Keep It Local | Local Media Association

Artificial intelligence is transforming local media. But are newsrooms putting their most valuable information at risk without realizing it?

Recorded at Local Media Fest 2026 in Chicago, Local Media Association's Ryan Welton talks with Jon Accarrino, founder of Ordo Digital, about the hidden risks of AI adoption and what media companies can do to protect themselves.

Jon identifies three major areas of concern: sensitive information entered into AI tools, unauthorized scraping of publishers' content, and "shadow AI" — tools employees use without the knowledge or approval of their IT departments.

They also discuss:

• Why free and paid AI tools require careful evaluation
• How publishers can protect and monetize their journalism
• The differences between answer engine optimization (AEO) and generative engine optimization (GEO)
• Why AI-generated software, or "vibe coding," can introduce serious security vulnerabilities
• How media companies can embrace AI innovation while maintaining control of their data

Keep It Local is a podcast from Local Media Association featuring conversations with innovators, executives and thought leaders shaping the future of local media.

Learn more about Local Media Association: https://localmedia.org/

Learn more about Ordo Digital: https://ordodigital.com/

#LocalMedia #ArtificialIntelligence #AISecurity #Journalism #MediaInnovation

Local newsrooms have more valuable assets than they may realize. The challenge is figuring out how to turn those assets into sustainable revenue.

Todd Handy, founder and chief revenue officer of Disruptive Impact, joins Ryan Welton on Keep It Local to discuss his new Local Media Innovation Insights report, Monetizing Local Content.

In this conversation, Todd explains:

• Why audience trust, community connections and first-party data have real business value
• How newsrooms can diversify revenue without abandoning their existing businesses
• Why events are an opportunity for local media organizations of all sizes
• How to choose which revenue initiative to launch first
• Where AI can help media companies grow revenue and operate more efficiently
• Why measuring churn, recurring revenue and profitability is essential

Todd also shares a practical 90-day framework for strengthening advertiser relationships and developing recurring revenue.

Resources:

Local Media Association: https://www.localmedia.org/

Disruptive Impact: https://disruptiveimpact.co/

Keep It Local is produced by Local Media Association and hosted by Ryan Welton.

Local newsrooms are often asked to cover the economy — but rarely have the tools to cover economic mobility at a granular, data-driven level. One year ago, Local Media Association, Comcast NBCUniversal, and Opportunity Insights launched the Economic Opportunity Lab to change that.

In this episode of Keep It Local, host Ryan Welton talks with Dana Piccoli, Managing Director of News Is Out and Project Manager of the Economic Opportunity Lab, about what the first year produced: original reporting from 48 newsrooms and 10 NBC Telemundo stations across five regions (Chicago, Philadelphia, Miami, the Bay Area, and DC/Baltimore), and a new, free playbook for any newsroom, chamber of commerce, or city government that wants to do similar work in their own community.

They dig into how newsrooms partnered directly with researchers from Opportunity Insights to translate dense data — including the Opportunity Atlas — into personal, place-based stories on housing, education, and employment. Dana shares the story behind one of the Lab's most impactful pieces, a report on credit scores in Baltimore's Black community by the AFRO's Victoria Mejicanos, which prompted local bankers to convene a session to address the findings. She also talks about the role of trust and vulnerability in reporting on personal finances, and why public listening sessions were central to several newsrooms' approach.

The conversation closes with a look at what's next: making the playbook a living resource, helping communities find funding for similar collaboratives, and a reminder of News Is Out's LGBTQ+ media mapping project, which tracks coverage gaps for queer communities nationwide.

In this episode:

• Introducing the Economic Opportunity Lab and its one-year mark
• The scope: 48 newsrooms, 10 NBC Telemundo stations, 5 regions
• What's in the new playbook — and who it's for
• Common threads in the reporting: housing, education, employment
• Working with Opportunity Insights and the Opportunity Atlas
• The Afro's credit-score investigation and its real-world impact
• Building community trust through listening sessions
• Covering economic opportunity in the LGBTQ+ community
• News deserts, the $1 billion cost of losing local news, and why it matters most for marginalized communities
• What's next for the Lab

Links:

• Economic Opportunity Lab Playbook: https://playbook.economicopportunitylab.com/eol
• Contact Dana Piccoli: dana.piccoli@localmedia.org

Guest: Dana Piccoli, Managing Director, News Is Out; Project Manager, Economic Opportunity Lab

Host: Ryan Welton, Local Media Association

The loudest members of your audience may not be the most representative.

