As federal support for social safety nets declines and philanthropic resources grow more constrained, community newsrooms are adapting. Many are building sustainability through partnerships closer to home—particularly with faith communities that have long served as anchors of local civic life. For funders, this shift raises a critical question: are current investment strategies aligned with howContinue reading “The Pews and the Press: What Faith Communities Reveal About the Future of Local News”
Author Archives: Haeven Gibbons
Local News Day Is a Visibility Opportunity Hyperlocal Newsrooms Can’t Miss
Tracie Powell of The Pivot Fund speaks with John Adams, founder of Local News Day and Montana Free Press, about a new national effort to reconnect communities with trusted local news. They discuss the growing gap between trust and visibility in local journalism, why hyperlocal outlets — especially those serving underrepresented communities — are oftenContinue reading “Local News Day Is a Visibility Opportunity Hyperlocal Newsrooms Can’t Miss”
Illinois shows the real gap: Reach, not just reporting
Across Illinois, one pattern was clear: journalism exists—but many people don’t see it, use it or trust it. Instead, they build their own information networks through social media, group chats, community leaders and everyday interactions. Illinois residents are eager for inclusive, trusted, community-centered journalism. As Danielle Williams, a 48-year-old Black woman from Chicago’s West TownContinue reading “Illinois shows the real gap: Reach, not just reporting”
Local News Day is a chance for hyperlocal newsrooms to be seen, supported
Hyperlocal newsrooms aren’t missing, they’re overlooked. Local News Day can help change that People aren’t turning away from news, they’re turning toward sources they trust. At The Pivot Fund, our research—including our recent landscape analysis in the Great Lakes region—shows that these trusted sources are often hyperlocal outlets rooted in the communities they serve. FromContinue reading “Local News Day is a chance for hyperlocal newsrooms to be seen, supported”
What community publishers can learn from Michigan’s news ecosystem
More than a decade ago, veteran journalist and educator Joe Grimm studied Michigan’s local news landscape for a media ecosystem report. When he recently read The Pivot Fund’s new Michigan analysis, he saw something unsettling: many of the same challenges remain. “That’s why I’m scared,” Grimm said. “The same problems we had 10 years agoContinue reading “What community publishers can learn from Michigan’s news ecosystem”
A New Report Says Local Journalism Needs “Infrastructure”
Here’s What Hyperlocal Publishers Should Know. A new report circulating in journalism and philanthropy circles argues that the future of local news may depend less on funding individual newsrooms and more on investing in shared systems that support the entire field. The report—Rebuilding Local Journalism at Scale, written by Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro and based onContinue reading “A New Report Says Local Journalism Needs “Infrastructure””
Community Media Is Turning to Faith Communities for Support
As federal support for the social safety nets shrinks and funders are stretched thin, many community newsrooms are looking for sustainable partners closer to home. One place they are increasingly finding support: faith communities. Across the country, community-rooted outlets are building relationships with churches and other faith institutions — not only for financial support, butContinue reading “Community Media Is Turning to Faith Communities for Support”
A Scalable Model for Rebuilding Rural Civic Information Systems: Black by God’s Folk Reporters Program
Across West Virginia, public decisions are increasingly made without journalists — or residents — in the room. Legislative committees meet. Boards vote. Agencies set policies that shape daily life. Yet in many rural communities, no one is consistently present to witness and document what happens. When meetings go uncovered, decisions affecting education, healthcare, labor protectionsContinue reading “A Scalable Model for Rebuilding Rural Civic Information Systems: Black by God’s Folk Reporters Program”
The Crisis in Local News Isn’t Access, It’s Relevance
A Great Lakes study of nearly 5,000 residents reveals that journalism’s true north is the public. Over the past 15 years, philanthropy has poured billions of dollars into efforts to save journalism. Foundations have funded investigative teams, revived struggling newspapers, launched nonprofit outlets, and supported new reporting initiatives across the country. Yet the crisis inContinue reading “The Crisis in Local News Isn’t Access, It’s Relevance”
Webinar Takeaways: How Community Media Earns Youth Trust
As media habits shift and trust in institutions declines, community publishers face an urgent question: How do we build meaningful relationships with younger audiences? During The Pivot Fund’s recent webinar, How Community Media Earns Youth Trust, youth journalists and leaders from organizations including VOX ATL, a teen-driven publishing platform in Atlanta; ThreeSixty Journalism, a Minnesota-basedContinue reading “Webinar Takeaways: How Community Media Earns Youth Trust”