"E & P Reports" from Editor & Publisher Magazine hosted by Mike Blinder Mike Blinder

In a dramatic turn of events, the Kansas Reflector, a news affiliate of the non-profit States Newsroom, found itself at the center of a contentious battle with Facebook. Sherman Smith, the Editor-in-Chief of the Kansas Reflector, revealed the unfolding saga during an exclusive interview with Mike Blinder, Publisher of E&P Magazine.
The saga began when Facebook rejected an editorial titled "When Facebook Fails, Local Media Matters Even More For Our Planet's Future," authored by Dave Kendall and published on the Kansas Reflector's website. The piece highlighted Facebook's rejection of Kendall's documentary on climate change as too divisive, emphasizing the importance of local media in disseminating crucial information.
Shortly after attempting to share the editorial on Facebook, the Kansas Reflector faced a startling development. Facebook not only rejected the post but proceeded to remove all past posts linking to the Reflector's website. The platform deemed the Kansas Reflector a cybersecurity threat and contacted every individual who had interacted with the Kansas Reflector's page over the past four years, sending notifications labeling the site as “questionable,” prompting widespread confusion and concern among followers.
Smith recounted a conversation with Facebook spokesperson Andy Stone, who acknowledged the platform's error in blocking the Kansas Reflector's posts. However, Stone's apology, delivered via Twitter instead of Facebook's own channels, raised eyebrows and underscored the lack of direct communication from the social media giant. Smith pressed Stone for further clarification on Facebook's actions and the potential implications for media outlets. Stone's response left Smith with lingering concerns about Facebook's accountability and transparency, particularly regarding its content moderation policies and the impact on journalistic integrity. The exchange highlighted the need for greater scrutiny of Facebook's role in shaping public discourse and its responsibility to uphold press freedom.
Smith emphasized to Stone the widespread impact of Facebook's actions, reminding him that individuals who had interacted with the Kansas Reflector's page were told that Facebook deems their site as questionable. Smith highlighted the detrimental effect this had on the publication's reputation and audience trust. Despite raising these concerns, Stone expressed his inability to rectify the situation beyond his initial apology on X, leaving Smith and the Kansas Reflector team frustrated with the lack of concrete action or recourse. This exchange underscored the broader implications of Facebook's content moderation decisions and the challenges faced by media organizations in navigating such platforms while maintaining journalistic integrity.
As the situation continues to unfold, Smith remains committed to keeping the public informed and holding Facebook accountable. He underscores the importance of transparency and urges Facebook to provide a credible explanation for its actions. The Kansas Reflector's battle with Facebook underscores the challenges facing media organizations in the digital age and raises critical questions about the power wielded by tech giants over the dissemination of news and information. As the story continues to evolve, it serves as a sobering reminder of the ongoing struggle to preserve press freedom and protect the public's right to access information.
 

For more than three decades, The Chronicle of Philanthropy has stood as the foremost beacon of insight and information for professionals and organizations within the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors. Through its printed and online platforms, The Chronicle offers comprehensive coverage of trends, challenges, and best practices in the philanthropic world, serving as an invaluable resource for those dedicated to charitable giving and social impact.
On April 2, 2024, The Chronicle embarks on a new chapter, launching an innovative line of coverage aimed at dissecting America's widening divides and the burgeoning movements seeking to mend the fractures threatening national progress and stability. As the 2024 election landscape unfolds, The Chronicle will take a deep dive into the country's polarization along political, socio-economic, racial, geographical, and cultural lines.
This groundbreaking content will find its home on 'The Commons,' a dedicated online platform set to launch on April 2, 2024. Aptly named to embody The Chronicle's mission of fostering collaboration and insight-sharing, 'The Commons' will serve as a digital hub where thought leaders convene to exchange ideas, perspectives, and solutions. Readers can expect a rich tapestry of opinion pieces, essays, interviews, roundtable discussions, video journalism, and virtual events, all aimed at illuminating and addressing the complex fabric of America's societal divides."
Join us for this episode of 'E&P Reports' as we delve into The Chronicle of Philanthropy's groundbreaking initiative led by senior editor Drew Lindsay. Discover how their innovative online platform, 'The Commons,' is poised to tackle America's deep divides head-on. From political polarization to socio-economic disparities, explore how The Chronicle is fostering dialogue and understanding in an era of increasing division and uncertainty.

