Futureproofing local news: Finding resilient business models

Few areas of publishing have been battered more strongly by the headwinds of digital media than local news. The conflict between scale and meaningful local coverage has meant businesses have struggled to replace print profitability with anything close to significant revenue streams in digital.

Yet in recent years, we’ve seen some publishers really find their footing, from legacy titles who have successfully undergone digital transformation, to many start-ups which have risen up to fill the information gaps in their communities.

As part of a special four-part podcast series, supported by the Google News Initiative, Media Voices has been talking to publishers and experts across Europe who are working to find resilient business models. The team spoke to them about the state of the local news market in their regions, how they’ve evolved company culture and practice, and what tools and trends they’re working with to prepare for the next decade. You can listen to Part One here.

In part two, Media Voices explore the challenges and opportunities that local news organisations are facing with finding sustainable revenue streams, as well as looking at some specific case studies of publications across Europe to find out what mix they’re using.