This award recognizes local media executives who have showcased innovation, resilience and significant achievements in sales or advertising – with the numbers to back it up. 

As the long-term Chief Revenue Officer of The Texas Tribune, April has helped drive the organization from a start-up 14 years ago to a standard-bearer for the nonprofit, independent news ecosystem. In that time – and to the best of our estimates – April has raised a total of approximately $20 million in corporate sponsorships and added an additional $20 million for live events to the coffers.

Through her efforts, the Tribune provides robust public service journalism on digital platforms for nearly 40m users annually that is free to read and free to republish for news sites across the state and beyond. Her work allows a newsroom of 60+ reporters, editors and fellows to deliver daily journalism to meet the information needs of our growing state. She has created an unparalleled revenue program by leveraging news events and live journalism to drive sustainability. April connects brands and sponsors to the Tribune’s 50 annual public events held on average each year and its flagship event, the Texas Tribune Festival, which draws thousands of attendees to downtown Austin each fall.

April’s innovative program has elevated sales to real partnerships that deliver value, attract businesses and institutions new to local news and bring clients back year after year. She’s a fierce defender of editorial independence, a one-woman sales team in cowboy boots who never stops advocating for the Tribune’s mission, and a friend to news leaders everywhere. 

Our judges said this about April’s nomination: “$40 million in corporate sponsorships and live events is big business and puts the exclamation point behind April Hinkle’s name. It’s the kind of revenue that April Hinkle is driving that allows a 14-year-old organization to serve more than 40 million users PLUS make its content free and free to republish for news outlets across the state of Texas. Add in the more than 50 free events that April’s revenue genius allows the Texas Tribune to host and it’s clear that while April is a revenue machine, she also holds independent journalism close to her heart in all that she does.”

“I am honored to be named Innovator of the Year by the Local Media Association. I am grateful to our sponsors and partners for their support, which enables us to provide Texans with the free news they need on the topics that matter most. Together, we’re making Texas a better, healthier place to live and work,” said Hinkle.

The award is sponsored by