Host Ryan Welton highlights the biggest takeaways on revenue, AI, audience trust, and innovation — all focused on one mission: helping local media organizations build sustainable business models.

🔑 What you’ll learn

Branded content that actually works

1. Why internal alignment is critical to success
2. How storytelling drives advertiser value

AI in the newsroom

1. Practical use cases beyond writing
2. How AI can improve accessibility and efficiency
3. Why trust and transparency matter more than ever

New revenue opportunities

1. Donation strategies that convert audiences into supporters
2. “Best of” campaigns as long-term revenue engines
3. Monetizing short-form video and branded content

Audience trust & data strategy

1. What consumers actually think about AI in news
2. How zero- and first-party data strengthen relationships

Growth strategies for modern newsrooms

1. Short-form video adoption
2. Community-first engagement models
3. Building direct audience relationships

🎯 Why it matters

Local journalism is evolving fast. The organizations that survive — and thrive — will be the ones that adapt, experiment, and connect deeply with their communities.

This episode is a roadmap for doing exactly that.

Editor's note: These podcast notes were written by AI from an episode transcript plus inputs from its host.

In this episode of Keep It Local, Ryan Welton speaks with David Arkin of David Arkin Consulting about the findings from his recent LMII report on the opportunity for media companies using Reels and vertical video.

They discuss how platforms like Instagram Reels, Facebook Reels, YouTube Shorts, and TikTok are changing how audiences consume news — and why local publishers should embrace vertical video as a key part of their digital strategy.

Arkin explains how these formats can help media companies build stronger brand recognition, deepen audience loyalty, generate story tips, and unlock new advertising opportunities.

The conversation also dives into practical strategies for newsrooms trying to build sustainable vertical video workflows and the importance of experimentation and consistency.

Topics Covered

• Why vertical video is reshaping how audiences consume news

• Differences between Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube video ecosystems

• How vertical video strengthens brand recognition for local media

• Why these platforms are more about loyalty than traffic

• New monetization opportunities through branded video content

• The role of vertical video in AEO and search visibility

• Practical newsroom strategies for producing effective Reels

• Why consistency and experimentation are essential

Resources

David Arkin Consulting

https://www.davidarkinconsulting.com

Local Media Association

https://localmedia.org

Julie Foley of Second Street joins Ryan Welton to explain how TV and radio stations are:

1. Generating six-figure annual revenue
2. Growing newsletter lists by thousands
3. Capturing first- and zero-party data
4. Building stronger advertiser relationships
5. Using self-serve e-commerce tools to unlock new revenue
6. Adding text-to-vote for incremental upsell

We discuss real-world examples, including stations in Myrtle Beach, Biloxi, and Kentucky that are seeing measurable results.

Julie also breaks down:

• How to structure a nomination, voting and winners phase

• What categories work best for broadcast

• Why mindset — not market size — is often the biggest barrier

• How to shift sales conversations from impressions to ROI

If you lead revenue, audience development or digital strategy at a local station, this episode offers a practical roadmap.

🔗 Learn more: lab.secondstreet.com

📧 Contact Julie Foley: jfoley@uplandsoftware.com

So what’s the plan?

On this episode of Keep It Local, Ryan Welton is joined by Todd Handy, CEO of Disruptive Impact, to discuss his latest LMII report: Winning with Zero and First-Party Data.

Todd explains:

1. What zero-party is (and how it differs from first-party data)
2. Why anonymous impressions are losing value
3. How consent-based audience signals improve advertiser performance
4. The connection between data strategy and audience trust
5. Practical steps local publishers can implement immediately

If you don’t have a clear audience data strategy heading into 2026, you’re behind the eight ball.

📘 The LMII report is available through the Local Media Association. LMII subscribers receive access. Others can purchase at localmedia.org.

Would you like to sponsor the Keep It Local podcast? We have several packages available.

Key Topics

• Why AI mirrors the early internet
• Multimodal AI and information digestion
• Prompting strategies that actually work
• Ethics, accountability and newsroom policy
• Likeness and trust
• Predictions for AI’s next phase

Guest

Ethan Holland

Vice President, Draper Digital Media

Board Member, Local Media Association

🔗 ethanbholland.com

In this episode of Keep It Local, host Ryan Welton is joined by John M. Humenik, Chief Strategy and Operations Officer for Local Media Association, and Lynn Walsh, Assistant Director of Trusting News, to unpack findings from a new national survey on AI and journalism.

The survey — conducted with more than 1,400 local news consumers — offers rare, audience-driven insight into trust, transparency, and the role humans must play when AI is involved in news production.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why nearly 99% of respondents say humans must review AI-assisted journalism
• Which AI uses audiences are most comfortable with — and which raise red flags
• How transparency and disclosure affect trust in AI-assisted news
• Why AI familiarity among audiences leads to greater acceptance
• How newsrooms can use audience feedback to shape ethical AI policies
• Why AI literacy may be a trust-building opportunity, not a threat

Humenik and Walsh also discuss how newsrooms can responsibly experiment with AI, communicate openly with their communities, and use audience expectations as guardrails — not obstacles — as technology continues to evolve.

The full survey report is available at localmedia.org and is designed to be used inside newsrooms as a discussion and decision-making tool.

About Keep It Local

Keep It Local is a podcast from Local Media Association focused on sustainability, innovation, and the future of local journalism.

If you enjoyed this episode:

• Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform
• Leave a five-star review to help other journalists discover the show
• Share the episode with a colleague or newsroom leader

In this episode of Keep It Local, host Ryan Welton talks with Ken Doctor, founder and CEO of Lookout Local, and Ashley Harmon, the organization’s chief of staff, about how Lookout launched during one of the most turbulent moments in modern journalism — and emerged with a sustainable business, a Pulitzer Prize, and expansion underway.

Topics include:

• Why Lookout rejected the “start small” approach
• What made covering the Santa Cruz floods a defining moment
• How community engagement and revenue work together
• Why reporter visibility matters more than ever
• How Lookout’s app, newsletters, and short-form video strengthen relationships
• Lessons learned expanding to Eugene-Springfield
• What profitability really takes in local news
• Why Lookout believes this is an unprecedented moment for local journalism

This is a candid, practical conversation about what it actually takes to build a modern community newsroom — and why optimism may be justified heading into 2026 and beyond.

⭐️ Rate & review the podcast

🔔 Follow Keep It Local for more conversations with local media leaders

Show Notes:

On this episode of Keep It Local, host Ryan Welton sits down with Kristyn Cooper, director of fundraising initiatives at the Local Media Association, to explore how local newsrooms can make the most of Giving Tuesday. Cooper shares insights from two decades in the nonprofit world—covering how to normalize fundraising, connect storytelling to generosity, and build long-term donor relationships.

Listeners will learn:

• How Giving Tuesday evolved into a $3.6 billion global movement
• Why journalists already possess the skills to be great fundraisers
• Best practices for donor engagement and impact storytelling
• Simple ways to make giving easy and friction-free

Listeners will learn:

• What “SaaS-ification” means in practical terms for local media
• Why advertiser churn is the “silent killer” of sustainability
• How to run a Go-To-Market Audit to assess digital readiness
• Why every publisher needs a CRM to track renewals and growth
• How to start applying SaaS principles immediately — no matter your size

Resources Mentioned:

• The SaaS-ification of Media — Purchase via Local Media Association
• Contact Todd Handy: https://disruptiveimpact.co
• Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddjhandy/

In this episode of Keep It Local, Ryan Welton talks with Dana Piccoli, managing director of News Is Out, about the LGBTQ+ Media Mapping Project — a first-of-its-kind national effort to document where queer news outlets exist, how they’re sustaining, and what it will take to secure their future.

Mapping the Future of LGBTQ+ Media with Dana Piccoli of News Is Out

Description:

In this episode of Keep It Local, Ryan Welton talks with Dana Piccoli, managing director of News Is Out, about the LGBTQ+ Media Mapping Project — a first-of-its-kind national effort to document where queer news outlets exist, how they’re sustaining, and what it will take to secure their future.

Topics Covered:

• What inspired the LGBTQ+ Media Mapping Project
• Why 18 U.S. states have no queer media outlets
• The financial and political pressures facing LGBTQ+ publishers
• How funders can support sustainable queer journalism
• Why collaboration is fueling resilience and growth in the field

Guest:

Dana Piccoli – Managing Director, News Is Out

📍 Learn more and explore the map: newsisout.com

Host:

Ryan Welton, Director of Digital Content, Local Media Association

🎙️ Produced by Local Media Association

💌 Subscribe to Keep It Local wherever you get your podcasts.

Learn how PubGen.ai is transforming newsrooms with AI-driven efficiency, grounded in local journalism ethics and archives. The team shares why they built the platform, how it streamlines editorial and business operations, and why they believe journalism deserves better technology.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why Rust Communications decided to build a new CMS from scratch
• How PubGen.ai boosts newsroom efficiency and revenue
• What makes this platform different from other CMS options
• Why grounding AI in local archives is critical for trust and community relevance
• Real-world results: 228% digital revenue growth in 90 days

If your newsroom is exploring AI or CMS upgrades, this is a conversation you can’t miss.

Links & Resources:

• PubGen.ai: https://pubgen.ai
• Contact Sho Rust: sho@pubgen.ai
• Learn more about Local Media Association: https://localmedia.org

Brown shares how the Times is:

• Making health coverage more accessible with narrated AI summaries and avatars.
• Creating immersive AR/VR storytelling experiences like racing alongside legendary Black cyclists.
• Building trust through partnerships with artists, technologists, and community groups.
• Exploring new AI tools (Perplexity, ChatGPT, Gemini, Zapier) to streamline workflows.
• Developing an AI model to process community-submitted stories through a custom style guide.

Why It Matters

The Baltimore Times is proving that innovation isn’t reserved for large media companies. By treating AI as a partner, not a threat, the paper shows how small publishers can lead in digital transformation while staying rooted in community trust.

🎧 Listen to learn why Paris Brown calls AI “a friend, not a threat,” and what’s next for The Baltimore Times.

