. Links: True Path Analytics FouAnalytics Connect with David: david@truepathanalytics.com David LaFontaine - LinkedIn Learn more about your ad choices...
Aug 11, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Season 4Ep. 3
In this episode, Paul sits down with Anita Li, founder, publisher, and CEO of The Green Line, Toronto’s award-winning hyperlocal news outlet. Anita shares her journey from starting in journalism at age 14 to leading innovative, community-driven media. The Green Line: thegreenline.to TikTok: @greenlineto Instagram: @thegreenlineto and @tglhelps Anita Li’s newsletter, The Other Wave: Subscribe on Substack Reynolds Journalism Institute guide to the Action Journey model --- This podcast is sponsored...
Aug 05, 2025•36 min•Season 4Ep. 2
In this episode, Paul sits down with the leadership team at Pittsburgh's Public Source, a nonprofit newsroom based in Pittsburgh, PA, to explore how they’re tapping into micro-influencer partnerships to reach new audiences. What began as an experimental outreach has evolved into a promising strategy to bridge traditional journalism with today’s creator-driven platforms. Read Halle's LinkedIn piece that inspired the episode 📰 Public Source: publicsource.org 📸 Instagram: @publicsource 👤 Follow ...
Jul 28, 2025•49 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Today Paul has a quick message about the podcast, when to expect new episodes, and info on an upcoming event that you won't want to miss! Links: Upcoming workshop - Wednesday, April 16th, 9AM MST: Create a Profitable AI Powered Podcast - Register Today --- This podcast is sponsored by LocalPod.co , helping local news publishers produce revenue generating podcasts. Click here to schedule a call --- Subscribe to my newsletter: https://localnewsindustrypulse.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about y...
Mar 31, 2025•2 min
Today Paul speaks with Mark Riley and Ed Daniels from Mathison.ai about their innovative project, HANA, which focuses on hyper-personalized autonomous news agents. They discuss their backgrounds in AI, the challenges facing local journalism, and how AI can enhance efficiency and personalization in news delivery. The conversation also touches on the future of local journalism, the role of AI in media, and the potential for new business models in the industry. Links: Mark's interview on The Media ...
Mar 24, 2025•40 min•Season 3Ep. 11
Today Paul speaks with with Meghan Murphy and Karolle Rabarison from the Online News Association (ONA) about the evolution of journalism in the digital age, the impact of remote work, and the integration of AI in newsrooms. They discuss their personal journeys to ONA, the organization's mission to support journalists, and the challenges and opportunities presented by AI technology in journalism. Links: Online News Widely Accepted as Credible Highlights from the ONA Digital Credibility Report , p...
Mar 17, 2025•53 min•Season 3Ep. 10
This week Paul is joined by John Garrett, Founder and CEO of Community Impact based in Austin, Texas. John shares his journey from a radio and newspaper background to establishing a successful hyperlocal news organization and scaling it to over forty editions. John discusses the importance of understanding the intricacies of media ownership, the need for high-quality content, the balance between mission and profit, and even gives Paul a tour of Community Impact's multimillion dollar print facili...
Mar 10, 2025•45 min•Season 3Ep. 9
This week Paul is joined by Kenny Katzgrau, Founder and CEO of Broadstreet and Publisher of Red Bank Green. Kenny tells the story of his journey from software development to digital advertising and local publishing. They explore the challenges faced by local publishers and how Broadstreet aims to support them by providing effective advertising solutions. The conversation also touches on the importance of understanding local businesses' needs and fostering community engagement. Links: Broadstreet...
Mar 03, 2025•48 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Today Paul is joined by Ron Fields, Director of Publisher Partnerships at EmpowerLocal, to talk about the concept of news deserts, the challenges faced by local publications, and the innovative solutions being implemented to provide news coverage in underserved areas. Ron also shares insights from his experiences with various publishers and highlights the significance of understanding the unique stories of each publication. Links: EmpowerLocal.com Ron Fields - LinkedIn --- This podcast is sponso...
Feb 24, 2025•36 min•Season 3Ep. 7
This week Paul interviews Ned Berke, Chief Strategy Officer of BlueLena, who shares his unconventional journey from journalism to the business side of media. He discusses the challenges local news faces, the importance of reader revenue, and how BlueLena supports publishers in navigating these challenges through consulting, technology, and community engagement. Links: BlueLena.io Ned Berke - LinkedIn Ned Berke - Bluesky --- This podcast is sponsored by LocalPod.co , helping local news publishers...
