At Local Media Association, we believe collaboration is key to the future of local journalism which is why industry collaboration is one of our four strategic pillars. Our initiatives unite media organizations, technology partners, and industry leaders to address critical challenges, drive innovation, and create sustainable business models. Regional collaboratives like Oklahoma Media Center and Solving Sacramento strengthen local reporting by pooling resources and expertise, while topic-based collaboratives like Word In Black and News is Out amplify diverse voices and coverage that matter most to their communities.
By fostering shared learning, joint revenue strategies, and philanthropic partnerships, LMA accelerates industry-wide transformation. Whether through newsroom innovation, audience development, or business model experimentation, our work ensures local media organizations are equipped to thrive in an evolving digital landscape. Through strategic partnerships and pilot programs, we help scale successful initiatives, empowering local media to better serve and inform their communities.
Here are recent articles about our collaboratives and work in the industry to support news media collaboration.
Q&A with Dr. Christa Mahlobo, research and insights director for Word In Black
Dr. Christa Mahlobo is a research scientist with over 8 years of experience exploring the psychological needs and behaviors of Black Americans using qualitative and quantitative research methods. Her applied research experience has spanned across multiple fields, including travel and tourism, the arts and culture, and mindfulness and wellbeing. She completed her PhD at The Pennsylvania State University…
Oklahoma Media Center innovates higher ed partnerships to transform local news across state
Oklahoma Media Center, a nonprofit created to support homegrown local news, is expanding its academic collaboration to cultivate a new generation of journalists. As part of its strategic plan, OMC began the Higher Ed Roundtable to bridge the gap between journalism education and the real-world information needs of local communities. The mission is to ensure…
Mapping queer media: How ‘News Is Out’ is building a living record of LGBTQ+ journalism
Editor’s Note: Wednesday, October 8, is LGBTQ+ Media Giving Day. The publications within the News Is Out collaborative would appreciate your support. Click here to give. The LGBTQ+ Media Mapping Project is giving queer journalism something it’s never had before — a living, breathing record of who’s telling the stories and where they’re being told.…
Inside the collaboratives: September 2025
Each month, Local Media Association will feature some of the work of its collaboratives: Word In Black, News Is Out, Latido Beat, Branded Content Project, Oklahoma Media Center, and Solving Sacramento. Word In Black ‘Black America’s Digital Daily’ We’re Black America’s Digital Daily — a national newsroom and research lab rooted in the Black Press…
LatidoBeat launches as national platform to strengthen Latino journalism ecosystem
(September 9, 2025) — Local Media Association (LMA) today announces the launch of LatidoBeat, an exciting national startup built in collaboration with seven of the leading Spanish-language publishers, leveraging their credibility, reach, and deep community roots to create a united platform for Latino voices, following the proven Word In Black playbook. Supported by a $300,000…
The ‘SaaS-ification’ of media
How adopting SaaS industry GTM principlescan transform local media revenue The new-and-improved Local Media Innovation Alliance (LMIA) is now called Local Media Innovation Insights (LMII). It has a new look, but with the same great content. These reports focus on promising trends/opportunities from local media companies of all kinds, including newspapers, digital news sites, TV/radio and…
Word In Black expands leadership and operations with four strategic hires
Word In Black, a public benefit corporation, is proud to announce the expansion of its leadership and operations team with the addition of three new employees and the appointment of a new interim general manager. These hires coincide with previously announced funding from Knight Foundation and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, provided to…
AI insights report: Create editorial efficiency with the use of AI
Discover best tools, practices and policies we’ve seen work with actual media organizations The new-and-improved Local Media Innovation Alliance (LMIA) is now called Local Media Innovation Insights (LMII). It has a new look, but with the same great content. These reports focus on promising trends/opportunities from local media companies of all kinds, including newspapers, digital news…
AI insights report: Trends, challenges and opportunities
From newsroom to revenue: How local media is adopting AI The new-and-improved Local Media Innovation Alliance (LMIA) is now called Local Media Innovation Insights (LMII). It has a new look, but with the same great content. These reports focus on promising trends/opportunities from local media companies of all kinds, including newspapers, digital news sites, TV/radio and…
LMA/LMF 2024 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, So much accomplished, so much more to do! That sentiment applies to all of us working to sustain and grow local journalism, whether we’re practitioners within media companies or support…
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