Local News Matters
Highlighting the innovative work of local newsrooms and the crucial questions they face.
Innovation. Business models. Community listening. Authenticity. Diversity and inclusion. Digital evolution. Tech stacks. Ad products. Audience growth. Healthy newsroom cultures. Journalism with impact.
Listen to leading doers and thinkers in local news—from small rural and ethnic publications to large ecosystem builders and funders—address these topics and more on the Local News Matters podcast.
Hosted by Tim Regan-Porter, CEO of the Colorado Press Association, Local News Matters features extended conversations covering a wide range of topics. Tim talks to reporters, editors, publishers, startup founders, sales leaders, philanthropists and more – anyone doing new or exemplary work or proffering thought-provoking insights is fair game.
Whether you’re a newsroom leader, a sales executive or just a citizen who cares deeply about informed communities, you’ll find something here worth your time.
If you know of local newsrooms are doing innovative work or interesting thinkers & doers in local news, please let us know via the feedback link in the menu.
Newest episode
Digital Advertising Trends & Strategies with Charity Huff, CEO of January Spring: LNM Episode 10
Even as newsrooms shift their focus to reader revenue, evolving their digital ad strategies can provide a crucial boost to their sustainability and provide a valuable service to their local communities. Charity Huff, CEO of January Spring and managing partner at...
Past episodes
The Green Bay Packers’ Community Ownership Model for Local News: Joaquin Alvarado and Dave Perry at the Aurora Sentinel
Last year, the Aurora Sentinel in Colorado transitioned to a non-profit and immediately began exploring options for community investment. Working closely with Joaquin Alvarado, they are preparing to roll-out a community ownership initiative modeled after Green Bay...
Public policy as a tool to support local news: Steve Waldman of Rebuild Local News
Steve Waldman recently stepped away from Report for America to found Rebuild Local News, a nonprofit focused on using public policy to support journalism. In this episode, we talk through the history of public policy as it relates to news, the perils of government...
Flourishing when everything’s against you: Serving border communities with Maritza Félix of Conecta Arizona
When the pandemic hit North America in 2020, Emmy-winning journalist Maritza Félix started a WhatsApp group to answer questions for friends and family on both sides of the border between Arizona and Mexico. What she assumed would be a short-lived project for people...
A holistic vision for local news ecosystems with Michael Bolden, CEO of the American Press Institute
Michael Bolden’s role as CEO of the American Press Institute and his background in newsrooms, philanthropy, academia and community engagement gives him in a unique 360-degree view of journalism and how journalists interact with communities. In this conversation, we...
Special “emergency” episode: Should news media be defined in statute?
This week, a draft of a Colorado open records bill circulated on Twitter. The bill, among other things, would give a special cost break to news media—as defined in the bill—on records requests. Should journalists get special treatment and should government define...
Centering relationship and community with Spaceship Media and The Wedge podcast: LNM Episode 4
When Spaceship Media's Erica Anderson found herself arguing with her mom over vaccines, she wanted to apply Spaceship's dialogue journalism techniques. What resulted was even more personal than anticipated. In this episode, Eve Pearlman and Erica Anderson discuss...