Whether you’re interested in pitching a session idea, being a speaker or facilitating a small group discussion around shared interests, we want to hear from you. Here are seven ways to get involved with the Summit, and how to find the right avenue for your idea.

• I have a fully baked idea for a conference session related to news entrepreneurship and a clear sense of who might deliver it
  • Propose a session
• I have an area of expertise related to news entrepreneurship that I would like to share with attendees that could be part of a broader session
  • Propose a speaker
• I am a news entrepreneur who has an experience/insight/win/best practice to share that is relevant to other news leaders that could be part of a broader session 
  • Propose a speaker
• I have an idea for a speaker I would love to hear from at the Summit, either because they have an area of expertise related to news entrepreneurship or they are a news entrepreneur who has an experience/insight/win/best practice to share that is relevant to other news leaders
  • Propose a speaker
• I have an idea for a topic related to news entrepreneurship I’d like to discuss in small groups with my fellow conference attendees as a way to share ideas and make connections
  • Propose a table talk topic
• I have an idea for a group of people involved with news entrepreneurship I’d like to connect with who have a shared identity or experience 
  • Propose an affinity group
• I would like to lead a small group discussion to connect with my fellow conference attendees around a shared identity or experience
  • Propose an affinity group leader

Got more than one idea or want to be involved in multiple ways? Feel free to submit multiple proposals! 

We’ll ask for some guiding information in your proposal to help us evaluate whether your idea is a fit and where it might fit best. And we’ll select proposals that are most aligned with our conference goals, attendee interests and those that represent a diversity of viewpoints and voices. Please indicate the following in your proposal:

Which conference track does your proposal best align with?

We’ll organize sessions into four areas of interest to news entrepreneurs so they can easily identify which sessions meet their needs. They are:

• Planning for strategic organizational growth
• Telling your news business’ story to communicate impact
• Identifying and executing revenue growth opportunities
• Building resilient leaders, teams and cultures

Which type of session is the best fit for your proposal?

There are five categories of session meant to convey to attendees the primary intent and level of engagement. They are:

• Keynote session: An all-conference presentation or discussion featuring 1-2 speakers designed to set a tone, share information or inspire conversation related to news entrepreneurship
• “Thinking” session: A medium-group presentation or discussion featuring 1-4 speakers designed to explore big ideas, approaches or concepts related to news entrepreneurship
• “Learning” session: A medium-group presentation, discussion, panel or lightning chat featuring 1-6 speakers designed to share best practices, tips, insights or case studies related to news entrepreneurship
• “Doing” session: A small-group workshop featuring 1-2 speakers designed to directly apply a skill, concept or practice
• “Connecting” session: A small-group discussion led by 1 facilitator designed to foster community and build relationships around a shared identity or interest

Which stage of sustainability is the content of your proposal the best fit for?

LION has developed a maturity model that articulates where a news business falls on the path to sustainability, and conference sessions will be targeted to the varying needs of organizations in different stages. For example, a session on launching a major donors program might be a best-fit for a news business in the “Building” stage, whereas a session on re-engaging long term donors might be a best-fit for a news business in the “Growing” stage. The stages are:

• Preparation: Creating a lean business model and minimum viable product (MVP). This is the ideation and planning stage when a news entrepreneur is identifying a need, a target audience, a revenue model and a value proposition.
• Building: Iterating based on audience and market research while building a foundation for revenue and operations. This is the testing and tweaking stage when a news entrepreneur is revising their product and revenue model to match what the audience wants and what the market can bear.
• Maintaining: Increasing journalistic impact and audience growth while still seeking operational and financial stability. This is the alignment stage when a news business is rightsizing what it produces with how it produces it and how it makes money.
• Growing: Steadily and simultaneously growing revenue, audience and operations, which could include scaling. This is the expansion stage when a news business is increasing its depth through more robust products, revenue and operations and/or increasing its breadth by reaching new markets or audiences.

Got an idea that isn’t a clear fit for a conference track, session type or sustainability stage? Propose it anyway! Still on the fence about submitting your idea? We encourage anyone with an idea or experience to share to complete a submission. We’ll work with you to refine your idea, match you with a comfortable session type and provide you resources to help you prepare. If you’re a first-time conference speaker who needs more support, we can provide extra guidance.

Proposals will be accepted until 11 p.m. PT on Friday, March 29. You’ll hear from us in late spring-early summer to learn if your proposal was accepted or if we need more information.

Questions? Email Lisa Heyamoto, LION’s Associate Director of Member Education, at lisaheyamoto@lionpublishers.com.

The post Now accepting session proposals for the 2024 Independent News Sustainability Summit appeared first on LION Publishers.

Who is eligible to apply for a 2024 LION Sustainability Award?

• The LION Awards are exclusively open to current LION members, listed here. If your organization is not on the current member list, please email membership@lionpublishers.com to become an active member no later than April 15, 2024, to participate in the 2024 LION Awards.
• Collaborative entries between more than one LION member must be submitted in the Collaboration of the Year category.
• The 2024 LION Awards recognize work achieved between April 15, 2023, and April 15, 2024. Note: the New Business of the Year Award will recognize work achieved between January 1, 2023, and April 15, 2024.
• Applicants must meet the submission deadline of Monday, April 15, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. PT to be considered for a LION Award.
• LION members may apply for consideration in as many award categories as they wish. Members must complete an entry application and pay the entry fee for each award category.

How do I apply?

• Beginning on March 4, 2024, you may submit your work for consideration for a LION Award by filling out the entry form.

How are the submissions being evaluated?

• Please refer to our announcement post for detailed information on what our judges will be looking for in each Award category.

How many winners will be selected?

• In the judge-evaluated categories, there will be a maximum of one winner per award category, per revenue tier. The final number of winners will be  dependent on the number of entries received that meet the criteria and standards required for winners. We will combine revenue tiers when member participation requires it.
• That means that for the eight evaluated judging categories, there will be a maximum of 32 winners. In the two recognition award categories, there will be one winner per award, ending with a maximum of 34 winners. Ties are always a possibility, but we strive to support judges in choosing one winner. 

How many cash prizes will be provided?

• Every LION Award winner will receive a cash prize. The amount per winning entry will depend on the exact number of winners. In 2023, we awarded more than $55,000 in cash prizes to 36 winning organizations.

How long will it take to complete a LION Awards entry?

• We estimate that it will take between 45 minutes to 2 hours per entry, depending on how long it takes to gather relevant documentation and answer the open text questions thoughtfully. 

How much does it cost to submit a LION Awards entry?

• Just as LION’s membership dues reflect a sliding scale based on annual revenue, we have implemented a sliding scale for entry fees based on revenue tier:
  • Micro tier members: $15 per award entry
  • Small tier members: $20 per award entry
  • Medium tier members: $25 per award entry
  • Large tier members: $30 per award entry
• For example, if you are a Micro tier member and submit three entries, the total cost would be $45. Refunds will not be issued. 

When and where will the LION Awards Ceremony take place?

• The LION Awards Ceremony & Dinner will be hosted on September 5, 2024, during LION’s Independent News Sustainability Summit in Chicago. Purchase your ticket to the LION Awards Ceremony & Dinner here.

Can I still be recognized as a LION Awards finalist or winner even if I can’t attend the in-person LION Awards Ceremony?

• Absolutely!

Can I volunteer to be a LION Awards judge?

• Yes! Please fill out this form to indicate your interest. As a judge, you’ll have the chance to evaluate exceptional work and celebrate the achievements of outstanding candidates.

If you have any further questions, please reach out to membership@lionpublishers.com for more information. You can also check out our official announcement post here for more details!

The post Questions About The 2024 LION Sustainability Awards? Get Answers Here! appeared first on LION Publishers.

It’s a big question –– and one that’s not easily answered alone. That’s why, over the past two years, 175 LION member newsrooms have enrolled in the program to receive a detailed assessment of their news business and a roadmap for moving closer to sustainability. Each participant was also given $20,000 to implement recommendations from their Audit report. And after completing the program, 93 percent of participants say they feel more confident in their organization’s ability to reach sustainability.

This year, we’re excited to extend the opportunity to at least 170 additional LION members. Applications are open for three remaining cycles in 2024, and we’ll accept applications on a rolling basis (you can apply now for any or all of the three cycles). The first cycle, which will begin in February, is full. For consideration in the second cycle (May-July), apply by April 15. The deadlines to be considered for cycles three and four are July 8 and September 9, respectively. Our 2024 Audits are available to U.S.-based LION members who did not receive an Audit in 2022 or 2023.

We know that capacity is a major challenge for news leaders, so we’ve designed the Audit to make the most of your time by having an expert analyze your organization, then directly address your primary challenges with support tailored to your specific needs. The total time commitment to participate is just five hours over the course of about ten weeks.

Here’s what the Audit experience looks like in three steps –– you will:

1. Fill out a questionnaire that details your business’s operational readiness, financial health, and journalistic impact.
2. Schedule and complete an interview with one of our Audit analysts to dig more deeply into questionnaire responses, goals, and organizational practices.
3. Review the Audit report your analyst provides, including a high-level summary, a list of sustainability indicators, benchmarking data, a prioritized list of recommendations, and more. You’ll have a chance to reconnect with your analyst after you receive the report to ask questions and gain any necessary clarity.

After the program, you’ll then submit a funding request to receive the $20,000, outlining two to three recommendations your business will act on. 

Here’s what past Audit participants say about their experience:

What opportunities might your Audit report uncover, and how could those findings propel your organization forward? Find out by applying for your Audit today. To learn more about the program, sign up for our virtual Q&A on Friday, January 19, at 2 p.m. ET, or contact Andrew Rockway at andrewrockway@lionpublishers.com.

