My TV news boss once told me, “In journalism, there are no rules — just tools,” a reminder that great journalism is driven less by rigid processes than by thoughtful decisions, strong communication and collaboration.

Tools don’t replace good judgment. They amplify it.

Artificial intelligence is one of those tools. Think about it.

What AI can do:

• Surface reporting opportunities hidden in public records or datasets

• Spot trends and patterns that reporters might otherwise miss

• Improve a story’s SEO and answer engine optimization (AEO)

• Help sales teams better match advertisers with the right audiences

• Identify which newsletter topics resonate most with readers

• Summarize reader feedback to uncover recurring questions or coverage gaps

This takes me back to a “Keep It Local” conversation with Todd Handy from earlier this year. As of July, his LMII report, “Winning with Zero and First-Party Data,” is the most-read story published on LocalMedia.org in 2026.

And the question the founder of Disruptive Impact asks is: Do you really know your audience?

The role of zero- and first-party data

That’s where zero- and first-party data come in. First-party data tells you what audiences do. Zero-party data tells you what they intentionally share with you — their interests, preferences and intent. Together, they create the audience intelligence that gives AI meaningful context.

“AI is going to transform local media, but it can’t manufacture audience understanding,” Handy said. “The most successful publishers will combine AI capabilities with the first-party relationships and audience intelligence they already own.”

One significant benefit of knowing your audience through zero- and first-party data is building better products — both for readers and advertisers.

Segmented newsletter sponsorships, local intent programs and category-specific advertising become more powerful when audiences have explicitly signaled interest.

The result is higher campaign performance, stronger advertiser outcomes and less fragile revenue.

Where AI fits into this

That’s where AI and audience strategy intersect. AI can help you discover insights, but only if it’s working with meaningful information. Zero- and first-party data give publishers the context AI can’t invent — what readers care about, what they’ve told you explicitly and how they engage with your journalism.

“Having access to the same AI tools everyone else has won’t provide the future advantage for local media,” Handy said. “Combining those tools with proprietary audience data that competitors cannot replicate will.”

Put another way: The better you know your audience, the more useful your AI becomes.

Built for implementation

The LMII report is designed as a practical playbook for local publishers operating with small teams and limited resources. It includes:

  • Clear definitions
  • Collection strategies that avoid audience fatigue
  • A phased implementation approach
  • Immediate action steps for the next 30 days

The report is available to LMII subscribers and can be purchased by others through the Local Media Association.

Would you like to sponsor a future episode of Keep It Local? Our membership is comprised of more than 3,000 local media companies of every size and medium. We have a variety of ways to get you in front of key decision-makers within the industry.

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/38HJ0lQvUKLN3x6baW6iO2
Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/winning-with-zero-and-first-party-data-with-todd-handy/id1808196993?i=1000751058181
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjU2YskJ0IM

If you’ve listened to and enjoyed this podcast, please take a moment to leave us a review. That helps platform algorithms surface the content so that it can benefit other newsrooms.

Editor’s notes: Artificial Intelligence was used to check this article for spelling and grammar. Also, now is a great time to become an LMII subscriber because Todd Handy’s next report, called “Monetizing Local Content,” will be released soon!