Iván Adaime is a senior media executive with more than two decades of experience leading news organizations through growth, disruption, and structural transformation. He is the Founder and Managing Director of Studio 8316, where he partners with media companies, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations on executive initiatives focused on revenue development, digital transformation, and long-term organizational sustainability.
What motivated you to join the LMA/LMF board at this moment?
LMA is an organization I’ve consistently admired for its pragmatic, no-nonsense approach to a genuinely hard problem: helping local media companies find paths forward that are realistic, not just aspirational. The leadership has built real credibility among publishers who’ve actually seen results, and that matters to me.
The timing is also personal. After 13 years running Impremedia, through digital transformation, audience growth, and eventually an acquisition, I’m at a point where I want to apply what I learned somewhere it can have direct impact. Local media is at a critical juncture right now, particularly around sustainable revenue and long-term audience models, and I’d rather put my experience to an organization that’s directly working on solutions, which felt like a natural next step.
What perspective or expertise are you most excited to bring to the board?
I bring a mix of operator and builder experience. I’ve managed full P&Ls, led revenue diversification across advertising, subscriptions, grants and commerce, and worked through both organic growth and M&A. I’m especially excited to contribute a practical, execution-focused perspective—how strategy translates into products, revenue, and teams that actually work in real newsrooms, including those serving multicultural and underserved audiences.
Where do you see the greatest opportunity for local media over the next few years?
The biggest opportunity is rebuilding local media as diversified, community-centered businesses. Local publishers have a real structural advantage: they’re embedded in the communities they serve, known and trusted in ways that national players simply can’t replicate. That trust is the foundation for everything else: direct audience relationships through newsletters, memberships, and events. There’s also a significant opportunity in serving communities that have historically been undercovered — audiences that tend to be deeply loyal once that trust is genuinely earned.
What gives you hope about the future of local news?
The resilience and creativity I see in local publishers. Even under intense pressure, they keep experimenting, collaborating and putting community impact first. I’m also encouraged by a shift in how leaders think about the business: more of them understand that strong journalism and a strong business model aren’t in tension, they’re interdependent. And then there’s the new generation coming into local media, people who grew up digital, care deeply about community impact, and are bringing fresh energy and ideas to an industry that needs both.
When you’re not thinking about media or board work, where can we find you?
You’ll often find me at a live show discovering new music, lost in a book, or mid-way through a long conversation over a meal I’ve cooked for friends. A day isn’t complete without some exercise — I love the energy of walking through Brooklyn and Manhattan. I’m also an avid traveler; I’ve checked quite a few destinations off my list, but my wishlist of new places to explore remains just as long.