New research from Pew Research Center divides Americans into four broad groups based on how they participate in news, politics, civic life and religion: mobilizers, connectors, spectators and outsiders.

On this episode of Keep It Local, Local Media Association host Ryan Welton talks with Pew Research Center research associate Luxuan Wang about what those groups can teach local newsrooms about their audiences.

One group in particular should get publishers’ attention: spectators. They closely follow news and engage with information online, but they are far less likely to participate publicly in civic or political life. That means traditional engagement signals such as comments and public shares may miss a significant portion of a newsroom’s real audience.

Wang also explains why younger Americans may be more connected to news than conventional wisdom suggests, how social media and creators are reshaping news discovery, and why local journalism continues to enjoy greater trust than national news.

The conversation offers newsroom leaders a different way to think about one of journalism’s favorite words: engagement.

Read Pew Research Center’s report, “How Americans Are Engaged With News, Politics, Religion and Civic Life,” at PewResearch.org.

Keep It Local is a podcast from Local Media Association exploring innovation, strategy and the future of local journalism. Interested in sponsoring Keep It Local or appearing as a guest? Contact Lindsey Estes at lindsey.estes@localmedia.org and Ryan Welton at ryan.welton@localmedia.org.

What makes a local media company valuable to its community — and sustainable as a business?

Leo Cusimano has spent 34 years with Dallas Voice, including the past 13 as publisher. He joins Keep It Local host Ryan Welton at Local Media Fest 2026 to explain how his background in marketing and advertising shapes the way he runs one of the country’s most established LGBTQ+ media organizations.

Cusimano argues that publishers should stop thinking about simply “selling an ad” and instead build genuine relationships with advertisers, understand their marketing goals, and become long-term media partners.

He also discusses philanthropic funding, lessons from the Lab for Journalism Funding, expanding Dallas Voice journalism into an underserved community, and the powerful story of a reader who said discovering Dallas Voice helped save his life.

Plus, Cusimano shares what he teaches small and independent publishers about sales: You don’t necessarily have to become a salesperson. You have to learn how to build relationships and partnerships.

Keep It Local is a podcast from Local Media Association.

If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast or sponsor it and reach news organizations across North America, reach out to Lindsey Estes (lindsey.estes@localmedia.org) and Ryan Welton (ryan.welton@localmedia.org).

Local news is losing more than two newspapers a week—but that is only one side of the industry’s story.

Tim Franklin, professor and John M. Mutz Chair in Local News at Northwestern University’s Medill School, says local journalism is experiencing both troubling decline and encouraging growth. Digital-only publications, local news networks and independent content creators are emerging as the industry searches for sustainable ways to serve communities.

Franklin joins Keep It Local host Ryan Welton at Local Media Fest 2026 in Chicago to discuss what he calls the greatest transformation in local news since the penny press of the 1830s.

The conversation explores the civic and economic consequences of news deserts, the urgency of experimentation and the need for news organizations to reach audiences through platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp and text messaging.

Franklin also explains why strong local sports coverage can attract audiences, build community and drive subscriptions or memberships. And as a former Chicago Tribune sports editor, he offers an insider’s perspective on the Cubs-White Sox rivalry.

Franklin is the founding director of the Medill Local News Initiative, which conducts the State of Local News Project and supports news organizations through research, acceleration, leadership training and other programs designed to strengthen local journalism.

Learn more at https://www.localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu.

Keep It Local is a podcast from Local Media Association. If you'd like to be a guest on an episode or to sponsor the podcast, reach out to Lindsey Estes (lindsey.estes@localmedia.org) and Ryan Welton (ryan.welton@localmedia.org).

