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PODCAST

Small Press, Big Ideas

Small Press, Big Ideas is a podcast about the business of local news and community journalism in the US. Host Paul Gewuerz interviews entrepreneurs and journalists in the field to get their take on what"s working, what isn"t, and how local publishers can thrive in today"s rapidly changing media landscape.

business business news

All Episodes

29:21

Transitioning from print to digital and keeping both

Small Press, Big Ideas ·

2025/11/20

In this episode, Paul sits down with Audrey Blumberg, a veteran local journalist and publisher of The BReeze, The CHronicle, and franchisee of two TAPinto news sites in New Jersey. They discuss the operational side of running hyperlocal media outlets, the importance of boots on the ground journalism, and why Audrey's still bullish on print.Links: The BReeze https://www.tapinto.net/towns/bridgewater-slash-raritan The

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38:29

Philanthropy, AI, and the Future of Journalism

Small Press, Big Ideas ·

2025/11/17

In this episode, Paul talks with Sarabeth Berman who shares her unexpected path from performing arts in China to leading a national movement to revitalize local news. She discusses how the American Journalism Project (AJP) is confronting the collapse of the traditional newspaper business model by investing in nonprofit newsrooms across the US. Links: American Journalism Project https://www.theajp.org/ --- This podcast is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, helping local news

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36:18

Can Events Power Local Media?

Small Press, Big Ideas ·

2025/11/10

Today Paul sits down with Justin Gordon, founder of The LA Grind, a rapidly growing local media and events company focused on LA's startup scene.Justin shares the origin story of The LA Grind: how his background in venture capital, newsletters, and podcasting led him to launch a media meets events company for LA’s entrepreneurial community. Justin brings tons of value for local media startups as well as established local publications. Links: The LA Grind Justin Gordon - LinkedIn --- This

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23:31

Revenue promiscuity and local news

Small Press, Big Ideas ·

2025/11/03

In this episode, Paul chats with Joe Coughlin, co-founder and Editor in Chief of The Record North Shore, a nonprofit news outlet serving Chicago’s northern suburbs. Joe shares the journey from legacy local journalism at 22nd Century Media to launching an independent, community focused newsroom during the pandemic.Links: The Record North Shore joe@therecordns.org Joe Coughlin - X/Twitter --- This podcast is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, helping local news publishers produce

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53:05

A shot at fixing fragmented communities

Small Press, Big Ideas ·

2025/10/27

In this episode, Paul sits down with Mike Gyi, founder of TownSpot, a hyperlocal events platform born from a passion for place making, social impact, and uncovering hidden gems in your own backyard. From his architecture roots to building tech with social purpose, Mike shares the story behind TownSpot: a digital calendar that aims to rewire how we engage with our communities.Links: Townspot.co Mike Gyi - LinkedIn Mike Gyi - Twitter/X mike@townspot.co --- This podcast is sponsored by

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45:52

Sustainable journalism isn't a charity case: it's a...

Small Press, Big Ideas ·

2025/10/20

Today on the show Paul Myers explains how Mineral King Publishing is confronting the crisis in local journalism by rethinking the business model. Traditional advertising and subscriptions no longer cut it and AI is both a threat and a tool. With Lantern AI, Paul aims to turn high value local reporting into products for businesses (like developers and entrepreneurs) who need timely, local insights.Links: Paul Myers - LinkedIn Lantrn.ai The Sun-Gazette Mid Valley Times --- This podcast is

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39:05

Insurance to inbox and the "media mullet" model

Small Press, Big Ideas ·

2025/10/13

In this episode, Paul talks with TJ Larkin, the publisher behind Larkin Media and the creator of 14 hyperlocal newsletters (and counting). TJ shares his unexpected journey from a family insurance business to becoming a driving force in the revival of community driven media. They explore why email newsletters are uniquely powerful for local engagement, TJ's data driven growth and monetization strategies, and how local entrepreneurs can transform newsletters into full fledged local media

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38:53

Reimagining Local Media at Scale

Small Press, Big Ideas ·

2025/10/06

In this episode, Paul sits down with Ryan Heafy, COO and Co-Founder of 6AM City, one of the fastest growing local media companies in the U.S. Ryan shares how his background in aerospace engineering and process driven thinking collided with traditional journalism to create a scalable, sustainable local news model. The conversation explores 6AM City's unique approach to content, how they’re leveraging AI for efficiency and expansion, and how 6AM is positioning itself for the future of news without

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26:18

Bonus: The Journalism Salute

Small Press, Big Ideas ·

2025/10/02

Today I'm airing an episode from another podcast that you may be interested in: The Journalism Salute hosted by Mark Simon.On The Journalism Salute, Mark Simon interviews working journalists about who they are and what they do. The emphasis is on a diverse guest list. Half the guests are people of color, more than 60% are women, and there's representation from all 50 states. Gain insight on what you need to know to be a successful journalist in 2025. pod.link/journalismsalute Mark Simon -

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34:30

News That Stays Local, Infrastructure That Scales

Small Press, Big Ideas ·

2025/09/29

Today Paul talks with Warwick Sabin, President and CEO of Deep South Today, about how his organization is rethinking local journalism in the South through a collaborative, nonprofit model. Based in Mississippi and New Orleans, Deep South Today supports two award winning newsrooms, Mississippi Today and Verite News, and is laying the groundwork for broader regional expansion. Links “Multi-local” newsrooms aim to get more news to more people Deep South Today Mississippi Today Verite