Sustainability Audits are provided at no cost to LION members. If you’re not a LION member, check out our membership benefits and how to enroll.

The post Applications are open to receive a Sustainability Audit in 2024 appeared first on LION Publishers.

Status: Independent Contractor

Point of Contact: Associate Director of Coaching

Location: Remote within U.S. and Canada

Engagement Type: Short-term contract, with variable working hours, from February 2 until December 13, 2024.

Compensation: Flat rate of $16,000 for a total of 12 audits. $4,000 may be invoiced upon completing the deliverables for each of the four cycles.

About LION Publishers

Local Independent Online News (LION) Publishers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional journalism association for independent news publishers. While most of our 500+ members across the U.S. and Canada run local news businesses, we also have members who serve larger regions and specific identity-based communities across geographies. LION provides teaching, resources, and community to independent news entrepreneurs as they build and develop sustainable businesses.

Project Summary

LION Publishers has created a Sustainability Audit program that assesses a news organization’s strengths, opportunities, and priorities to become a sustainable news business. Our theory is that sustainability for independent news businesses exists at the intersection of operational resilience, financial health, and journalistic impact, and foundational weaknesses in any of these areas can cause the entire operation to (at best) underperform or (at worst) fall apart.

In 2022 and 2023, we audited 175 newsrooms through the Sustainability Audit program. You can read more about that iteration and what our experts learned here.

This year, we’re looking for audit analysts to assess three publications each per cycle. We will be conducting four cycles in 2024. See dates below.

The audit analysts will:

• Read our analyst guidelines and participate in an initial 30-minute onboarding meeting to understand expectations, ask questions, and sync with other analysts
• For each cycle:
  • Familiarize themselves with each publication through online research
  • Gain a deeper understanding of each publication via a dossier, which contains background information, audit questionnaire answers, relevant internal documents, and benchmarking data
  • Schedule and conduct 90-minute interviews with the leaders of each publication to gain relevant context and details
  • Attend an optional 60-minute working session to ask questions related to drafting the final report
  • Analyze the information from the dossier and interview to draft a publication-facing report for each publication, which includes:
    • A summary of where the publication is on its path to sustainability
    • A selection of its strengths and how to capitalize on them
    • A prioritized list of recommended actions to take immediately, in the short term and in the medium term, to become more sustainable
  • Work with LION to incorporate feedback into the report draft, either asynchronously or synchronously
  • Schedule and conduct a 30-minute follow-up call with the leaders of each publication to talk through the final report
• Complete an offboarding survey to inform future programs

We anticipate that each audit will take 8-9 hours to complete, assuming that an analyst is completing three audits per cycle for a total of 12 audits.

The approximate dates for each cycle are:

• Cycle 1: February 2 – May 1, 2024
• Cycle 2: May 2 – July 12, 2024
• Cycle 3: July 22 – October 1, 2024
• Cycle 4: October 1 – December 13, 2024 

Our ideal audit analyst is someone who:

• Has deep experience running or working with independent news startups 
• Is eager to share their knowledge, skills, and advice with LION members
• Would enjoy the opportunity to learn about and learn from independent news leaders
• Is comfortable making recommendations that range from big picture strategic thinking to specific tactical approaches, but knows they don’t need to be an expert in everything and can curate the LION community, industry knowledge, and their networks to help publications prioritize
• Is available to participate in all four cycles

Application materials

Submit your materials using this form by 11 p.m. ET on January 7. You will be asked to provide:

• Your resume
• Any online links that show your work (an X profile, a portfolio page, etc.) and/or discuss your work (a website, program description, article/post, report, etc.)
• Answers to the following questions:
  • Why are you interested in becoming an analyst?
  • Describe your experience running or working with independent news organizations. What was your role? What did you learn that you might apply when working with participants in the Sustainability Audit program?
  • Tell us about a time when you assessed a body of information, identified patterns and throughlines, and created actionable recommendations. What was your process, and how did you communicate your findings?

If you have questions about this role, reach out to LION Associate Director of Coaching Elaine Díaz (elainediaz@lionpublishers.com) to learn more.

The post LION is hiring Sustainability Audit analysts appeared first on LION Publishers.

This seemed like a compelling theory to test, so we launched the Revenue Growth Fellowship in 2021 to provide 12 LION members with a two-year direct funding runway to hire someone in a revenue-generating role. The plan was for this person to generate recurring revenue for the news business, which would kickstart continued growth and development.

But like so many other aspects of news entrepreneurship, we learned it wasn’t quite that simple.

Direct funding, it turns out, is not the silver bullet we imagined it to be. It can give news leaders the confidence to make bold decisions, launch a big effort, or keep them afloat during a rough patch, but new dollars alone do not accelerate a news business on the path to sustainability. 

We gave news organizations between $65,000 and $89,000 in funding in successively smaller increments over two years, and our measure of success was that the revenue hire would eventually bring in enough money to cover their salary by the end of year two. Yet just six of the 12 organizations said that ended up being the case — a 50 percent success rate. 

That led us to one of our biggest takeaways from this program: Without taking the time to create a strong operational infrastructure, thoughtful employee recruitment and management and a focused revenue strategy, no amount of direct dollars will make a news business financially healthy. 

Tellingly, news businesses that experienced higher levels of strategic and operational volatility were much more likely to say their hire did not bring in the expected revenue. Characteristics of these publications include:

• News businesses that changed their revenue strategy mid-program
• Outlets that experienced turnover in the position due to a hasty hire or a poor fit
• Leaders who struggled to shift their focus from editorial to the business side
• Publications that hired for a part-time rather than full-time revenue role
• Organizations that underwent a merger during the program

It all adds up to our top-level insight, and one that will continue to guide our work at LION: News businesses need to be ready for direct funding in order for it to be truly catalytic. Here’s more of what we learned about what accelerates and hinders revenue growth that every news business can benefit from.

1. Revenue growth won’t happen without operational readiness 

One lesson we’ve learned repeatedly (and seen play out across our membership at large) is that a strong operational infrastructure is absolutely critical for gaining any traction with revenue growth. 

We started the Revenue Growth Fellowship program with the assumption that news businesses would be ready to jump right into the hiring process. But participants had some urgent operational needs to address to be in the best position to hire. 

So we worked with publishers to set and track goals, assess organizational risk, level up financial management practices and build an infrastructure for revenue growth. Of particular focus was developing systems for hiring, onboarding, retaining and managing employees. 

“When I think about how [we have] grown thanks to this program, revenue is not the first thing that comes to mind,” a founder said. “[It was] operational growth. That is, establishing policies, documentation and procedures to support a growing team. The support we received in this area at the start of the program was incredibly valuable and set us up for success once our organization began to grow in staff.”

Leaders initially struggled to make time for this operational work, but came to value its importance and ended up applying these operational best practices increasingly more often over the course of the program. They put in place hiring and revenue processes that they continue to use and build on, and many reported that these efforts have become less scattershot and more methodical and consistent. 

“If I did it again with the knowledge I have now but the same financial reality, I would have built more process and reporting into the member revenue program,” one leader said. “But I’d be realistic about the time and capacity it might take to make that a well-oiled machine.”

2. Revenue growth efforts stall without a clear strategy, a consistent approach and significant leader involvement

Growing revenue is a marathon, not a sprint. And organizations that planned for the long haul and stayed the course saw significantly better outcomes than those that experienced disruptions. 

News businesses that focused on growing the same revenue stream with the same revenue hire throughout the two-year program were the only publications that saw consistent revenue growth quarter over quarter. These participants had a clear-enough revenue strategy to enable them to make and support the right hire, who could consistently build on their efforts over time. And these organizations were able to leverage that stability to improve other aspects of their business; despite differences in size, age, tax structure and focus, they saw concurrent increases in full-time employees, cash on hand, runway and net revenue.

Key to that stability was significant involvement in the revenue growth efforts by the founder or key leader of the organization. Many news entrepreneurs come from a journalism rather than business background, and lack the experience or desire to focus on growing revenue. We’ve heard many of our members say if they could just hand off that work, they would be free to do what they do best: produce journalism. 

But it’s precisely that deep understanding of an organization’s mission and values that makes a founder the best person to make the case to financial supporters, whether a potential foundation,  advertiser or reader. Of the 12 program participants, half ended up shifting the revenue generation work back to the founder, even after hiring someone to be in the revenue role. We learned alongside participants that the founder, or primary leader, of early-stage news businesses, in particular, simply needs to be the face of revenue generation efforts.

“[If I had this to do over again,]” one founder said, “I would switch roles early on and focus on revenue myself while assigning the editorial work to others.”

Another key learning, and one we failed to mitigate against, was that a part-time revenue hire is particularly unlikely to achieve the desired results without a strong revenue strategy already in place. We originally gave organizations enough funding for a part-time hire if they did not have any other full-time employees (including the founder). We reasoned that these organizations, which tended to be younger, needed more time to build the operational structures to support a staff member. But that ended up being true for all cohort members. And while the intention was always for organizations who initially hired part-timers to bring them to full-time, those that hired part-time revenue help were especially likely to say that they ended up doing most of the revenue work themselves, regardless of whether that was the plan. None of these organizations said their part-time hire brought in enough revenue to cover their salary.

“I found that, for this role, it was hard for someone as an employee to achieve ambitious goals on a part-time salary,” a founder said. “I think I went into this thinking, ‘Okay, it’s doable. Something is better than nothing, and the employee will have enough passion to grow with us.’ For both folks we hired, I found that, to them, it was a job with a mission they liked, but they still had limited time to do their job correctly. It was hard to ask them for much flexibility because they had to do other things to supplement the pay.”

3. Revenue growth hinges on hiring the right person to do the work (and being ready to support them) 

Making the right hire rather than the right-now hire makes all the difference. Many news leaders initially underestimated the time, planning and strategic alignment required to be fully ready to make their hire, and the person they brought on turned out to be a poor fit.

“It was a lot of lessons learned,” one leader said. “I should have taken more time to recruit. It was a challenge to figure out what to prioritize first, having minimal experience with a business at the time.”

A big decision point for cohort members was determining what role to hire for, and how much experience the candidates should have. News leaders who saw the most success with their new hires had a focused vision for the person’s responsibilities, and designed the role and the hiring process accordingly. One organization knew it wanted to attract highly experienced and networked applicants, so it supplemented the program’s funding to hire at a salary range that would yield those candidates. Another founder knew they couldn’t afford someone with that kind of resume in their market, so they created a role focused on supporting revenue operations rather than directly generating revenue. 

News leaders found the most success building in areas where they already had traction and an operational foundation — in other words, where they already had a clear strategy. For example, one organization had ambitions to build its nascent advertising/sponsorships stream, but saw better results once it decided to level up its membership program instead.

“We have realized we aren’t quite set up to manage sponsorships/sponsored content/advertising yet,” they said. “We’d need to do a lot more work to create a foundation for that area of revenue. We’re further along with our membership capability and have the metrics to track against those growth goals.”

But it’s not enough to simply make the right hire — you must be ready to support them. Hiring new personnel without ensuring that the leadership can effectively onboard, train, and retain them can lead to overburdened leaders and counterproductive outcomes. News leaders were most successful when they devoted time and energy to ensuring their team members had what they needed to meet their goals and empowered them to make decisions and take calculated risks. 

“I feel like I’ve learned a ton about managing and onboarding and am proud of the documents and processes I’ve created for our team,” one news leader said. “But managing this position was much more difficult and time-consuming than anticipated.”

How this program has informed our work at LION

The Revenue Growth Fellowship program was the most ambitious program LION had attempted when we launched it in 2021. And it was our first foray into being a funder. We learned a lot from the experience, including that our support is most impactful when we’re helping news businesses strengthen their foundation for growing revenue rather than providing direct funding to help grow their bottom line — an insight that underpins our five-year strategic growth plan. 

Here are some other insights from the program that have influenced our work: 

• Led us to develop asynchronous trainings for our News Entrepreneur Academy focused on building operational practices like setting goals and managing finances
• Shaped the curriculum of programs like this year’s Sustainability Lab, which centered on readiness for revenue growth
• Informed our Sustainability Audit metrics and maturity model to map the path to sustainability
• Influenced our strategic decision to offer holistic, bespoke support to our Focus Members — BIPOC and LGBTQ-led organizations — through a case management approach

We’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the publishers who participated in this program and candidly shared their wins and challenges so we could learn how to better support our members. We hope this level of transparency will encourage other publishers and support organizations to learn from and adapt to the lessons we highlighted here.

The post Direct funding alone does not make a news business more sustainable appeared first on LION Publishers.

Since it was founded in 2012, one of LION’s greatest values for independent news entrepreneurs is the community it brings together –– publishers craving expert advice and supportive camaraderie to help them build sustainable news businesses. 

After LION took a two-year hiatus on its conferences due to COVID-19, we re-imagined what we wanted our gatherings to look like and launched the Independent News Sustainability Summit in 2022. In partnership with the News Revenue Hub and Texas Tribune’s RevLab, we hosted 500 attendees in Austin to facilitate three days of inspiring conversations and energizing connections. We learned just how eager our members and other supporters of independent news are for in-person moments together.

We then spent 2023 experimenting with two regional meetups –– one primarily designed by our members in the Deep South and another primarily designed by us that incorporated our annual LION Awards Ceremony in the Southeast. At these events, we discovered the value of connecting our members based on geography and their identities.

For 2024, we’re taking all those learnings and hosting another national Summit that will gather independent news publishers, industry experts, and supporters of independent news to share expert knowledge, hard-won lessons, and actionable advice on running a news business while being in community with people who care deeply about strengthening the local news ecosystem.

A special thanks to our host partner and LION member Block Club Chicago, who will support the event with their local expertise.

Our schedule will include:

• Keynotes from industry leaders
• Dozens of sessions on financial health, operational resilience, and journalistic impact –– LION’s pillars of sustainability
• Facilitated networking opportunities
• The sixth annual LION Awards Ceremony and Dinner

We’ll host this event at the Westin Chicago River North at 320 N Dearborn St. in Chicago, home to one of LION’s earliest conferences. 

We’ll have a hotel block available at the Westin, and Summit tickets will be available for purchase in February 2024. We’ll also ask our LION member community to share their ideas for session topics, speakers, and facilitated networking moments.

We look forward to sharing more details about the event soon.

Until then, please reach out to:

Executive Director Chris Krewson (chriskrewson@lionpublishers.com) if you’re interested in sponsorship opportunities.

Deputy Director Anika Anand (anikaanand@lionpublishers.com) if you’re interested in partnership opportunities.

The post LION Publishers to host 2024 Independent News Sustainability Summit in Chicago appeared first on LION Publishers.

The board voted unanimously to approve Gunita Singh as chair, in accordance with the bylaws, following a year of service as vice chair. Singh, a staff attorney for the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, joined LION’s board in 2021.

“With the unveiling of LION’s five-year strategic plan this past October, I couldn’t be more excited about LION’s vision for its members and local news, generally,” Singh said. “And I have no doubt LION’s leaders will execute that vision with creativity, dedication, and zeal.”

The board also unanimously elected Scalawag Executive Director and LION member Cierra Hinton as vice chair. Hinton has served on the board since 2020.

Rebekah Monson, LION’s outgoing chair, will be the immediate past chair of LION’s executive committee and chair of the newly created membership committee. More details on this committee are forthcoming.

In addition to the leadership transitions, LION’s board congratulated three outgoing members and officers. Jay Allred, LION’s former chair and vice chair who leads LION member organization Richland Source, stepped down after eight years of service. Rosemary Hoban, who served as secretary and leads LION member organization NC Health News, stepped down after six years. Shannon Shaw Duty, who joined LION’s board in 2021 and leads LION member organization Osage News, also stepped down in October.

Finally, the board welcomed new committee leadership. Board member Neil Chase, CEO of CalMatters, now chairs the governance committee, and board member Anita Li, founder of The Green Line, chairs the board development committee. Anyone interested in serving in a board or committee member capacity is encouraged to contact the board using this form.

The post Introducing LION’s 2023-2024 board and executive leadership appeared first on LION Publishers.

His work includes:

• Designing and maintaining our tech stack, including our website and Salesforce, to ensure they meet our product and programming needs
• Creating documentation and trainings for our staff to understand how to navigate these systems
• Continually making recommendations on how to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our technology systems 

Stel most recently worked at SF Made. Prior to that, he was the database administrator and technology consultant at Family Promise HCR.

Stel is based in New York.

Please join us in welcoming Stel to the LION team — you can reach him at stelduncan@lionpublishers.com.

The post Stel Duncan joins LION Publishers as our Associate Director of Technology appeared first on LION Publishers.

The sold-out event brought local news publishers, supporters, and funders together to create connections, help solve collective challenges, and gain fresh insights on how to build more sustainable news businesses. Attendees also cheered on their peers during the fifth annual LION Local Journalism Awards Ceremony on October 3, which was held in conjunction with the Meetup.

And while the Meetup attracted many folks from the Southeast, we were thrilled to welcome individuals from around the country and Canada. The group included:

• 130 LION members from nearly 30 states, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and others extending into the Mid-Atlantic
• 31 LION Award winners who were honored at the Awards Ceremony and accepted a total of $55,800 in cash prizes 
• 44 people who received nearly $30,000 in travel scholarships to help them attend

LION’s 2023 News Sustainability Meetups and the 2023 LION Awards were generously sponsored by The Walton Family Foundation, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Carol Oppenheim & Jerome Lamet Charitable Fund, the Google News Initiative, Microsoft, and News Revenue Hub.

Here are five takeaways from our time together:

1. News business leaders are focusing less on the day-to-day tactical work and more on the strategic thinking necessary to run a sustainable news business, and they’re starting to see (and celebrate) what this looks like in practice.

Leaders of LION member organizations aren’t stepping away from the journalism entirely, but there’s increased interest in understanding and mastering the behind-the-scenes processes to run a financially healthy and operationally resilient news business.

So it’s no surprise that funding was a central conversation topic. During one panel discussion, The Food Section’s Hanna Raskin asked her peers how they’d pitch their organization to potential funders because sometimes, “The journalism can’t just speak for itself.” Scalawag and Press On’s Alyzza May advised listeners to “Show people where their money and values can be in alignment,” which sparked deeper discussion on how and when to make a compelling case for support.

In another session, Cardinal News’ Luanne Rife spoke about demystifying the revenue funnel, which wasn’t on her radar when she launched the organization two years ago. “I was thinking about stories,” she said. “Now I think about what type of product we can develop to bring people good journalism and not only pay for it but make a little more money to support other things you can’t monetize.”

Conversely, MLK 50’s Wendi Thomas candidly noted in a keynote conversation that operational and financial work isn’t for everyone –– and that’s okay, as long as you prioritize hiring the right people to run your business.

But regardless, every news leader needs to recognize that having a business mindset will pay off. Shasta Scout’s Annelise Pierce won the Financial Health Award in the small revenue tier during the Awards Ceremony, and in her acceptance speech, said, “LION got me thinking about P&Ls [profit and loss statements] and other dumb sh*t. And I’m grateful for it.” Her comment was met with roaring applause and instantly became the evening’s winning catchphrase. There’s even talk of t-shirts (Richland Source’s Jay Allred designed the below example and posted it in our Slack channel).