Sustainable local journalism requires more than a single source of revenue. It requires experimentation, collaboration and a culture willing to embrace transformation.

Local Media Association coach and consultant Liz White joins Keep It Local host Ryan Welton at Local Media Fest 2026 in Chicago to discuss how Local Media Association helps news organizations develop new ideas and build stronger business models.

White explains how LMA’s labs combine peer learning with hands-on coaching, giving local media leaders a place to discuss shared challenges and experiment together. She also outlines the revenue pillars that can support long-term sustainability, including events, digital agencies and philanthropy—all built upon a foundation of trusted local journalism.

A fifth-generation family media owner and former publisher in central Connecticut, White previously participated in LMA programs and served eight years on the organization’s board. Now, she uses those experiences to coach other publishers through their own transformation.

In this episode:

• Why collaboration is so valuable for local media leaders

• How LMA’s labs combine peer learning and individual coaching

• Why transformation must become part of a company’s culture

• How multiple revenue pillars can strengthen a news organization

• Why trusted local journalism must remain the foundation

Keep It Local is a podcast from Local Media Association. If you'd like to be a guest on an episode or to sponsor the podcast, reach out to Lindsey Estes (lindsey.estes@localmedia.org) and Ryan Welton (ryan.welton@localmedia.org).

Former New York Times executive editor Dean Baquet believes the erosion of local journalism is helping drive America’s civic and political divisions.

In this conversation recorded at Local Media Fest 2026 in Chicago, Baquet explains why strong local reporting gives communities a shared identity, helps residents understand the decisions affecting their lives and strengthens democracy.

Baquet also shares a lesson local newsrooms can take from The New York Times: Ask what journalism you can provide every day that your audience cannot get anywhere else. He discusses the need for news organizations to communicate their value, become more transparent about editorial decisions and own their mistakes.

Baquet now leads The New York Times’ Local Investigations Fellowship, supporting reporters pursuing ambitious accountability journalism in communities across the country.

In this episode:

• Why the erosion of local news affects the entire country

• What local publishers can learn from The New York Times

• How news deserts weaken accountability

• Why communities must financially support local journalism

• How transparency can rebuild audience trust

• Baquet’s work supporting local investigative reporters

Keep It Local is a podcast of Local Media Association, hosted by Ryan Welton. If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, or if you'd like to sponsor it — email Lindsey Estes at lindsey.estes@localmedia.org and Ryan Welton at ryan.welton@localmedia.org.

What does the local news crisis actually cost communities?

According to new research from Rebuild Local News, the answer is about $1.1 billion every year in higher borrowing costs alone.

Keep It Local host Ryan Welton sits down with Matt Baker, director of research at Rebuild Local News, to discuss the organization's latest report and why communities without watchdog journalism pay more to finance schools, roads and public infrastructure.

They also explore the broader consequences of news deserts, including civic engagement, public accountability, financial misconduct and the growing body of research showing that local journalism delivers measurable economic value.

In this episode

• Why lenders charge more when local news disappears
• The connection between watchdog journalism and taxpayer costs
• Examples of communities where accountability reporting made a difference
• The broader economic impacts of news deserts
• Why rebuilding local journalism will require more than one solution

Guest: Matt Baker, Director of Research, Rebuild Local News

Learn more about Rebuilding Local News at https://www.rebuildlocalnews.org/

If you'd like to be a guest on the Keep It Local podcast or, perhaps, to sponsor Keep It Local — reach out to Lindsey Estes at lindsey.estes@localmedia.org and Ryan Welton at ryan.welton@localmedia.org

Artificial intelligence is creating new possibilities for local newsrooms — including finding stories that they might not otherwise know about.

In this episode of Keep It Local, host Ryan Welton sits down with Jim Haddadin, investigative editor at Connecticut Public, and Susan Bell, senior director of data and digital services, to discuss the organization's award-winning Public Meeting Monitor.

The AI-powered system analyzes government meetings, identifies potentially newsworthy developments, and helps reporters uncover stories happening across communities throughout Connecticut.

The conversation also explores Curio, Connecticut Public's audience-support chatbot, along with broader lessons about newsroom adoption, transparency, audience trust, and the future of AI in local journalism.

Topics discussed:

• Why Connecticut Public built the Public Meeting Monitor
• How AI reviews and summarizes public meetings
• The role of human journalists in the reporting process
• Stories that originated from AI-generated news tips
• Building audience-service tools with AI
• Lessons for local news organizations exploring AI
• Where newsroom innovation is headed next

Guests:

Jim Haddadin, Investigative Editor, Connecticut Public

Susan Bell, Senior Director of Data and Digital Services, Connecticut Public

Hosted by Ryan Welton for Local Media Association's Keep It Local podcast.

The journalism profession is undergoing significant change, leaving many media professionals wondering what comes next.

In this episode of Keep It Local, host Ryan Welton talks with Bridget Thoreson, founder of MyCareerRiver, about the realities of navigating journalism careers in an era of layoffs, disruption, entrepreneurship, and rapid technological change.

Drawing from interviews with more than 160 professionals, Bridget shares practical insights on career reinvention, adapting to uncertainty, and recognizing the value of journalism skills beyond traditional newsroom roles.

Among the topics discussed:

• Why the traditional journalism career ladder no longer works for many professionals
• The three principles that emerged from Bridget's career research
• How journalists can reframe uncertainty as an opportunity for discovery
• The surprising job-search breakthrough that helped one journalist land a job after more than a year of unemployment
• Why skills matter more than titles
• How newsletters, podcasts, consulting, and entrepreneurship are creating new opportunities for journalists
• What media professionals can do today to prepare for the future

Learn more about Bridget's work at https://www.MyCareerRiver.com.

Would you like to sponsor a future episode of Keep It Local? Our membership comprises more than 3,000 local media companies of all sizes and media. We have a variety of ways to get you in front of key decision-makers within the industry.

Podcasting can feel intimidating for local media organizations. Questions about equipment, studios, editing, distribution and monetization often stop projects before they begin.

In this special episode of "Keep It Local," host Ryan Welton turns the microphone on himself to discuss his new LMII Innovation Insights report on podcasting and explain why he believes podcasts have become one of the most powerful content engines available to local media organizations today.

Ryan shares practical lessons from his work in local journalism, digital audience strategy and podcast production, offering a step-by-step look at how newsrooms can launch sustainable podcast programs without massive budgets or complicated studio setups.

The conversation covers everything from microphones and audio quality to Riverside workflows, video production, content repurposing and revenue opportunities through branded content.

In this episode:

• Why podcasting should be viewed as a content pillar
• The biggest mistakes newsrooms make before launching a podcast
• Why audio quality matters more than video quality
• Recommended microphones, headphones and recording setups
• Riverside vs. other remote recording platforms
• Simple lighting techniques for better video podcasts
• Editing workflows using Adobe Premiere Pro, Audition and HandBrake
• Getting podcasts onto Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube
• Turning one podcast into articles, newsletters and social media content
• Using podcasts to support branded content and sponsorship sales
• Why long-form conversations are thriving in 2026

Key Quote

"It's not just video, it's not just audio, it's short clips. It's a written article."

Resources Mentioned

• LMII Innovation Insights Report: Podcasting
• Riverside
• Adobe Premiere Pro
• Adobe Audition
• HandBrake
• Captivate
• Beehiiv
• Opus Clip
• Canva

Connect

Have questions about podcasting, newsroom workflows or content strategy?

Contact Ryan Welton at Local Media Association to continue the conversation.

What happens when a journalist sees critical gaps between communities and local media?

For Ruby Jones, the answer was to build something entirely new.

Ruby is the founder of Empower Media Exchange, a Colorado-based nonprofit dedicated to community storytelling, media literacy, youth engagement and civic information. Her innovative work earned her Local Media Association's 2025 Digital Innovation Award for Rising Star in Innovation.

