Category Archives: News

For nearly five decades, Janis Ware has worked out of the same building—the longtime home of The Atlanta Voice. Now, she’s stepping back and passing the paper to the next generation. “To be in a position… to transfer to the third generation is something that has to be celebrated,” she said. In community journalism, thatContinue reading “Passing the Torch: A Legacy Continued at The Atlanta Voice”

In Harvey, Illinois—just outside Chicago—accessing basic public records can require a lawsuit. For Amethyst Davis, founder of the Harvey World Herald, that reality shapes what journalism is possible. In a place she describes as a “legal desert,” few attorneys are available to support accountability reporting, and many represent the very government entities she is tryingContinue reading “Without Legal Infrastructure, Local Accountability Reporting Breaks Down”

What Wisconsin reveals about the future of local journalism—and why rebuilding starts with the audience. Wisconsin offers one of the clearest pictures of where local journalism stands today. From Milwaukee to rural communities, traditional newsrooms no longer meet the demand for hyperlocal information. But outlets like Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service (NNS) show what does work—reportingContinue reading “The Local News Crisis Is an Audience Crisis”

As media habits shift and trust in institutions declines, community publishers face an urgent question: how do they build meaningful relationships with younger audiences? For funders, the more important question is: what kinds of investments actually make that trust possible? Insights from The Pivot Fund’s recent webinar—featuring leaders from Atlanta’s VOX ATL, Minneapolis’ ThreeSixty Journalism,Continue reading “What Youth Trust Requires—and What Funders Should Support”

More than a decade ago, veteran journalist and educator Joe Grimm, who spent 25 years at the Detroit Free Press, studied Michigan’s local news landscape. When he revisited it through The Pivot Fund’s latest analysis, his conclusion was stark: the same problems remain. “The same problems we had 10 years ago are the problems weContinue reading “Michigan Shows the Gap Between Community Trust and Sustainable Funding”

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”

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”

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”

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”

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”