2. The independent news industry bucks tradition by being deeply collaborative and community-oriented.

The importance of community representation in news organizations surfaced throughout the conference. In a panel discussion, Conecta Arizona’s Maritza L. Félix emphasized the importance of listening and adapting to audience needs. “The future of journalism is collaborative and independent,” she said. “And for us, in Spanish.”

CivicLex’s Richard Young echoed that attitude: “It’s all about the people,” he said. “Ultimately, CivicLex exists to establish trust in civic processes and help people get more involved in their local government, so we meet them where they are.”

Community engagement was a 2023 LION Awards category and many winners’ work, including Burlington Buzz, Resolve Philly, The Discourse, and The Appeal‘s, reflected the value of representation.

We commend all the LION members who are doing such intentional and thoughtful work to create a more inclusive, representative, and collaborative news industry.

3. Community building shouldn’t exist in a bubble –– it should extend within the industry.

We were blown away by the community building blossoming in real-time among attendees. “This is very special,” Mississippi Free Press’ Donna Ladd said during our closing session. “There’s real camaraderie here, and it hasn’t always been this way in the industry. Let’s take this back with us and help model it.”

That camaraderie was keenly felt during the Awards Ceremony, especially when Outlier Media’s Candice Fortman, who also co-hosted the Ceremony, received a standing ovation for winning the LION Business of the Year Award in the large revenue tier.

In addition to the informal networking throughout the event, we launched our inaugural affinity groups, facilitating connection opportunities for news leaders identifying as Black, Latinx/Latine, a Person of Color, and/or LGBTQIA+. 

“The affinity group was special,” said Spinning Forward’s Flavian DeLima, who led the People of Color affinity group. “There were deep connections all around –– people made eye contact and felt heard. It’s the kind of networking you hope for at a conference.”

4. Independent news needs more funding capital, and Press Forward has a pivotal role to play.

One of our keynotes featured LION’s Chris Krewson and the Knight Foundation’s Duc Luu discussing an initiative called Press Forward, a $500 million fund for local journalism over the next five years. Announced in September, this initiative has the industry buzzing with questions about the future of funding for independent news.

Funding applications for Press Forward aren’t available yet, and right now, the group of funders spearheading the project is focused on raising awareness and recruiting additional funders. Luu urged LION members to concentrate on boosting their internal operations, so they’re in a good position to receive the funding when it becomes available.

“National funders, like Knight, want to invest in and scale what’s working,” he said. “We’re interested in community outcomes.”

One pillar of Press Forward is direct support for newsrooms, alongside establishing infrastructure to sustain them well past the five-year project timeline. Further information on Press Forward’s next steps will be announced in November. In the meantime, organizations should continue to invest time and resources into identifying a solid revenue funnel, which can include individual donations, institutional funding, advertising and sponsorship, and membership programs.

5. At LION, we’ve learned that there’s a deep interest in convening independent news publishers in person.

Events take a lot of time to do well, which is why we decided to skip a large annual conference this year and focus on regional events (the Southeast Meetup and Deep South Meetup are the two we held this year). However, the feedback we hear from members who attend our events is that it’s an important, complementary offering to the other trainings and support we provide year-round, especially from a community and industry-building vantage point. 

That’s why we’ve decided to host another large independent news conference next year. We’ll gather in Chicago from September 5-7 to host discussions with experts, networking opportunities, and our sixth annual LION Awards Ceremony. We’ll share more details soon on how to attend the event.

Check out our photo gallery from the Southeast Meetup, and if you have feedback on how we can maximize your experience at the 2024 event, give us a shout at hello@lionpublishers.com.

The post “P&Ls and other dumb sh*t,” plus other takeaways from our Southeast Meetup appeared first on LION Publishers.

The LION Awards recognize excellence and transformational impact in 10 award categories focused on our pillars of sustainability — operational resilience, financial health, and journalistic impact. 

Hosts Candice Fortman, of Outlier Media, and Lisa Heyamoto, of LION Publishers, warmly welcomed more than 175 news leaders and journalism supporters to the fifth annual LION Awards Ceremony on Oct. 3 in Durham, North Carolina. 

There, we celebrated our 99 finalist entries from 74 LION member organizations, announced the 37 winning entries, and awarded $55,800 in cash prizes to 36 unique LION member organizations thanks to generous support from our sponsors. Each winning entry received at least $1,300. 

LION Business of the Year, our marquee award that comes with a $3,000 cash prize, went to Santa Cruz Local (Micro/Small Tier), The Houston Defender (Medium Tier), and Outlier Media (Large Tier). 

All 10 award categories are reviewed by an independent panel of judges every year. Additionally, LION staff selects the winner of our Community Member of the Year Award, which honors an individual who exemplifies LION’s core values. This year’s winner is Hanna Raskin, the editor and founder of The Food Section. Hanna often raises her hand to help support other members and generously shares her successes and lessons learned with them.

Given that we hosted this year’s event in North Carolina, LION also offered special recognition and a $500 newsroom donation to The Daily Tar Heel, the independent student newspaper of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, to highlight their outstanding work covering recent gun violence on their campus.

We appreciate everyone who submitted entries, cheered on our winners, shared the love on social media (#LIONAwards23), supported the celebration, and made this year our best LION Awards yet.

Congratulations to all of the winners of the 2023 LION Local Journalism Awards! Read more about each winner’s work below.

• 2PuntosPlatform, Winner: Product of the Year Award (Micro Revenue Tier)
• The Appeal, Co-Winner: Community Engagement Award (Small Revenue Tier)
• Arizona Luminaria, Winner: New LION Business of the Year Award (Small Revenue Tier)
• The Assembly, Winner: Accountability Award (Medium Revenue Tier)
• Block Club Chicago, Co-Winner: Public Service Award (Large Revenue Tier)
• Bolts, Winner: New LION Business of the Year Award (Medium/Large Revenue Tier)
• Bridge Michigan, Co-Winner: Operational Resilience Award (Medium/Large Revenue Tier)
• Broke in Philly, Winner: Collaboration of the Year Award (Large Revenue Tier)
• Burlington Buzz, Winner: Community Engagement Award (Micro Revenue Tier)
• Cardinal News, Winner: Financial Health Award (Medium/Large Revenue Tier)
• ClearHealthCosts, Co-Winner: Public Service Award (Small Revenue Tier)
• The Coronado News, Winner: Outstanding Coverage Award (Micro Revenue Tier), and Winner: Public Service Award (Micro Revenue Tier)
• Dallas Free Press, Co-Winner: Operational Resilience Award (Small Revenue Tier)
• The Discourse, Co-Winner: Community Engagement Award (Small Revenue Tier)
• Epicenter-NYC, Co-Winner: Public Service Award (Small Revenue Tier)
• The Food Section’s Hanna Raskin, Winner: Community Member of the Year Award
• The Green Line, Winner: Product of the Year Award (Small Revenue Tier)
• The Highlands Current, Winner: Outstanding Coverage Award (Medium Revenue Tier)
• The Houston Defender, Winner: LION Business of the Year Award (Medium Revenue Tier)
• Jacksonville Today, Winner: Product of the Year Award (Medium Revenue Tier)
• The Kansas City Defender, Winner: Accountability Award (Small Revenue Tier)
• La Noticia, Winner: Collaboration of the Year Award (Medium Revenue Tier)
• Madison Minutes, Co-Winner: Collaboration of the Year Award (Micro/Small Revenue Tier)
• Mississippi Free Press, Winner: Public Service Award (Medium Revenue Tier)
• Montana Free Press, Winner: Product of the Year Award (Large Revenue Tier)
• New Mexico In Depth, Winner: Outstanding Coverage Award (Small Revenue Tier)
• Outlier Media, Winner: LION Business of the Year Award (Large Revenue Tier)
• The Prison Journalism Project, Co-Winner: Operational Resilience Award (Medium/Large Revenue Tier)
• Resolve Philly, Winner: Community Engagement Award (Large Revenue Tier)
• Santa Cruz Local, Winner: LION Business of the Year Award (Micro/Small Revenue Tier), and Co-Winner: Operational Resilience Award (Small Revenue Tier)
• Shasta Scout, Winner: Financial Health Award (Small Revenue Tier)
• Spinning Forward, Winner: New LION Business of the Year Award (Micro Revenue Tier)
• Tone Madison, Co-Winner: Collaboration of the Year Award (Micro/Small Revenue Tier)
• Verified News Network (VNN), Co-Winner: Collaboration of the Year Award (Micro/Small Revenue Tier)
• VTDigger, Co-Winner: Public Service Award (Large Revenue Tier)
• Wisconsin Watch, Winner: Accountability Award (Large Revenue Tier), and Winner: Outstanding Coverage (Large Revenue Tier)

Presenting Sponsors

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

Carol Oppenheim & Jerome Lamet Charitable Fund

Platinum Sponsor 

Google News Initiative

Gold Sponsor

Microsoft

Bronze Sponsor

News Revenue Hub

Special thanks to this year’s volunteer judges, without whom the 2023 LION Awards would not be possible: Chris Amico, Andy Bechtel, Alex Ben Block, Christopher Brennan, Idalmy Carrera-Colucci, Felicitas Carrique, Maria Catalina Colmenares-Wiss, Neil Chase, Bene Cipolla, Elise Czajkowski, John Davidow, Tom Davidson, Natalya Dreszer, David Grant, Sam Gross, Lori Henson, Rocio Hernandez, Yaoshiang Ho, Erika L Hobbs, Natalie Van Hoozer, Dan Hu, Kevin Thomas Hulten, Philip John, Maple Walker Lloyd, Andrew Losowsky, Nicole Mastrangelo, Elizabeth McNamara, Cassie Miller, Ana AX Mina, Jen Mizgata, Amalie Nash, Mike Orren, Mark Potts, Max Resnik, Kelly Roche, Wendy Rosenfield, Adam Schweigert, Dylan Smith, Kimberly Spencer, Louise Story, Hanaa’ Tameez, Kakie Urch, Mandy Van Deven, Andrew Vogel, Graham Watson-Ringo, Monica Williams, and Yan Wu.

