
Driving sustainability for Black-owned local media through technology
BloomLab on social media

Technology is a roadblock for many local media companies as they work to transform to a digital future. The Knight x LMA BloomLab will tackle that obstacle head-on during a three-year immersive experience with 26 Black-owned local media outlets, with initial funding of $3.2 million from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The publications will receive technology grants of $50,000, with additional funding expected to increase those amounts.
The Knight x LMA BloomLab is an extension of LMA’s Digital Transformation Lab for Black publishers that launched in early 2019. That lab helped drive digital revenue and audience growth, along with new product launches such as newsletters, for five Black publishers.
The new Lab will include three full-time dedicated staff members who will work with the publishers on an everyday basis. The entire Local Media Association/Local Media Foundation team will also be involved in the BloomLab as subject-matter experts in areas such as reader revenue, branded content, philanthropic funding and more.
The Lab will start with the 10 publishers that make up Word In Black, including The Atlanta Voice, New York Amsterdam News, Houston Defender, Washington Informer, St. Louis American, AFRO News, Seattle Medium, Sacramento Observer, Michigan Chronicle and Dallas Weekly.
A third cohort will be announced in spring of 2023. All Black-owned local media outlets are encouraged to apply. To stay up-to-date on the Lab and application process, please sign up here:
Additional funding is expected, allowing us to increase the technology stipends from $50,000 per publisher to $80,000, and add more cohorts of Black-owned local media organizations. Interested funders should contact Nancy Lane, LMA/LMF CEO, at nancy.lane@localmedia.org.
Lab focus areas:
- Technology upgrades: Identify and implement technologies to accelerate publishers’ local business transformations. The Lab team will work with the individual publishers to vet local needs and technology projects; negotiate with providers; approve and distribute stipends; and assist with implementation, onboarding and optimization.
- Business transformation consulting: The Lab team will provide one-on-one and group consulting and training, including digital revenue and product strategies for newsletters, memberships, branded content, events, philanthropic funding, advertising and marketing services. The Lab team will serve as an extension of each publisher’s staff and will provide onsite training and implementation of new technology.
- Shared learning opportunities: The Lab will provide outside expertise on relevant subjects as well in-person experiences.

“The LMA Digital Transformation Lab [2018-2020] introduced me to a whole new world of digital strategies, tactics, resources, and tools. The hands-on customized training recognized my limitations yet challenged me to experiment and embrace new technology taking calculated risks. The result was the construction of a new Defender on multiple platforms providing better service to our readers, advertisers, and community. With the Knight x LMA BloomLab, we can invest in the infrastructure necessary to help train our staff, purchase new equipment, and fine-tune our strategies ensuring our sustainability.”
Sonny Messiah Jiles, CEO and Publisher, Defender Media Group, Houston
The Knight x LMA BloomLab team
Dedicated lab directors

Robert Walker-Smith
Digital Revenue Director
Robert Walker-Smith is an accomplished sales executive with a strong background in audio, digital and print solutions. He previously served as general sales manager for Beasley Media Group, where he managed sales teams to drive revenue growth across audio, digital, events and social in Central and Coastal Carolina; and digital sales manager for Urban One, where he was managed sales teams in Charlotte and Raleigh to drive double-digit digital revenue growth and new business acquisition. He also served with Thryv, Vivial and Haines Local Search.

Apryl Pilolli
Technology Director
Apryl Pilolli is a neurodivergent technology, content and marketing expert who started at age 16 in the local media industry. Her career has included serving as the director of innovation at Social News Desk; numerous product roles in sales, content and marketing at Cox Media Group; and serving as an industry consultant, technology investor and on-air entertainment journalist. She has won numerous awards from The Associated Press and American Advertising Federation.

John Celestand
Program Director
John Celestand, former NBA champion, brings a wide range of experience including journalism, public broadcasting, program management, community engagement, business development and much more. He previously was the director of engagement at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in Washington, D.C., where he oversaw community engagement initiatives. He led a cohort of 11 public media stations that participated in the American Graduate Initiative, whose long-term commitment is to help young people succeed in school, career, and life. He also managed 15 stations participating in CPB’s Coming Home Collaboration, which provided grant funding, resources, and training to rural public media television and radio stations.
Supporting LMA leaders

Andrew Ramsammy
(Co-Lead) Chief Content & Collaboration Officer

Jay Small
(Co-Lead) Chief Operating Officer

Nancy Lane
Chief Executive Officer

Guy Tasaka
Managing Director, LMA Technology Resource Center

Peter Lamb
Strategy and Revenue Consultant

Julia Campbell
Chief Business Transformation Officer
Latest news from Knight x LMA BloomLab

Applications for third BloomLab cohort now open
Local Media Foundation is now accepting applications from Black-owned and -operated local media outlets to participate in the Knight x LMA BloomLab. LMF will select eight additional local media outlets to join 18 publishers currently participating in the Knight x LMA BloomLab, a three-year, $3.2 million immersive experience for Black-owned local media outlets, funded by […]

System makes executing branded content a breeze for Knight x LMA BloomLab publishers
Branded content is a significant revenue opportunity for smaller publishers. Borrell Associates and The Meta Branded Content Project, in 2022 research, found the amount spent on content marketing has risen to $80 billion. This increase is one of the reasons the Knight x LMA BloomLab focuses on this line of revenue. Executing an engaging and […]

The future of Black locally owned and operated media: Spotlight on Knight x LMA BloomLab Cohort 2 participants
Leaders from the second cohort of the Knight x LMA BloomLab are continuing the legacy of the Black press through their storytelling, community-building and digital evolution. With support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the media companies are immersed in coaching focused on technology upgrades, business transformation consulting and shared learning opportunities. […]

3 reasons the local Black press has a strong future
Although we mostly concentrate on prominent people, businesses, and events from the past during Black History Month, it is imperative that we also focus on the future of the Black press.

Knight x LMA BloomLab Cohort 2 launches with Atlanta in-person meeting
The Knight x LMA BloomLab team conducted a successful launch meeting Nov. 2-3 for the eight new publishers selected as participants in Cohort 2. The BloomLab team, along with publishers and other representatives from each publication, met in Atlanta to become acquainted, share logistical information, and review overall lab goals and deliverables. Kinsey Wilson, founder and […]
You must be logged in to post a comment.