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28:28

Pulitzers and playbooks for local news

Small Press, Big Ideas ·

2025/09/15

Today Paul sits down with Ken Doctor, Founder and CEO of Pulitzer Prize winning newsroom and Lookout Local, to discuss how local journalism can not only survive but thrive in the digital era. From launching a digital first newsroom in Santa Cruz to expanding across the West Coast, Ken shares the strategic building blocks behind Lookout's success: strong models, sustainable funding, and mission driven people.Links: Ken Doctor - LinkedIn Lookout Local Lookout in the Classroom Google News

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28:27

Inside the Mission Driven News Revolution

Small Press, Big Ideas ·

2025/09/08

Today Paul sits down with Matthew Watkins, Editor-in-Chief of The Texas Tribune, for a conversation on nonprofit journalism, civic engagement, and navigating polarization in today’s media environment. Matthew shares his journey from local Texas reporting to leading one of the nation's premier nonprofit newsrooms, and offers candid insights into what makes The Tribune unique, from its funding model and newsroom culture to its commitment to transparency and nonpartisanship. Links: The Texas

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40:01

Local news without an audience is just creative writing

Small Press, Big Ideas ·

2025/08/18

Today sits down with Jonathan Kealing, Chief Network Officer at the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN), to explore the future of local journalism and the challenges of building, and keeping, an audience.Links: Jonathan Kealing - LinkedIn Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) Journalism without an audience is just creative writing - Jonathan's piece in Editor & Publisher FindYourNews.org – Discover nonprofit news outlets near you NewsMatch – Year-end matching gift campaign for nonprofit

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67:17

The Poisonous Metric That Could Kill Your Newsroom

Small Press, Big Ideas ·

2025/08/11

Today Paul sits down with veteran journalist turned UX consultant David LaFontaine to break down what local and niche publishers really need to know about analytics, design, and building trust. From the myths of "data-driven" decisions to the hidden costs of bad UX, David explains how small publishers can use data not just to survive, but to thrive.Links: True Path Analytics FouAnalytics Connect with David: david@truepathanalytics.com David LaFontaine - LinkedIn Learn more about your ad

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35:31

Reinventing Local Journalism in Toronto

Small Press, Big Ideas ·

2025/08/05

In this episode, Paul sits down with Anita Li, founder, publisher, and CEO of The Green Line, Toronto’s award-winning hyperlocal news outlet. Anita shares her journey from starting in journalism at age 14 to leading innovative, community-driven media. The Green Line: thegreenline.to TikTok: @greenlineto Instagram: @thegreenlineto and @tglhelps Anita Li’s newsletter, The Other Wave: Subscribe on Substack Reynolds Journalism Institute guide to the Action Journey

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49:29

Partnering with Local Micro Influencers

Small Press, Big Ideas ·

2025/07/28

In this episode, Paul sits down with the leadership team at Pittsburgh's Public Source, a nonprofit newsroom based in Pittsburgh, PA, to explore how they’re tapping into micro-influencer partnerships to reach new audiences. What began as an experimental outreach has evolved into a promising strategy to bridge traditional journalism with today’s creator-driven platforms. Read Halle's LinkedIn piece that inspired the episode 📰 Public Source: publicsource.org 📸 Instagram: @publicsource 👤

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2:05

Season Three Has Wrapped!

Small Press, Big Ideas ·

2025/03/31

Today Paul has a quick message about the podcast, when to expect new episodes, and info on an upcoming event that you won't want to miss!Links: Upcoming workshop - Wednesday, April 16th, 9AM MST: Create a Profitable AI Powered Podcast - Register Today --- This podcast is sponsored by LocalPod.co, helping local news publishers produce revenue generating podcasts. Click here to schedule a call --- Subscribe to my newsletter: https://localnewsindustrypulse.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your

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39:50

AI, News Agents, and Local Media

Small Press, Big Ideas ·

2025/03/24

Today Paul speaks with Mark Riley and Ed Daniels from Mathison.ai about their innovative project, HANA, which focuses on hyper-personalized autonomous news agents. They discuss their backgrounds in AI, the challenges facing local journalism, and how AI can enhance efficiency and personalization in news delivery. The conversation also touches on the future of local journalism, the role of AI in media, and the potential for new business models in the industry.Links: Mark's interview on The Media

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52:32

The Evolution of the Online News Association

Small Press, Big Ideas ·

2025/03/17

Today Paul speaks with with Meghan Murphy and Karolle Rabarison from the Online News Association (ONA) about the evolution of journalism in the digital age, the impact of remote work, and the integration of AI in newsrooms. They discuss their personal journeys to ONA, the organization's mission to support journalists, and the challenges and opportunities presented by AI technology in journalism.Links: Online News Widely Accepted as Credible Highlights from the ONA Digital Credibility Report,

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45:14

Building a Beloved Local News Empire

Small Press, Big Ideas ·

2025/03/10

This week Paul is joined by John Garrett, Founder and CEO of Community Impact based in Austin, Texas. John shares his journey from a radio and newspaper background to establishing a successful hyperlocal news organization and scaling it to over forty editions. John discusses the importance of understanding the intricacies of media ownership, the need for high-quality content, the balance between mission and profit, and even gives Paul a tour of Community Impact's multimillion dollar print

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59 results

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