Within each category, we have tiers reflecting the annual revenue of each recognized organization:

• Micro Tier: Less than $50,000 in annual revenue
• Small Tier: Between $50,000 and $500,000 in annual revenue
• Medium Tier: Between $500,000 and $1.1 million in annual revenue
• Large Tier: More than $1.1 million in annual revenue

In some categories, we have combined Micro and Small tiers or Medium and Large tiers. Each tier isn’t always reflected for each award category, and we made these decisions based on the number of applications we received.

Winner descriptions were self-reported, and the comments were provided by our judges; both have been slightly edited by LION staff for length and clarity. You can select each category below to scroll to that specific section.

1. LION Business of the Year
2. New LION Business of the Year
3. Operational Resilience Award
4. Financial Health Award
5. Collaboration of the Year
6. Product of the Year
7. Accountability Award 
8. Community Engagement Award
9. Outstanding Coverage Award
10. Public Service Award
11. Community Member of the Year Award

LION Business of the Year Award

Recognizes a LION member who has achieved transformational impact for their news business by working to achieve sustainability through operational resilience, financial health, and journalistic impact.

Winner, Micro/Small Revenue Tier: Santa Cruz Local

Santa Cruz Local produces deep, community-oriented journalism. In 2022, they created a fundraising-focused board and raised $72,000 to launch a Spanish news initiative for Pajaro Valley. They conducted extensive interviews with 170 Spanish-speaking residents to understand what news they want and how they want it delivered. 

From the judges: “Santa Cruz Local has truly excelled in its mission to bring attention to often-overlooked issues in a region characterized by affluence. By offering essential news coverage to underserved communities within the area, the organization has made an exceptional impact.” 

Finalist: The Food Section

Winner, Medium Revenue Tier: The Houston Defender 

In the past year, The Houston Defender underwent a digital transformation that expanded its reach and introduced its brand to new audiences. They revamped their website to focus on three specific groups: Black Women, Under 40, and Community, and generated over $500,000 in new revenue. 

From the judges: “The growth exhibited by The Houston Defender in the past year is remarkable and serves as a potential blueprint for other legacy print organizations seeking to transition into the digital realm. This 90-plus-year-old news organization has undertaken a vigorous shift towards a modern digital business model, successfully generating substantial new revenue streams and expanding its audience base.” 

Finalists: Cardinal News and El Tímpano

Winner, Large Revenue Tier: Outlier Media 

In the last year, Outlier Media created a fully operational nonprofit entity with a governing board, nearly doubled its budget, expanded its news coverage, and managed a news collaborative of nine outlets across its region. Outlier also developed the Detroit Documenters program, in which they recruited and trained nearly 500 residents to cover public meetings in Detroit.

From the judges: “Outlier has made significant strides toward sustainability by adapting both its business structure and content while steadfastly maintaining its commitment to community collaboration. Outlier’s journey from grassroots beginnings to its current state of expansion and collaboration for the betterment of underserved communities is truly commendable.”

Finalists: Grist and El Paso Matters

New LION Business of the Year Award

Recognizes a business — founded after January 1, 2022 — that exhibits, even in its very early stages, a clearly defined commitment to working toward achieving sustainability through operational resilience, financial health, and journalistic impact.

Winner, Micro Revenue Tier: Spinning Forward

Spinning Forward helps aspiring BIPOC creators between the ages of 16 and 34 thrive in the Toronto region. By prioritizing empathy-based storytelling and a community-focused approach, Spinning Forward creates events for young people, holds brands accountable for their portrayals of BIPOC communities, and investigates Toronto’s online racial pay gap.

From the judges: “Creatives in Toronto are lucky to have Spinning Forward on their side. This organization has an energetic vision for the impact it can make among creators in its target audience and a diversified way of growing its business, from mastermind groups to data journalism.” 

Finalists: The Berkeley Scanner, Planeta Venus, and Twice As Good Media

Winner, Small Revenue Tier: Arizona Luminaria

Arizona Luminaria provides equitable access to information about local civic issues, empowering all Arizonans to participate in civic life and elections. In their first year, they published over 100 stories in English and Spanish, grew their individual donors to 350, and brought in 16 grant funders.

From the judges: “Arizona Luminaria is an industry-leading example that empathetic audience listening is the foundation of great journalism and a strong business. Their belief in the people of Arizona and their excellent execution on the needs of their neighbors makes it easy to believe that they will be a light to local news for a very long time.”

There were no other finalists in this tier.

Winner, Medium/Large Revenue Tier: Bolts

Launched in early 2022, Bolts covers power and political change, emphasizing criminal justice and voting rights. They’ve published 155 articles, raised $1.1 million in funding, and inspired segments on “Good Morning America” and MSNBC.

From the judges: “Niche doesn’t mean small at Bolts, whose “multi-local” focus on criminal justice and voting rights coverage rooted in communities across the country has inspired other publishers to build upon its journalism and laid the foundation for a rapidly expanding business with several revenue drivers.” 

Finalist: Springfield Daily Citizen

Operational Resilience Award

Recognizes a LION member who has achieved transformational impact for their organization’s operational resilience by establishing processes, policies, and a company culture designed to support staff and manage growth in order to prevent burnout among the very people whose talent and buy-in are critical to their success.

Co-Winner, Small Revenue Tier: Dallas Free Press 

As their staff more than doubled, Dallas Free Press hired an operations and programming director and created a comprehensive playbook of operational processes that provide a foundation for their work.

From the judges: “Dallas Free Press is constantly listening, iterating, and honing their systems, which put people first with an eye toward journalistic impact and financial sustainability. They have done stellar work developing a people-centered organization, with a view toward equity, inclusion, and a healthy working culture.”

Co-Winner, Small Revenue Tier: Santa Cruz Local

Santa Cruz Local nearly doubled its staff in 2022 so it could launch a Spanish news initiative to serve Pajaro Valley residents. To recession-proof their budget, they raised $72,000 this year to fund the new positions through June 2024.

From the judges: “Santa Cruz Local has developed strong hiring processes, which start well before job openings are announced. Their thoughtfulness in aligning required competencies, designing inclusive job descriptions, and evaluating candidates using a structured rubric is best-in-class. They have also deeply invested in their work to serve the Spanish-speaking community.”

Finalists: The Appeal and Taproot Edmonton

Co-Winner, Medium/Large Revenue Tier: Bridge Michigan 

Bridge Michigan executed sweeping organizational succession when its founding CEO transitioned to a new role. They also brought on a new chair to their board of directors and three new appointees, and surpassed $1 million in their annual membership revenue three years ahead of schedule.

From the judges: “Bridge Michigan planned and executed a truly exceptional change management plan under their new CEO. Bridge has implemented new processes and operations that demonstrate the organization’s leadership acumen and commitment to iterative development in response to staff and community needs.” 

Co-Winner, Medium/Large Revenue Tier: The Prison Journalism Project 

The Prison Journalism Project implemented policies to bolster sustainability and resilience, including healthcare coverage, increased PTO, onboarding and offboarding processes, an annual staff retreat, and structured performance reviews. 

From the judges: “The Prison Journalism Project has done exceptional work under exceptional circumstances, developing a duty of care and set of processes and principles that show they embody their values and mission while supporting the development of essential journalism. As they’ve expanded, they have moved with care to support their staff, the communities they serve, and those who write for them.”

Finalist: Richland Source 

Financial Health Award

Recognizes a LION member who has achieved transformational impact for their organization’s financial health by making progress toward developing a plan for earning money, managing a budget, and/or monitoring revenue and expenses to extend their financial runway.

Winner, Small Revenue Tier: Shasta Scout

Shasta Scout launched in the spring of 2021 and saw solid early revenue growth. Over their second year of operations, they developed strong financial policies and processes and instated a data-driven financial plan to sustain and grow the newsroom.

From the judges: “Shasta Scout provides a compelling example of the growth journey for a small media outlet that prioritizes diversity, inclusion, and high-quality journalism. Their dedication, combined with strategic approaches to revenue diversification, compensation, and investment in revenue generation efforts, is poised to yield positive results.” 

Finalists: The Buckeye Flame and The Hoser 

Winner, Medium/Large Revenue Tier: Cardinal News 

In one year, Cardinal News went from $300,000 in seed funding to more than quadrupling its annual budget. They attribute their success to gaining support from local foundations and corporations, building an audience, and actively converting readers to donors.

From the judges: “What truly stands out about Cardinal News is its dedication to quality journalism, underpinned by an ambitious growth strategy centered on diversifying its revenue sources. Their data-informed approach involves meticulously implementing revenue-generating efforts bolstered by a dedicated team, clear performance metrics, and appropriate technology infrastructure. This places them at the forefront of the sustainability game.”

Finalists: Charlottesville Tomorrow and Richland Source

Collaboration of the Year Award

Recognizes a LION member that has successfully formed a short-term or long-term collaboration with at least one other organization to positively affect their journalistic impact, financial health and/or operational resilience.

Co-Winners, Micro/Small Revenue Tier: Tone Madison and Madison Minutes

After the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, Tone Madison and Madison Minutes conducted a survey on family planning and abortion. They used the responses to report a series of six in-depth stories that balance the complex human impact of the ruling with broader political and medical context.

