Sustainability for publishers of color is one of our four strategic pillars. We execute on this pillar through our Digital Transformation Lab, the Fund for Black Journalism, and the Word In Black collaborative, among other key initiatives.
Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion: Local Media Association, Local Media Foundation, their boards of directors, leadership, staff, and partners are committed to creating, supporting, and sustaining an inclusive community. We strive to ensure that all of our programs, services, and content reflect a world that invites the broadest possible participation. We recognize, however, that while pursuing that ideal is desirable, our industry continues to struggle with representation, and sometimes our own work doesn’t achieve that North Star. LMA and LMF are strategically investing in local media’s future by specifically supporting diversity, equity and inclusive initiatives.
Here are recent articles highlighting our initiatives toward sustainability for publishers of color, and toward diversity, equity and inclusion.
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…
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/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…
Baltimore Times celebrates Black excellence with ‘Best of Black Baltimore’ campaign
The Baltimore Times, a long-standing advocate for the city’s Black community, recently launched a successful new initiative that drove substantial revenue and audience engagement for the media company. This reader-driven campaign, The Best of Black Baltimore, aimed to spotlight and celebrate the thriving Black-owned businesses contributing to the city’s cultural and economic landscape. The campaign…
Word In Black, groundbreaking collaborative with 10 legendary Black publishers, incorporates as public benefit company
Move comes three years after site launched; is expected to accelerate growth Contact: Julia Campbell, Local Media Foundation, julia.campbell@localmedia.org (January 9, 2024) — The long-anticipated day has finally arrived for 10 of the nation’s most trusted and innovative Black publishers, who have worked hard over the past three years to grow Word In Black into…
How Smart Marketing Seminars helped drive brand repositioning, revenue opportunities for BloomLab publishers
The Smart Marketing Seminar is a transformative initiative aimed at bolstering brand awareness, solution offerings and advertising effectiveness of Black media organizations in the Knight x LMA BloomLab. This case study delves into the experiences of four prominent Black media organizations — The Dallas Weekly, The Houston Defender, The Sacramento Observer, and The Seattle Medium…
Adriana Lacy to help 26 Black news organizations in Knight x LMA BloomLab with audience strategy
New efforts will enable audience growth and deeper engagement (September 8, 2023) — Adriana Lacy, an award-winning journalist and consultant, has signed on to work with the 26 Black-owned local news organizations in the Knight x LMA BloomLab, focusing on strategies for digital audience development and engagement. Lacy’s consulting will include reviews of each publication’s…
Eight Black-owned local news outlets selected for Cohort 3 of Knight x LMA BloomLab
(July 6, 2023) — Since the Knight x LMA BloomLab launched in Spring 2022, the focus has been on leveraging technology to grow revenue and audience, leading to long-term sustainability. In its recent impact report, the lab reported growth of 133% in digital revenue after one year for Cohort 1, along with overall revenue growth…
Revenue growth, technology upgrades: A year in Knight x LMA BloomLab
In the year-plus since the Knight x LMA BloomLab launched, 18 Black-owned media organizations participating in the lab (10 in Cohort 1, eight in the more recent Cohort 2) benefited from substantial progress toward long-term sustainability. The lab, focused on sustainability for Black-owned local news media and supported with a $3.2 million grant from the…
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…
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