Support expands for local journalism in five major cities through funding for 48 outlets
PHILADELPHIA (August 20, 2025) – Today, the Local Media Association (LMA) and Comcast NBCUniversal announced the launch of the 2025–2026 Economic Opportunity Lab, a groundbreaking initiative supporting local journalism covering stories of economic mobility and opportunity in cities across the United States.
The Lab will support a cohort of 48 local newsrooms and 10 NBC and Telemundo owned television stations in producing original, in-depth multimedia stories that examine how geography, policy, and socioeconomic factors shape individuals’ access to opportunity. Reporting will be grounded in new and emerging data from Opportunity Insights, a Harvard-based research organization focused on economic inequality and mobility. Journalists will use tools like the Opportunity Atlas to analyze and illustrate how neighborhood conditions, public school systems, housing access, and city policies influence economic outcomes.
“Opportunity Insights is thrilled to participate in the Economic Opportunity Lab alongside the Local Media Association and Comcast,” said David Forte, Director of Research Translation and Strategic Initiatives at Opportunity Insights. “We see this as a powerful chance to support local journalists—those who live in and deeply understand their communities—as they explore the research behind economic mobility. From the influence of neighborhoods and social networks to the role of local colleges, these factors shape the trajectories of upward mobility. We’re eager to see how journalists bring these themes to life through rich, community-rooted storytelling that informs and motivates communities to pursue strategies for improving economic mobility.”
Participating newsrooms in Chicago, DC/Baltimore, Miami and the Bay Area will each receive funding to support their reporting and will collaborate with an existing project that includes 30 local newsrooms in Philadelphia, known as the Philadelphia Journalism Collaborative, which focuses on local issues affecting residents’ daily lives. The goal of the Lab is to report stories that highlight barriers to and solutions for economic mobility, drive public awareness and engagement, and elevate the voices of those working to close opportunity gaps in measurable ways. Selected media outlets will also partner with local NBC and Telemundo owned television stations to expand the reach of their reporting across audiences.
“At Comcast NBCUniversal, we believe that access to economic opportunity begins with understanding the challenges communities face,” said Dalila Wilson-Scott, EVP and Chief Impact & Inclusion Officer, Comcast Corporation & President, Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation. “By supporting the Economic Opportunity Lab, we’re investing in local journalism that brings data to life through powerful storytelling. These stories will not only inform but inspire action, shining a light on the people and policies driving change in neighborhoods across the country.”
The Lab is part of Project UP, Comcast’s $1 billion initiative to connect people to the internet, create digital opportunity and advance economic mobility through programs and community partnerships that open doors for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, storytellers, and creators across Comcast, NBCUniversal, and Sky.
The Local Media Association will manage the Lab and fellowship, providing editorial support and facilitating content creation between the publishers and the 10 local NBC and Telemundo owned television stations. LMA will also develop an industry playbook to help newsrooms localize Opportunity Insights’ research and apply a data-driven storytelling approach to issues of economic opportunity.
“At LMA, we’re excited to launch the Economic Opportunity Lab in partnership with Comcast NBCUniversal,” said Julia Campbell, Chief Business Transformation Officer, Local Media Association. “This project brings together local journalism and data to tell powerful stories about how opportunity is shaped in communities across the country. By focusing on place-based reporting, these newsrooms will help surface local challenges and highlight the people and policies working to improve economic opportunity.”
The participating publications and stations are:
· AFRO News (Baltimore): A historic Black newspaper founded in 1892.
· Bay Area Reporter (San Francisco): Launched in 1971, one of the oldest LGBTQ+ publications in the U.S.
· Chicago Defender (Chicago) A multi-media outlet serving the urban African American community.
· Chicago Public Media (Chicago) A nonprofit dedicated to independent local journalism.
· Hylo News (South Florida) Hyper-local news covering for Black and Brown Millennials in South Florida.
· LaRaza (Chicago) Chicago’s most widely read Spanish-language newspaper.
· Miami Herald (Miami) A major daily newspaper serving South Florida’s diverse region and communities.
· Oaklandside (Oakland) An independent, nonprofit newsroom serving Oakland, California.
· OutSFL (South Florida) Covers the LGBTQ+ community in South Florida and beyond.
· Philadelphia Journalism Collaborative (Philadelphia) A partnership of 30 local newsrooms covering Philadelphia.
· Pulso (Miami) A non-profit media start-up sharing Latino news, history, and culture.
· SF Examiner (San Francisco) The Bay Area’s source for news and investigative journalism.
· Shaw Media (Chicago): The third oldest, owned and operated family newspaper company in the U.S.
· The Sacramento Observer (Sacramento): Established in 1962, one of the most decorated publications in the Black Press.
· Washington Blade (Washington, D.C.): The oldest LGBTQ+ newspaper in the U.S.
· Washington City Paper (Washington, D.C.): A local alternative weekly serving the D.C. metro area.
· The Washington Informer (Washington, D.C.): A weekly, women-owned paper covering the African American community in D.C. since 1964.
· Windy City Times (Chicago): A legacy LGBTQ+ publication covering Chicago and its suburbs.
· Telemundo 44 Washington D.C.
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Media Contacts:
Comcast NBCUniversal
K. Kim Atterbury k.kim_atterbury@comcast.com
Local Media Association:
Julia Campbell Julia.campbell@localmedia.org
About Comcast Corporation Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company. From the connectivity and platforms we provide, to the content and experiences we create, our businesses reach hundreds of millions of customers, viewers, and guests worldwide. We deliver world-class broadband, wireless, and video through Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky; produce, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through brands including NBC, Telemundo, Universal, Peacock, and Sky; and bring incredible theme parks and attractions to life through Universal Destinations & Experiences.
About Local Media Association / Local Media Foundation Local Media Association brings all media together to share, network, collaborate and more. More than 3,000 newspapers, TV stations, radio stations, digital pure-plays, and research and development partners engage with LMA as members or constituents of our programs. As a 501(c)(6) trade association, LMA is focused on the business side of local media. Its programs and labs focus on revenue growth and new business models. LMA helps local media companies develop their strategies via cutting-edge programs, conferences, webinars, research and training.
Local Media Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable trust, serves as the innovation and transformation affiliate of LMA. Incorporating our four strategic pillars — business transformation, journalism funded by philanthropy, industry collaboration, and sustainability for publishers of color — LMF helps provide local media companies the strategies and resources for meaningful innovation and impactful journalism projects.