From the judges: “This collaboration embodies the spirit of people-driven, data-informed, and local-issue solutions journalism, and highlights the reproductive healthcare concerns and needs of a diverse set of people, all of whom are impacted in different ways by the SCOTUS decision.” 

Co-Winner, Micro/Small Revenue Tier: Verified News Network (VNN)

Verified News Network (VNN) Oklahoma and the Lucinda Hickory Research Institute created the series “Stealing Tvlse,” which investigated Tulsa’s Allotment Era history when the government stole oil-rich land from the Mvskoke Creek people. 

From the judges: “This is a groundbreaking, eye-opening report with many angles of accessibility for exceptional storytelling and reporting. The series details the struggles amongst groups of indigenous people whose concerns and lives have a long history of being marginalized.” 

Finalists: Boulder Reporting Lab and Racine County Eye

Winner, Medium Revenue Tier: La Noticia 

La Noticia partnered with local public radio stations WFAE and WFDD to produce stories focused on immigrant voices, both in English and in Spanish. This joint effort created awareness about immigrant issues through compelling journalism, extensive community engagement, and data-driven insights.

From the judges: “This collaboration is at an exciting starting point. These three entities in East Charlotte, North Carolina, are focused on the area’s largely Latino immigrant community and are producing category-leading coverage based on data and solutions.”

Finalist: Springfield Daily Citizen

Winner, Large Revenue Tier: Broke in Philly 

Led by Resolve Philly, Broke in Philly was a five-year collaborative reporting project on economic mobility and solutions reporting on poverty. The project included 29 newsrooms working in six languages. They published more than 3,000 articles and drove real impact in Philadelphia. 

From the judges: “Broke in Philly sets the bar for a collaboration that excels at addressing an issue that affects people and considers many perspectives. It uses data to tell the full story in a masterful way that informs people and inspires change.”

Finalists: Chalkbeat and The Colorado Sun, Dallas Voice, and Wisconsin Watch

Product of the Year Award

Recognizes a LION member who developed a successful and creative short-term or long-term product to strengthen their journalistic impact, financial health, and/or operational resilience.

Winner, Micro Revenue Tier: 2PuntosPlatform

Launched in August 2022, 2PuntosPlatform’s VozColectiva is a community newsroom of five Latina women in Philadelphia. Their first reporting topic was domestic violence, and they won the 2023 Advocacy Champion Award from Women Against Abuse.

From the judges: “Voz Colectiva excels in its ability to focus on a specific audience and devise effective strategies for its benefit. Their innovative approach lies in seamlessly integrating various formats to create a unique and engaging experience.” 

Finalists: Austin Vida and Conecta Arizona 

Winner, Small Revenue Tier: The Green Line 

The Green Line fills gaps in news coverage by delivering hyper-local journalism to Gen Z and Millennial Torontonians and other underserved communities. They encourage readers to take action via their Action Journey model.

From the judges: “The Green Line has pioneered a new product that blends elements of explanation, feature reporting, in-person events, and follow-up coverage. This reflects a thoughtful analysis of its target audience, the most effective means of engagement, and the necessary steps to bring the project to fruition.” 

Finalist: RANGE Media 

Winner, Medium Revenue Tier: Jacksonville Today 

Jacksonville Today at WJCT Public Media’s free newsletter reaches about 19,000 people and focuses on populations in Jacksonville that have historically suffered from a lack of local coverage.

From the judges: “Jacksonville Today’s newsletter is a winning model for growing an audience and driving new reader revenue, supported by a highly adaptive and metrics-driven approach.” 

Finalists: Cardinal News and La Noticia

Winner, Large Revenue Tier: Montana Free Press

Montana Free Press recognized that finding publicly available information on the 2023 Legislative Session was a challenge for most Montanans, so they created the “Capitol Tracker” to provide a single resource for anyone following the session.

From the judges: “Montana Free Press’s Capitol Tracker is a data-rich resource hub, meeting readers where they are and delivering actionable information for driving civic engagement.” 

Finalists: Grist and Spotlight PA

Accountability Award

Recognizes general excellence in journalistic impact that led to the accountability of those in positions of power and a demonstrable positive outcome for the affected community.

Winner, Small Revenue Tier: The Kansas City Defender 

The Kansas City Defender’s coverage of Ralph Yarl, a 16-year-old Black teen shot by a known racist white man, epitomizes their commitment to rigorous and equitable reporting. Yarl’s case was overlooked and misreported by local legacy outlets, and the Kansas City Defender’s investigation exposed a severe racial injustice that would have otherwise remained hidden. 

From the judges: “This powerful piece of journalism is thorough and hits all the marks. The Kansas City Defender provided context and a deep understanding of racial and socioeconomic issues at play and used data to support the lived experiences of those quoted in the story, clearly demonstrating a strong understanding of their work and the audience they serve.” 

Finalists: The Mendocino Voice, Open Vallejo, and Streetsblog

Winner, Medium Revenue Tier: The Assembly 

The Assembly hired two veteran reporters to cover courts and criminal justice, focusing on those most affected by the system: Black and brown, often low-income, North Carolinians. Their reporting uncovered the case of Charles McNeair, who was 16 when a white woman accused him of rape and remains in prison 43 years later –– despite his claims of innocence. 

From the judges: “The case of the 16-year-old convicted of a life sentence for rape was deeply reported and well told. The depth and diligence of the reporting shines a spotlight on the human cost of a flawed justice system.”

Finalist: Mississippi Free Press

Winner, Large Revenue Tier: Wisconsin Watch 

In a three-part series, Wisconsin Watch explored the roots of racial and gender-related bullying that gripped schools in the small town of Kiel, Wisconsin. After two stories were published, parents rallied to prevent the ousting of a popular superintendent, and two far-right school board members resigned, restoring the board to a more moderate majority.

From the judges: “The judges unanimously agreed that this is one of the most outstanding pieces of journalism they have read in a long time. Huge lessons for the whole country in this well-told saga of a small town swept up in standing up to hate, intolerance, and bigotry. Bravo! This is why local news matters.” 

Finalists: EdSource, El Paso Matters, and Grist

Community Engagement Award

Recognizes general excellence in journalistic impact that demonstrates a systematized community listening strategy to consistently tell stories for, with, and by the people that a LION member is working to serve.

Winner, Micro Revenue Tier: Burlington Buzz

Burlington Buzz serves Burlington, Massachusetts, and covers local issues that affect its citizens, resulting in more community members championing important initiatives, raising visibility, and demanding accountability from their elected leaders.

From the judges: “The Burlington Buzz designed itself to enable the community to actively shape its initiatives, which has formed a positive feedback loop that is essential to increasing civic engagement.” 

Finalists: 2PuntosPlatform and TheReportingProject.org

Co-Winner, Small Revenue Tier: The Appeal

The Appeal highlights voices missing from traditional criminal justice coverage by directly partnering with incarcerated writers to tell their own stories. In 2022, 14% of its writers were previously or currently incarcerated.

From the judges: “The team at The Appeal demonstrates a deep and unwavering understanding of the identities and needs of their audience. Their deliberate efforts to amplify the voices of incarcerated journalists and writers showcase a genuine commitment to authentic representation. They also create a nurturing environment where marginalized voices can thrive, contributing to a more equitable and inclusive media landscape.”

Co-Winner, Small Revenue Tier: The Discourse

The Discourse embarked on deep community collaboration to surface solutions for drought-struck local watersheds. The resulting series has built community and shared Indigenous knowledge, especially about innovative solutions and ways for everyday people to get involved. 

From the judges: “The Discourse’s approach is superb with a strong foundation in community engagement. This initiative emerged from the community itself, generating resources and reporting that produced and shared insights to serve the community’s needs. The Discourse stands as a shining example, leading the way in community-driven journalism and innovative storytelling.” 

Finalists: Santa Cruz Local and Shasta Scout

Winner, Large Revenue Tier: Resolve Philly

Resolve Philly’s Community Engagement Team aims to change how historically mis- or underrepresented communities interact with, and are reflected in, local news. Their Sound Offs provide a signature space for Philly residents to discuss important issues.

From the judges: “The focused strategy, clarity of purpose, and rigorous approach that is displayed in Resolve Philly’s work serves as an exemplary model for others to emulate in their own endeavors.” 

Finalist: Block Club Chicago

Public Service Award

Recognizes general excellence in journalistic impact that successfully connects people with the information and services they need to navigate their lives and help make their communities more inclusive and equitable.

Winner, Micro Revenue Tier: The Coronado News

In a five-part series, Coronado News brought new attention to a serious sewage problem that has existed since the Great Depression. Their reporting has already gotten the attention of local and federal officials, including U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, who traveled to the international wastewater treatment plant in June 2023 to address the trans-border water pollution taking place.

From the judges: “The Coronado News’ impressive effort in identifying a problem within their community and actively instigating change not only provided a voice to underrepresented individuals but has also highlighted the significant personal health toll. Their comprehensive and multi-faceted perspective on the personal effects had a tangible impact by prompting lawmakers to advocate for improvements in the situation.”

Finalists: State Affairs and Watershed Voice

Co-Winners, Small Revenue Tier: ClearHealthCosts and Epicenter NYC

ClearHealthCosts, Epicenter-NYC, and TBN24 collaborated on an 18-month project to deliver COVID-19 vaccines to an under-vaccinated neighborhood in New York City. The project vaccinated thousands of people, tested tens of thousands, and passed out hundreds of thousands of at-home tests and pieces of literature.

From the judges: “Journalism, at its core, is a form of community service, and this trio went above and beyond by not only highlighting disparities but also providing services that had a transformative and potentially life-saving impact on people’s lives.” 