In this episode of Keep It Local, Ryan Welton talks with Ruby about creating Colorado's first Community Information Commons, helping young people become storytellers, building trust through relationship-centered journalism and why communication skills matter far beyond the newsroom.

In this episode

• How Ruby's journalism journey began early
• The inspiration behind Empower Media Exchange
• Why media literacy is about more than spotting misinformation
• Creating opportunities for youth storytellers
• The role of intergenerational collaboration in journalism
• Building the Community Information Commons
• Why every organization should think like a media company
• How local journalism can better connect with communities
• The future of storytelling and audience trust

About Ruby Jones

Ruby Jones is the founder of Empower Media Exchange, a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening communities through storytelling, media literacy and civic engagement. Through initiatives including Front Range Focus, the Community Information Commons and NextGen Media Literacy Labs, she is helping create more inclusive pathways for people to share their stories and participate in local media.

Resources

Empower Media Exchange — https://empowermediaexchange.org

Follow Ruby Jones on LinkedIn

Follow Ruby on Instagram: @writing4real

Local Media Association — https://localmedia.org

Local Media Association revealed its 2025 Digital Innovation Awards on Wednesday, celebrating the local media organizations, journalists and teams pushing the industry forward through creativity, audience engagement and innovation.

Presented in partnership with Upland Second Street, this year’s awards honored impactful work across audience growth, storytelling, AI, product development, public service journalism and new business models.

LMA leaders said the honorees represent the resilience and forward-thinking ideas helping shape the future of local news at a time of rapid industry change. The awards recognize organizations and individuals developing fresh approaches to connecting with audiences, growing sustainable businesses and strengthening local journalism in communities across North America.

This special anniversary episode of Keep It Local, a podcast from the Local Media Association, looks back at a full year of conversations with leaders across the local news industry.

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

🔑 What you’ll learn

Branded content that actually works

• Why internal alignment is critical to success
• How storytelling drives advertiser value

AI in the newsroom

• Practical use cases beyond writing
• How AI can improve accessibility and efficiency
• Why trust and transparency matter more than ever

New revenue opportunities

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

Audience trust & data strategy

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

Growth strategies for modern newsrooms

• Short-form video adoption
• Community-first engagement models
• Building direct audience relationships

🎯 Why it matters

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

This episode is a roadmap for doing exactly that.

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

Vertical video is rapidly becoming one of the most powerful tools available to local media companies — both for audience engagement and new revenue opportunities.

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

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

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

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

Topics Covered

• Why vertical video is reshaping how audiences consume news

• Differences between Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube video ecosystems

• How vertical video strengthens brand recognition for local media

• Why these platforms are more about loyalty than traffic

• New monetization opportunities through branded video content

• The role of vertical video in AEO and search visibility

• Practical newsroom strategies for producing effective Reels

• Why consistency and experimentation are essential

Resources

David Arkin Consulting

https://www.davidarkinconsulting.com

Local Media Association

https://localmedia.org

For decades, “Best Of” programs have been associated with newspapers. But broadcast stations are increasingly discovering they may be even better positioned to win in this space.

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

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

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

Julie also breaks down:

• How to structure a nomination, voting and winners phase

• What categories work best for broadcast

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

• How to shift sales conversations from impressions to ROI

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

🔗 Learn more: https://lab.secondstreet.com/

📧 Contact Julie Foley: jfoley@uplandsoftware.com

Third-party data is fading. Privacy regulations are tightening. Platform referrals are shrinking.

So what’s the plan?

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

Todd explains:

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

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

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

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

Ethan Holland joins the Keep It Local podcast from Local Media Association to discuss the real state of AI in 2026 — from newsroom workflows and ethics to emerging tools that are reshaping how journalists work.

Key Topics

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

Guest

Ethan Holland

Vice President, Draper Digital Media

Board Member, Local Media Association

🔗 https://ethanbholland.com

As artificial intelligence becomes more common in journalism, one question matters most: what do audiences actually think about newsrooms using AI?

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

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

In this episode, you’ll learn:

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

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

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

About Keep It Local

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

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