Feb 17, 2025•48 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Today Paul is joined by Christian Scherbel, co-founder of Smartico, a display and video ad platform for SMBs who advertise with local publishers. Christian shares his journey from being an aviation engineer to becoming an entrepreneur in the local advertising space. He touches on the challenges faced by local publishers and small businesses in the digital advertising landscape and how Smartico aims to bridge the gap by providing effective advertising solutions. Links: Smartico.one Christian Sche...
Feb 10, 2025•46 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Today Paul speaks with Max Kabat, co-owner of the Big Bend Sentinel in Marfa, Texas. They discuss the innovative changes that Max and his co-owner wife have made to The Sentinel since taking it over from long time publishers who were retiring from the legacy print outlet. They talk about the power of community engagement, the evolution of local journalism, and the need for innovative strategies to sustain and grow local news outlets. Max also shares insights on the significance of print media, t...
Feb 03, 2025•37 min•Season 3Ep. 4
Today Paul speaks with Sean Cullen Carroll, co-founder and CRO of HR Kickstart. They discuss the world of human resources and how it relates to news publishers of all shapes and sizes. Sean explains essential HR support needed for one-person news outlets up to much larger organizations, emphasizing the importance of compliance and strategic planning. The conversation also highlights the significance of understanding the needs of clients and the value of building trust in business relationships. ...
Jan 27, 2025•45 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Today Paul speaks with Tim Regan-Porter, CEO of the Colorado Press Association and host of the Local News Matters podcast. They discuss Tim's diverse career path, the role of the Press Association in supporting local journalism, and the unique ecosystem that has emerged in Colorado. The conversation also touches on the challenges facing local newsrooms, the importance of community engagement, and the potential for government support in funding journalism. Connect with Tim: https://www.linkedin.c...
Jan 20, 2025•32 min•Season 3Ep. 2
On the first episode of season three Paul is joined by Cory Brown, founder of Impact TK and the 99 Newsletter Project. They discuss the evolving landscape of journalism, focusing on the importance of sustainability, audience engagement, and the relationship between editorial and business sides of news organizations. Cory shares his journey from loading newspapers to becoming a consultant for newsrooms, emphasizing the need for durable news products that resonate with local communities. Links: ht...
Jan 13, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Paul shares a quick message about the end of season two of the podcast and when to expect new episodes. --- This podcast is sponsored by LocalPod.co , helping local news publishers produce revenue generating podcasts. Learn more at https://localpod.co --- Subscribe to my newsletter: https://localnewsindustrypulse.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Dec 02, 2024•2 min
Today Paul is joined by Keith Pepper, publisher of Rough Draft Atlanta. Keith shares his journey from a media-obsessed childhood to transforming a legacy newspaper into a modern digital-first media company. He discusses navigating technology changes, building a cohesive brand amongst different community papers, and the importance of neighborhood coverage. Keith also emphasizes the power of newsletters as a new form of local journalism and the strategic shift towards high value, low volume advert...
Nov 25, 2024•46 min•Season 2Ep. 16
This week Paul is joined by Kyle Rickhoff and Bob Rose of AlignSimple, a fractional service and strategy company focused on enhancing the success of local media publishers. They discuss the concept of fractional services and the unique offerings that AlignSimple provides for publishers backed by their years in the industry. They also talk about the evolving landscape of media, focusing on the importance of engagement through podcasting and newsletters, the challenges and strategies surrounding s...
Nov 18, 2024•50 min•Season 2Ep. 15
Today Paul is joined by Graham Colligan, founder of Towns Of: a social media app for local news and events. They talk about the importance of social media and how Towns Of aims to centralize local news and events for communities. Graham shares insights on the business model and competition in the local news aggregator space, emphasizing the need for innovation and community engagement, and a lot more. Links: https://www.townsof.com/ https://www.instagram.com/graham_colligan/ https://www.linkedin...
Nov 11, 2024•34 min•Season 2Ep. 14
Today Paul speaks with Alec Saelens, Impact Manager at Solutions Journalism Network. Alec and Paul discuss Alec's path into journalism, the establishment of the Bristol Cable, and his current role at the Solutions Journalism Network. He emphasizes the importance of cooperative models in local journalism, the potential of solutions journalism to generate revenue, and the need for impact tracking to ensure sustainability in the industry. Alec also shares insights on the future of local news, highl...
Nov 04, 2024•34 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Today Paul is joined by Johnny Levy, CEO of DataJoe and founder of the Media Data Collaborative. They discuss the significance of data in local media, the challenges of monetizing that data, and the importance of networking. Johnny shares his view on the role of connection in the media space, sharing insights on how he leverages his strengths as a connector to foster relationships and collaboration. They also talk about the Media Data Collaborative group and Johnny's People of Media series. Link...
Oct 28, 2024•41 min•Season 2Ep. 12