Back-to-school isn’t just a moment on the calendar — it’s a major opportunity for local newsrooms to deliver value, grow audience, and drive new revenue.

In this episode of Keep It Local, Ryan Welton talks with David Arkin, founder of David Arkin Consulting, about practical, proven strategies for turning back-to-school content into audience-building, SEO-friendly, and sponsor-ready coverage.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction: The Problem with School Websites

00:17 Welcome to Keep It Local Podcast

00:36 Meet David Arkin: A Journey in Journalism

01:43 David Arkin's Consulting and Projects

04:04 H Town Dads: A Successful Promotion

08:16 Back to School Strategies for Newsrooms

17:36 Monetizing Back to School Content

19:47 Conclusion and Contact Information

David shares:

• A promotion playbook that turned dads into subscribers
• The three types of back-to-school content every newsroom should create
• How AI can help speed up data, graphics, and formatting
• Sponsorship ideas that go beyond traditional “special sections”

If you're looking for utility-driven content ideas that resonate with your community and your advertisers, this episode is a must.

Links:

• 💼 David Arkin Consulting (davidarkinconsulting.com)
• ✉️ Contact David: David@davidarkinconsulting.com

Bethany shares how she helped the Black-owned digital publication grow from about 100 donors to record fundraising campaigns — all by getting comfortable with direct asks, using human-centered video and deeply understanding their audience.

They also dive into culturally specific fundraising strategies, overcoming the fear of unsubscribes and new frontiers like AI-read articles and community food festivals.

💡 Key takeaways

✅ Be direct — local journalism can’t survive on passive goodwill.

✅ Humor + human connection beat polished, generic pitches.

✅ Build campaigns around what your community actually values.

✅ Don’t fear unsubscribes; fear building a list of disengaged people.

✅ Think beyond stories: events, AI audio, and social experiments all fuel sustainability.

Liz brings deep experience as a fifth-generation publisher who led a legacy newsroom through digital transformation—and now helps lead innovation across the local media industry.

They dig into:

• Why every newsroom must adopt a culture of continuous change
• The power of “succeed or fail fast”—and how to operationalize it
• Why listening is a newsroom’s most underutilized superpower
• How trust lays the groundwork for any sustainable revenue model
• What to stop doing—and how to focus on what matters

Plus: Liz previews LMA Fest 2025, where AI, branded content, philanthropy, and revenue innovation will take center stage.

Resources:

• Learn more: localmedia.org
• Learn more about LMA Fest: https://localmedia.org/event/lma-fest-2025/

Subscribe to "Keep It Local" for more ideas on the future of local journalism and its sustainability.

🎧 If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a review. It helps the platform algorithms surface our content for other journalists and newsrooms to hear.

🎙️ Topics Covered:

• What the Knight x LMA BloomLab is and how it works
• Supporting 25 Black-owned newsrooms across the U.S.
• Lessons learned from 3 years of digital transformation
• AI's evolving role in local media
• Why community trust must be earned again and again
• The unique role of Black-owned media in the American press

🔗 Learn more: https://localmedia.org/knight-x-lma-bloomlab/

💬 Connect with John Celestand on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/johncelestand

Collaboration over competition: How Oklahoma Media Center is strengthening local news

Episode description / show notes:

In this episode of Keep It Local, host Ryan Welton chats with Rob Collins, executive director of the Oklahoma Media Center, about how a statewide collaborative is helping newsrooms band together to tackle big challenges—and build a stronger future for local journalism.

They discuss:

• What a news collaborative is and why it matters
• How Oklahoma Media Center supports newsrooms with funding, training, and tools
• Why collaboration—not competition—is key to sustainability
• Creative ways to rebuild trust with local audiences
• The future of local news in Oklahoma and beyond
• Rob’s vision for recruiting, training, and retaining the next generation of journalists

🚨 Plus: Rob shares how OMC has distributed nearly $300,000 in project funding and launched innovative campaigns like “Free Press Isn’t Free” to promote the value of journalism.

📍 Mentioned in this episode:

• OklahomaMediaCenter.com – Learn more about OMC’s work
• LocalMedia.org – More about the Local Media Association

🎧 If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review and share it with a newsroom leader or journalist you know!

Episode description / show notes:

In our debut episode of Keep It Local, host Ryan Welton sits down with Shannon Kinney, founder of Dream Local Digital and longtime LMA collaborator, to unpack the power of branded content — storytelling that builds audience and revenue.

They discuss:

• What branded content is (and isn’t)
• How it creates value for both advertisers and audiences
• Real-world success stories from local media companies
• How the Branded Content Project is helping newsrooms generate sustainable revenue
• Why alignment between editorial and sales is essential
• The value of trust, transparency, and utility in content strategy

🚨 Plus: Shannon shares how media companies can join upcoming Branded Content Project cohorts, tap into free training, and get support through hands-on boot camps and case studies.

📍 Mentioned in this episode:

• BrandedContentProject.com – Resources, case studies, and cohort info
• LocalMedia.org – More about the Local Media Association
• DreamLocal.com – Shannon Kinney’s agency helping 75,000+ businesses grow online

🎧 If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review and share it with a newsroom leader or journalist you know!