Finalists: The Buckeye Flame and California Health Report

Winner, Medium Revenue Tier: Mississippi Free Press

Since 2020, Mississippi Free Press has documented polling-place changes that go unreported by local and state election officials, leaving many voters with inaccurate information. This work was noticed by key voting-rights organizations in 2022 and used to urge the Mississippi Secretary of State to make changes.

From the judges: “The detailed and time-consuming reporting carried out by the Mississippi Free Press team is a testament to the importance of investigative journalism in safeguarding the democratic principles that underpin our society.” 

Finalists: Cardinal News and San José Spotlight

Co-Winner, Large Revenue Tier: Block Club Chicago 

Ahead of Chicago’s 2023 municipal election, Block Club Chicago created “The Ballot,” a free comprehensive voter guide that brought Chicagoans hyperlocal coverage of the mayoral election and all 50 ward races.

From the judges: “This is an excellent example of what community and local news should aspire to be. It employs multiple formats to reach people where they are, and the project’s experimentation with text messaging opens up opportunities for future stories and projects. The enthusiasm and expertise in the content are palpable, and the quality of writing is top-notch.” 

Co-Winner, Large Revenue Tier: VTDigger 

VTDigger’s “Full Disclosure” series exposed deficiencies in how Vermont legislators file ethics disclosures. The series led to changes by the state to make ethics disclosures more transparent to the public.

From the judges: “The remarkable efforts of VTDigger have undeniably made a substantial difference in the state of Vermont after they located financial disclosures legislators obfuscated — and made them publicly available online. VTDigger’s work is both bold and brave.” 

Finalists: Berkeleyside and The Oaklandside, Bridge Michigan, and Outlier Media

Outstanding Coverage Award

Recognizes a LION member who achieved general excellence in journalistic impact by building increased awareness or influencing public conversation about a specific issue that has reverberated throughout a community.

Winner, Micro Revenue Tier: The Coronado News

The Coronado News’ reporting on a century-old sewage issue and health crisis resulted in the three affected communities (Tijuana, Mexico; Imperial Beach, California and Coronado, California) working together to solicit the White House for support. 

From the judges: “The Coronado News has quickly established itself as a community watchdog and ambitious pursuer of truth. In this series, journalists took an in-depth look at the longstanding problem, why the progress to fix it has been so slow, the systemic failures involved, and who is being harmed. It had an immediate and important impact that should make a difference in finally addressing this crisis.” 

Finalists: Broken Arrow Sentinel, The Food Section, Oviedo Community News, and State Affairs

Winner, Small Revenue Tier: New Mexico in Depth 

New Mexico In Depth’s project, Blind Drunk, tackled the state’s alcohol abuse crisis. Following publication, lawmakers passed the first alcohol tax increase in 30 years. When the governor vetoed it, they launched a website to keep the pressure on.

From the judges: “New Mexico In Depth takes on a common problem — alcohol abuse — and explores it from several perspectives. The team not only gave a voice to individuals battling alcohol issues, but they also interviewed physicians and experts for solutions. They harnessed the power of data and graphics to deliver insights. Their seven-part investigative stories exemplify good journalism.”

Finalists: Asheville Watchdog, Bay City News Foundation, and The Discourse Nanaimo

Winner, Medium Revenue Tier: The Highlands Current 

When many state and national parks started setting visitation records, The Highlands Current’s series, Trails (Too) Well Traveled, explored solutions to preserve these precious landmarks while still promoting participation.

From the judges: “The Highlands Current adopted a multifaceted approach in these articles. The topic of access to public lands is of immense national significance, and the reporting on this specific trail provides a compelling glimpse into the complexities inherent in this issue.” 

Finalists: Cardinal News and Mission Local

Winner, Large Revenue Tier: Wisconsin Watch 

Wisconsin Watch’s series, False Choice, is all about marginalized children. Their reporting revealed that certain school programs are allowed to systematically exclude, discipline, or expel students for immutable traits — and there is little in the law to protect them.
From the judges: “The information provided in this series is incredibly important, and the reporting and investigation conducted are of excellent quality. It serves as valuable solutions journalism material, offering insights that are likely to be quite eye-opening for the majority of readers.”

Finalists: Documented and Spotlight PA

Community Member of the Year Award

Winner: Hanna Raskin, Editor and Founder, The Food Section

Hanna was chosen by LION staff due to her outstanding dedication to supporting other local independent publishers in her region. She’s often raised her hand to help other members and has generously shared her successes and lessons learned with them. This year, she worked with a fellow member, The Objective, on a series about food media, showcasing a spirit of collaboration. She has also done incredible and important journalism this year. The Food Section has published the work of more than a dozen food journalists…who otherwise might not have found a home for their hard-hitting work…and they compensated each one of them fairly. We are thrilled to honor Hanna with the 2023 Community Member of the Year Award!

The post Meet the 36 winners of the 2023 LION Local Journalism Awards appeared first on LION Publishers.

More people want to run local independent news businesses. The number of local independent news organizations has grown by six times over the last decade and we’ve seen a 168 percent increase in the number of LION members since 2019. 

And more people want to support local journalism. Over the past five years, we’ve seen more philanthropic efforts supporting journalism, and there’s an acknowledgment that more significant capital is needed to build on that momentum.

In LION’s strategic growth plan that we published today, we share our vision for a well-functioning news and information ecosystem: a decentralized network of independent news businesses that are more responsive to audience needs and collaborate to meet those needs — a new news industry with the potential to grow beyond the sum of its parts.

To make that vision a reality over the next five years, these are the three things that will be core to our work for our nearly 500 members, who represent independent news publishers covering local news and communities across the U.S. and Canada:

• Set the standard for what sustainability looks like for independent news businesses
• Identify our members’ stage of sustainability
• Help our members move closer to sustainability

We’ve shared three key highlights from the plan below, and invite you to read the full strategic plan.

1. Our sustainability maturity model is central to our work, and we want to make it an industry standard.

While the journalism industry is obsessed with talking about sustainability, we’ve spent the last three years actually defining it and identifying metrics to measure it. Those metrics, combined with analyzing data from more than 200 of our members’ businesses, have informed our maturity model for independent news businesses to understand how to reach sustainability based on their current stage. 

That’s why the underlying philosophy of all our programs is our definition of sustainability and our maturity model. We believe with these two frameworks, we’ll ultimately be able to help members know that they’re building sustainable businesses. 

2. Every LION member should know how to make their news business sustainable.

In 2021, we developed our Sustainability Audit to help members answer their most-asked question: “How is my business doing?” Since then, we have completed more than 200 Audits by refining our processes and hiring more than 35 Audit analysts, who are experts from across the industry. These Audit analysts conduct surveys and interviews to assess the financial health, operational resilience, and journalistic impact of our members’ businesses.

After a member receives an Audit, they can receive a Progress Report (currently known as our “Booster”) –– a lighter-weight assessment that measures progress over time. 

Our Audit is one of our most requested services. This year, we committed to delivering more than 150 Audits and Progress Reports. We’ll hit that goal, and we still have more than 100 members who have applied for these and not received one yet. 

Five years from now, we want every LION member who wants an Audit or Progress Report to receive one so they can measure their progress toward sustainability and have a roadmap on how to get there.

3. We want to design more tailored help for publishers from marginalized backgrounds to build sustainable news businesses. 

A key component of our vision for a more equitable and impactful local news ecosystem is seeing a dramatic increase in news businesses covering communities historically overlooked or misrepresented by legacy media. To help enable this growth, we must remove as many systemic barriers as we can for founders and leaders who identify as Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, Latine or People of Color, and/or those who identify as LGBTQIA+.

That’s why we’ve added a new key metric of LION’s success: We’re holding ourselves accountable to supporting 100 of our Focus Members, those who historically face the greatest institutional barriers to building a sustainable news business, to the “Growing” stage of our sustainability model. 

One of LION’s core values is to ensure the independent news industry is creating space for leaders from marginalized or underrepresented backgrounds to thrive. Based on that value, we’ve identified Focus Members as member organizations who are: 

• In the following sustainability stages: Building and Maintaining and
• Currently led by someone who identifies as: Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, Latine or a Person of Color, and/or Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, or as a member of broader gender and sexually diverse communities

(Here’s more on our Focus Members.)

We’ve been serving these members over the past few years in the same way we’ve been serving all our members: time-bound training programs, direct funding, asynchronous online courses, in-person events, office hours for expert coaching, and more.

These members have told us that parts of those programs have been helpful. And they’ve also shared that if LION is really going to help their news businesses reach sustainability, we have to offer more tailored, in-depth help while respecting their limited time and bandwidth. We’ll start working on piloting this approach with some of our Focus Members next year.

Our next steps

We’ve set ambitious goals. Our next step is to operationalize these big ideas, and we can’t imagine a better team to do it with. Our team of 14, plus the incredible network of 70 coaches, Audit analysts, and industry experts we work with, is deeply dedicated to our mission of strengthening the local news ecosystem by helping our members build more sustainable news businesses. If you’re another journalism support organization that shares our mission and values, we’d love to collaborate with you. If you’re a funder, we’d love to talk with you about supporting the plan we’ve outlined. And we couldn’t be more excited for this next phase of service. 

Read our five-year strategic growth plan, and drop us a line if:

• If you’re interested in  LION membership: membership@lionpublishers.com
• If you’re interested in learning more about funding our work: chriskrewson@lionpublishers.com

Also, if you’d like to:

• Receive notifications about our next Audit cycle, sign up for our newsletter
• Stay updated on LION’s work and industry news, sign up for our newsletter
• Donate to LION to support our work 
• Donate to a LION member near you by searching our member database

The post Introducing LION’s five-year strategic growth plan appeared first on LION Publishers.

