As AI-powered search changes how people discover information, local news publishers face a growing challenge: Their journalism may reach audiences without generating the website visits that traditionally support their businesses.
In a new episode of Local Media Association’s Keep It Local podcast, host Ryan Welton speaks with John Fong, Managing Director for Asia Pacific and Digital Services at WoodWing, about the Zero-Click Content Shift report, developed in partnership with Media Voices.
Fong says publishers must rethink their dependence on search engines and focus on building direct relationships with readers.
The conversation explores strategies for strengthening audience engagement, investing in original reporting and preparing newsroom content for AI-powered discovery.
Fong also emphasizes the importance of properly structured metadata, content ownership and archival systems as publishers explore new opportunities to distribute and potentially monetize their journalism.
And while much of the discussion centers on digital transformation, Fong shares examples of publishers finding renewed opportunities in print.
His immediate recommendation for local publishers? Audit existing content to determine whether it is structured for discovery through AI-powered answer engines, then establish processes to maintain that readiness over time.
Watch or listen to the full conversation to learn how local newsrooms can prepare for a changing search landscape.
Keep It Local is a podcast from Local Media Association featuring conversations with the people building the future of sustainable local journalism.
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🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6hPrrkyRdglZ3AuCziPWpe
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🎧 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzXc9BHcKCQ
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Editor’s note: Artificial Intelligence was used to transcribe the podcast and create a summary, which was then edited for accuracy and clarity. The thumbnail accompanying this story and the YouTube video embedded in it was created in ChatGPT with instructions to not alter the people in the photo, only to blur the background and add graphics.