While attending the Executive Program in News Innovation and Leadership at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York, Laura Krantz McNeill decided to interview 26 separate media leaders she considered to be “change-makers and innovators” and asked them what they think the essential skills that the next generation of news leadership will need to move us closer to a healthier and more sustainable future for the news media industry.1
The result of that work is a self-published paper entitled "New Skills for a New Era: Five Crucial Skills for the Next Generation of Media Leaders in the Era of Community-centric Journalism," which was later posted by Nieman Labs.
McNeill, who began her journalism career at the Vermont Digger, also spent seven years as a reporter at The Boston Globe and is now the senior editor of subscriber products at The Chronicle of Higher Education. She lists within the study the essential skills as:
We need leaders who think like product managers.
And understand that a publication’s value is defined by the communities it serves
We need leaders who can strategize.
And who are in conversation with the community.
We need leaders who are excited about being entrepreneurs.
And see opportunity in chaos.
We need business leaders who also evangelize our mission.
And whose devotion to our cause brings others along.
We need leaders who consider themselves stewards.
And who position our organizations, but more importantly, our people, for success.
In this episode of “E&P Reports” we chat with Laura Krantz McNeill who interviewed several news media executives, resulting in a published a study for the Executive Program in News Innovation and Leadership at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY.

The Association of Community Publishers (ACP) is a dynamic organization dedicated to supporting and empowering free, community-based media outlets across the United States.
Founded to promote excellence in local journalism and foster collaboration among community publishers, the ACP represents a diverse array of publications, including newspapers, shoppers, magazines, directories and digital news platforms — all with no paid access to the print or online content they provide.
This year's annual conference will be held May 1-3 in Norfolk, Virginia and will offer programs mainly centered on building revenue. It also will feature a new “THRIVE” certificate program hosted by Author and "Sales Futurist" Meridith Elliott Powell. Her scheduled keynote presentation is designed to help attendees "do the impossible and take action to lead through uncertainty."
In this episode of "E&P Reports," we speak with Manuel Karem, the general manager of Featured Media in Avon, New York and current president of The Association of Community Publishers (ACP). We explore the ACP's mission, why this media organization differs from others and how local news publishers can benefit from membership. We also get a sneak peek at their upcoming May conference in Norfolk, VA.

Ellen Clegg and Dan Kennedy have become recognized and respected news media analysts with their highly listened to podcast series: “What Works. The future of local news.”  However recently, Clegg a three-decade Boston Globe veteran who helped get a few Pulitzer Prizes for the paper and Kennedy a Northeastern University journalism professor who writes the Media Nation blog, have released a critically acclaimed book entitled: “What Works in Community News: Media Startups, News Deserts, and the Future of the Fourth Estate,” that explores how a number of news media operations seem to be on their way to finding sustainable local journalism business models.
Some of the local media companies they examine, include the Sahan Journal, a digital publication reporting on Minnesota’s immigrant communities, the Storm Lake Times Pilot, a legacy print newspaper in Iowa, published by Pulitzer Prize winner Art Cullen, who developed a hybrid for-profit/nonprofit model,  the New Haven Independent , a multilingual, digital news project that expanded its audience through radio and others.
In this episode of “E&P Reports” we spend 20-minutes with Ellen Clegg and Dan Kennedy the authors of the new book: “What Works in Community News,” to learn how they selected the featured nine media operations and why they believed these are worth exploring to find models for sustainable local journalism. Clegg a seasoned editor and local news media entrepreneur along with Kennedy a respected professor of Journalism also offer advice gleaned from the book to news publishing executives on how to navigate the challenging and ever-changing local news media ecosystem.

In September 2023, E&P reported on the Arizona Newspapers Association and the Arizona Broadcasters Association merger.
In the past year, there have been several legacy newspaper and public media mergers, such as Chicago Public Media's acquisition of the Chicago Sun-Times, The Steinman's "gifting" of their 150+-year-old Lancaster, PA newspaper to the local public broadcasting outlet and the Denton (TX) Record-Chronicle becoming part of Dallas-Fort Worth's KERA Public Broadcasting operations.
Many news media pundits predict that, in the very near future, we will see more broadcasting and newspaper newsrooms working as one to compete for larger audiences and achieve new economies of scale to achieve sustainable business models.
For this reason, E&P sought insights from the Radio Television Digital News Association's CEO & President Dan Shelley on how the RTDNA is helping journalism survive in today's complex local news media ecosystem. Topics discussed in this episode of "E&P Reports" include the fight for cameras (and microphones) in courtrooms. Should the news media industry police itself in defining who is a journalist? We also explore the growth of citizen journalism, its impact on local news media outlets and more.
Dan Shelley is president and CEO of the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) and president of the RTDNA Foundation. Previously, Dan was senior vice president of digital content strategy for iHeartMedia, senior vice president at Interactive One (part of Radio One), director of digital media at WCBS-TV, New York and an executive producer for WCBS-TV News.