‘Capital J journalism, utility and breaking news are the foundations of what we try to do’ localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/projects/sta...
San Francisco Chronicle
When restaurants were closed during the COVID pandemic, the San Francisco Chronicle’s Top 100 Restaurants list closed too. Last year, the legacy newspaper relaunched it. ...
localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu
What can local news organizations learn from each other? LNI’s Jennifer Kho highlights innovative ideas from Volume One and the San Francisco Chronicle, from community-building to creative events. Explore more in our Bright Spots series: localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/projects/sta...
📰Illinois lost 30 newspapers in just over a year, more than any other state, leaving 15 counties without a local news source. Read this article by Brier Dudley on how closures are reshaping local news across Illinois. localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/posts/2026/1...
Land of Lincoln, Land of Loss
ANNA, Illinois —Many years ago, reporters swarmed southern Illinois during a pivotal election, sharing every word of a promising young politician’s debates with an incumbent U.S. senator.
localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu
Comscore data shows local news sites are facing another challenge: declining digital traffic, even as news deserts continue to grow. In this Q&A clip, we discuss what the numbers tell us about the future of local journalism. localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/projects/sta...
America lost 170 newspapers in the past year, nearly 3 every week. Now 238 counties are news deserts and 47 million people have limited or no local news access. Read the full report here: localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/projects/sta...
Nine Midwestern newsrooms completed the Medill-LMA Midwest Advanced Fundraising Lab, building stronger donor programs, diversifying revenue, and developing new strategies to sustain local journalism. localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/posts/2026/1...
Midwestern Newsrooms Strengthen Fundraising Strategies Through Medill-LMA Midwest Advanced Fundraising Lab
Nine Midwestern news organizations completed the Medill-LMA Midwest Advanced Fundraising Lab, strengthening their philanthropic fundraising approaches to support sustainable local journalism.
localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu
The new State of Local News report from @localnewsini.bsky.social has officially dropped, describing 2026 as a “Super El Niño Year for Local News.” Learn more below: localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/projects/sta...
The State of Local News 2026
The latest insights and trends on the local news landscape across the country. Through data and graphics, explore the state of local news outlets and learn about news deserts, network sites and pathwa...
localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu
America lost 170 newspapers in the past year, nearly 3 every week. Now 238 counties are news deserts and 47 million people have limited or no local news access. Read the full report here: localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/projects/sta...
In our latest Medill Local News Initiative podcast, the Medill research team unpacked our most comprehensive State of Local News Report, providing analysis and context behind the watershed changes in local news this year. localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/posts/2026/1...
Inside the 2026 State of Local News Report: Skyrocketing News Deserts, Rampant TV Consolidation and Emerging Startups
In the 10th episode of the State of Local News Podcast, host Tim Franklin—Professor, John M. Mutz Chair in Local News and founding director of the Medill Local News Initiative—speaks with the research...
localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu
Happening this Wednesday! Join Perspectives and the Medill Local News Accelerator on Oct. 14 for a hands-on workshop and panel with Chicago public health experts. Last call for tickets! Register on Eventbrite here: www.eventbrite.com/e/tips-from-...
Tips from the medical frontlines: Building trust and beating misinformation
A hands-on workshop for journalists on communication that builds trust, led by public health experts
eventbrite.com
Listen to the full episode here: localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/posts/2026/1...
Listen to the full episode here: localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/posts/2026/1...
Watch the full episode here: localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/posts/2026/0...
The Medill Local News Accelerator invites journalists to join Perspectives (perspectives.info) on Oct. 14 for a hands-on workshop with Chicago public health experts. Learn strategies to engage skeptical audiences & build trust amid misinformation. Register here: www.eventbrite.com/e/tips-from-...
📊 Chicago-area local news habits are changing: Radio’s share of local news consumption fell from 34% to 25% in three years, while daily local TV usage dropped from 52% to 47%. Just 14% pay for local news. Read more: localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/posts/2026/0...
The Medill Survey 2026: How the Chicago Area Gets its News
This text was adapted from the introduction of our report on how Chicago-area residents consume local news. Download a full PDF version of the report.
localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu
The third annual survey by @localnewsini.bsky.social found that respondents are deeply skeptical of AI in news for anything more than helping to check spelling or grammar. https://localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/posts/2026/09/15/chicago-area-news-consumption-survey-2026/index.html
The Medill Survey 2026: How the Chicago Area Gets its News
This text was adapted from the introduction of our report on how Chicago-area residents consume local news. Download a full PDF version of the report.
localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu
AI vs Real Humans: Why Local Authenticity Wins Every Time. Full episode: localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/posts/2026/0...
How is Chicago getting its news in 2026? 📱 Smartphones are increasingly dominant 📺 Local TV audiences are declining 🤖 Audiences remain skeptical of AI in news 👥 Young people are increasingly turning to content creators Read the Medill 2026 survey: localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/posts/2026/0...
The AI Productivity Paradox. Full episode here: localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/posts/2026/0...
"Subscriptions are the bedrock of what we do." Full episode with Daily Memphian CEO Eric Barnes here: localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/posts/2026/0...
Eric Barnes, CEO of The Daily Memphian, joins Tim Franklin on the latest State of Local News Podcast to discuss paywalls, subscriptions, philanthropy, AI and the future of local journalism. Read the Q&A + listen/watch: localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/posts/2026/0...
How Daily Memphian CEO Eric Barnes Grew a Robust Nonprofit News Outlet with a Paywall and a Base of Loyal Subscribers
In the eighth episode of the State of Local News Podcast, host Tim Franklin—Professor, John M. Mutz Chair in Local News, and founding director of the Medill Local News Initiative—speaks with Eric Barn...
localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu
Medill Dean Charles Whitaker & @localnewsini.bsky.social Founding Director Tim Franklin rang the @nasdaqexchange.bsky.social Bell yesterday! 🔔 They celebrated LNI's Chicago Innovation Award win for its R&D work helping transform the local news ecosystem nationwide. 🗞️
What happens when local news includes communities behind prison walls? A new LNI story explores the growing movement of journalism in prisons — from the Prison Journalism Project to newspapers run by incarcerated women in Oklahoma. Read more: localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/posts/2026/0...
Journalism Behind Bars
Yukari Kane co-founded the Prison Journalism Project in 2020 with a clear goal in mind: to not only shed light on the experiences of incarcerated people across the country but empower them with the wr...
localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu
