Business transformation is one of our four strategic pillars. To LMA and LMF, business transformation in the local media industry can mean many things: innovations in advertising and marketing services; new approaches to sales and revenue management; new product development; consumer revenue and membership models, and more.

Current initiatives such as The Branded Content Project and past programs such as the GNI Subscriptions Lab reflect our commitment to researching, supporting, and leading business transformation efforts for the future of local media. We also believe work toward our other strategic pillars — industry collaboration, journalism funded by philanthropy, and sustainability for publishers of color — represents profound business transformation opportunities.

Here are recent articles on our work to support business transformation in local media.

Listening to your audiences via surveys

Local news organizations are known for being vital and trusted information sources that thrive on their connection to the community. Although many organizations are privy to the pulse and wants of their audiences, even the most connected and engaging organizations need to assess their audience continually. The ever-changing landscape of media has shown us that…

What could we do if …? Turning disaster planning into an opportunity quest

Disaster planners in any organization must think and work in worst-case scenarios. They typically devise plans based on asking questions that start with “what would we do if …” and however they finish the question, the answer will be bad news. Here are some examples appropriate to the local media industry: I’m certain many of…

News is Out, Word In Black, and Comcast NBCUniversal Welcomes 16 Journalism Fellows to Cover Black and LGBTQ+ Communities

Philadelphia (April 15, 2024) —  Today, News is Out and Word In Black, together announced the 16 fellows selected for The Digital Equity Local Voices Lab, a new initiative powered by Comcast NBCUniversal to place journalists at 16 Black and LGBTQ+ serving news publications across the country. During the year-long fellowship, the group will receive the training and resources needed to tell stories within marginalized communities through media and…

Thinking strategically about AI in local news

Five questions with AP’s Aimee Rinehart Aimee Rinehart is senior product manager for AI Strategy at the Associated Press. She spoke recently at the LMA Local News Summit about what news leaders need to do to take a strategic approach to artificial intelligence. In this Q & A, Rinehart addresses the biggest opportunities, and the…

Don’t lose your data! How to save Google Analytics UA insights before they’re gone

If you weren’t aware, another crucial deadline is approaching for Google Universal Analytics. You are probably saying, “Wait, that was last year, right?” Well, yes, you needed to migrate away from UA last year, but this year your UA data is scheduled for deletion on July 1. That means you have until the end of…

Creating a culture of AI innovation in a news organization

Lede AI was founded in 2018 inside a small local newsroom as an experiment. Reporters, editors and product designers worked together with developers to build a tool that didn’t yet exist. The goal was to cover more stories, faster, and more accurately than possible before AI. Jay Allred, co-founder of Lede AI, spoke recently at…

Revenue diversification: A recipe for success for BloomLab participants

Black newspapers, like many traditional print media outlets, face a rapidly changing landscape in the digital age. Challenges such as shifting readership habits, evolving advertising trends, and the rise of online platforms have compelled these newspapers to reconsider their business models. In this context, revenue diversification emerges as a crucial strategy for ensuring the success…

LMA Member success stories: Village Media

The membership of Local Media Association includes some amazing companies. Here is the second installment of our new series highlighting their success stories, featuring Village Media in Canada. Village Media recently celebrated its 10th anniversary and in the last decade has grown its network of local news sites exponentially, from just two sites in 2013…

LMA/LMF 2023 Impact Report

We’re proud to share inspiring stories of news media organizations that have benefited from our programs Dear friends and colleagues in the local media industry, When we launched the Lab for Journalism Funding three years ago, we knew it would be essential for the industry. Watching one of our lab alumni hire 20 new reporters…

LMA member success stories: How Shaw Media continues to grow digital subscriptions

The membership of Local Media Association includes some amazing companies. Here is the first installment of our new series highlighting their success stories, featuring Shaw Media, Shaw Local News Network, and Shaw Local Radio. Shaw Media is an agile, industry-leading media company. An exciting mix of strengths, we are employee-oriented and – above all else…

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