From September to November 2023, LION’s community ambassadors will reach out to local independent news organizations in their assigned region as a part of Project Oasis, an initiative to map the growing digital, local, independent media landscape. 

Community ambassadors will also share information about industry support opportunities, including LION’s learning opportunities, resources and community for independent news entrepreneurs as they build and develop sustainable businesses.

After the initial phase of the community ambassador program, LION will use participant feedback and other insights to expand the community ambassador program in 2024. Our goal is to create a community-led program that helps LION members throughout the U.S. and Canada build regional networks with other independent news publishers to share resources and knowledge with one another. 

Read on to learn more about the community ambassadors selected for each region. And if you know of any organizations that should be included in Project Oasis, please contact us at hello@lionpublishers.com.

Region 1: California 

Annelise Pierce

Director, Managing Editor and Community Reporter, Shasta Scout

Location: Redding, CA

Why are you a good fit to be a community ambassador? 

[I’m] deeply motivated to increase collaboration and connection between local, regional and national news organizations.

Region 2: Oregon, Washington, Idaho

Chas Huntley

Owner, Gales Creek Journal

Location: Gales Creek, OR 

Why are you a good fit to be a community ambassador? 

I have been involved for many years in the leadership of the Oregon Pro chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists … and have a keen interest in many of the new digital publications in and around the greater northwest area. 

Region 3: Montana, Wyoming 

Will Hill

Owner and Publisher, County 10 

Location: Riverton, WY

Why are you a good fit to be a community ambassador? 

I have been actively engaged in working with other publishers and networking to support our industry in Wyoming. Together with other digital-only publishers, we have brought Google to Wyoming for training, teamed up reporters for education, and created content sharing agreements. 

Region 4: Colorado, Utah  

Corey Hutchins

Journalist and Educator, Inside the News in Colorado
Location: Colorado Springs, CO

Why are you a good fit to be a community ambassador? 

I’m a journalism instructor at Colorado College where I oversee the database for the Colorado News Mapping Project and publish the weekly Substack newsletter “Inside the News in Colorado.”

Region 5: Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada

Dylan Smith

Editor & Publisher, Tucson Sentinel
Location: Tucson, AZ

Why are you a good fit to be a community ambassador? 

I’ve spent the last 12 years recruiting LION members. 

Region 6: Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska 

Marlee Baldridge

Director of Special Projects, The Objective 

Location: Des Moines, IA

Why are you a good fit to be a community ambassador? 

After growing up and living in the Midwest for the majority of my life, my belief in Project Oasis goes beyond academics or professional interests. I’d like to use this opportunity to get more familiar with my local news services, and offbeat information sources that wouldn’t classify themselves as traditional “news,” such as the climate-data pamphlets published by EPA reps in Indigenous lands or SMS-based information services.

Region 7: Illinois, Wisconsin 

Joe Coughlin

Editor-in-Chief, The Record North Shore

Location: Wilmette, IL 

Why are you a good fit to be a community ambassador? 

I am dedicated to the independent news community and believe local news needs energized, thoughtful reform. 

Region 8: Ohio, Indiana, Michigan

Gabrielle Dion

Founder and Publisher, MedicateOH

Location: Cincinnati, OH

Why are you a good fit to be a community ambassador? 

We’ve wanted to reach out to local news organizations to build a current list, so this would be a great project for me and my team. I’m a seasoned journalist of 25+ years with colleagues all over the region.

Region 9: Pennsylvania, Delaware  

Ambassador 1: Indah Nuritasari

CEO and Co-Founder, Indonesian Lantern Media

Location: Philadelphia, PA

Why are you a good fit to be a community ambassador? 

I have been living in Philadelphia since 2001 and have been working with the immigrant communities there since 2003. I co-founded Indonesian Lantern Media in 2014. In 2022, I was selected as one of the 13 participants of the Philadelphia Media Founder Network held by The Lenfest Foundation.

Ambassador 2: Madison Rae Karas

Editor, 2PuntosPlatform
Location: Philadelphia, PA

Why are you a good fit to be a community ambassador? 

I’m well-connected in local journalism in my region due to my previous involvement in local news communities … I’d love to be a community ambassador for this project because I enjoy meeting independent publishers and news entrepreneurs and want to be a part of connecting them with resources to support them.

Region 10: Kansas, Missouri

Jennifer Hack

Independent Journalist 

Location: Kansas City, MO

Why are you a good fit to be a community ambassador? 

I have a very strong understanding of the local news landscape from working in Midwest journalism for more than 20 years and very recent involvement with The Wichita Journalism Collaborative and the Kansas City Media Collective. 

Region 11: Texas, Oklahoma

Keri Mitchell

Founder and Executive Director, Dallas Free Press

Location: Dallas, TX 

Why are you a good fit to be a community ambassador? 

I worked with a partner at the Dallas Morning News to launch the Dallas Media Collaborative, so that local media outlets can work together to explore solutions to systemic inequities. … A major goal of Dallas Free Press is to change the way we do journalism in Dallas (and beyond) to center communities and public service in our work.

Region 12: Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas 

Christiaan Mader

Editor and Founder, The Current LA

Location: 

Why are you a good fit to be a community ambassador? 

The Current has thrived in a difficult environment for a local news outlet. And much of that success has followed mentorship from LION programming. I can speak to the issues that uniquely confront Southern and mid-market publishers with recent (and ongoing) tribulations. 

Region 13: Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky

Apryl Pilolli

Technology Director for Houston Defender, Sacramento Observer, Atlanta Voice and other publications 

Location: Atlanta, GA

Why are you a good fit to be a community ambassador? 

I have worked in local news for 25+ years and am passionate about helping to build sustainability and new revenue models for these publications.

Region 14: Florida, Puerto Rico

Mariela Santos-Muniz

Founder, BoriMas

Location: Guayanilla, PR

Why are you a good fit to be a community ambassador? 

I’m based in Puerto Rico and keep up-to-date on the news industry here. As a volunteer, I founded and run a Twitter/X account that shares job opportunities, industry news, and the work of fellow female Puerto Rican journalists (regardless of location). 

Region 15: North Carolina, South Carolina 

Rose Hoban

Editor and Founder, North Carolina Health News 

Location: Chapel Hill, NC

Why are you a good fit to be a community ambassador? 

I’ve already started the process! I was (recently) at the NC Press Association annual convention and spoke to publishers/editors from three small publications about LION. 

Region 16: Virginia, West Virginia 

Luanne Rife

Executive Director, Cardinal News

Location: Roanoke, VA

Why are you a good fit to be a community ambassador? 

Cardinal News has been part of an nascent effort to form a coalition of independent news agencies in Virginia. We are already attempting to identify others. 

Region 17: District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia

Ambassador 1: Lillian E. Agosto Maldonado

Founder and Editor, Mundos Paralelos

Location: Washington, D.C. 

Why are you a good fit to be a community ambassador? 

As part of my D.C. community commitment, I have been involved in organizations like the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), Online News Association (ONA), and Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC). I am also a doctoral student working with ethnic media and how journalists have been covering health and minorities during COVID-19.

Ambassador 2: Catherine Hollingsworth 

Founder, Publisher and Editor, The Bowie Sun

Location: Bowie, MD

Why are you a good fit to be a community ambassador? 

I’m involved with a number of professional associations, including the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), Maryland Innovation Extension, Women’s Business Center, Small Business Development Centers, U.S. Black Chamber of Commerces, Black-Owned Media Equity & Sustainability Institute, Ida B. Wells Society, and the Journalists of Color Slack.

Region 18: New Jersey

Kenneth Miles

Publisher, Trenton Journal 

Location: Trenton, New Jersey

Why are you a good fit to be a community ambassador? 

I am an independent news publisher dedicated to filling in the information gaps and highlighting the positive voices in my community. I also have an extensive, successful background in community building as a journalist and as an entrepreneur. 

Region 19: New York

Ambassador 1: Akash Mehta

Editor-in-Chief, New York Focus 

Location: Brooklyn, NY

Why are you a good fit to be a community ambassador? 

I run the only statewide nonprofit news organization in New York. We’re expanding our relationships with local publishers and building a syndication network, and this could be a powerful way to connect with more potential partners.

Ambassador 2: Gabriela Barzallo

Founder, LAT Media

Location: Sunnyside, NY 

Why are you a good fit to be a community ambassador? 

As a bilingual journalist and media founder in New York City, I’ve collaborated extensively with independent journalists from community media outlets in both New York and Pennsylvania. Our joint efforts have been dedicated to serving marginalized communities, particularly people of color, immigrants, and Spanish-speaking populations. 

Region 20: Connecticut, Rhode Island

Ryan Belmore

Owner and Publisher, WhatsUpNewp

Location: Newport, RI 

Why are you a good fit to be a community ambassador? 

As a 12-year publisher and advocate for local, independent online news throughout the country, I’ve been connected to many publishers across the United States. For a couple of years, I hosted/co-hosted a weekly virtual call with publishers across the United States, and I’ve helped coach both LION and non-LION members.

Region 21: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts

Nicci Kadilak

Founder, Burlington Buzz 

Location: Burlington, MA

Why are you a good fit to be a community ambassador? 

I am active in collaborating with local journalism outlets and have been working to build connections with small independent local news providers. 

NOTE: No applications were received from Alaska or Hawaii. If you’re an independent news publisher and/or someone who is interested in supporting independent news and you’re based in Alaska or Hawaii, please reach out to Community Engagement Manager Samantha Matsumoto at samanthamatsumoto@lionpublishers.com about being a community ambassador.

The post Meet LION’s Fall 2023 Community Ambassadors appeared first on LION Publishers.