Small Press, Big Ideas

Paul Gewuerz
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Business
  • Updated Weekly

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.

  1. The indie rock station model for local media

    1d ago

    The indie rock station model for local media

    Lorne London has been publishing in Toronto since 1989, starting with an eight page community newspaper in his unheated basement. Today his company reaches 200,000 print readers a month and 1.4 million social media followers, while every competitor he once had in the city has folded. In this conversation, Lorne breaks down the mindset that has kept him standing: stop chasing home runs and hit singles instead. He talks about building an Instagram presence that operates like an indie rock station, why he refuses to cover negative news, and how he grew a massive audience without paying the algorithm. He also shares what he calls "revenue agnosticism" and why local publishers struggling for survival need to fight the battle where they are strongest, not where their competitors are. Links: Streets of Toronto https://streetsoftoronto.com/ on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/streetsoftoronto --- This podcast is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the audio platform built for local media. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --- Subscribe to the Local News Industry Pulse newsletter to receive a weekly briefing of news, policy, trends, and more in the local news industry: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://localnewsindustrypulse.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    40 min
  2. Building local news from scratch in Baltimore

    May 25

    Building local news from scratch in Baltimore

    T.J. Ortenzi is the Deputy Managing Editor of Audience and Digital at the Baltimore Banner. T.J. spent 11 years at the Washington Post before joining the Banner specifically because it would let him cover the city where he actually lives. In this conversation, T.J. breaks down how the Banner has built audience through social video, including a now legendary Big Short inspired video that drove real subscription starts. He also gets into how the newsroom thinks about moving followers to owned channels, the role of their social anchors, and an interesting AI grant project with the Lenfest Institute. Links: The Baltimore Banner https://www.thebanner.com/ T.J. Ortenzi https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjortenzi/ --- This podcast is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the audio platform built for local media. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --- Subscribe to the Local News Industry Pulse newsletter to receive a weekly briefing of news, policy, trends, and more in the local news industry: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://localnewsindustrypulse.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    29 min
  3. Launching a nonprofit newsroom in Austin

    May 20

    Launching a nonprofit newsroom in Austin

    Melissa Barragán Taboada spent nearly three decades in legacy journalism, including more than 20 years covering Austin and a stint at the Boston Globe, before making the leap into nonprofit local news. She's now editor in chief of the Austin Current, a nonprofit newsroom launched under the Texas Tribune umbrella focused on education, local government, and growth and development in one of the fastest changing cities in the country. Links: Melissa Barragán Taboada - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissabtaboada/ Austin Current https://austincurrent.org/ --- This podcast is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the audio platform built for local media. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --- Subscribe to the Local News Industry Pulse newsletter to receive a weekly briefing of news, policy, trends, and more in the local news industry: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://localnewsindustrypulse.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    22 min
  4. How a skeptic became his company's AI strategist

    May 18

    How a skeptic became his company's AI strategist

    Eli Wohlenhaus, Director of Digital and AI News Strategy at Adams Multimedia, started out skeptical of AI in the newsroom. Now he leads training sessions across a network of local newspapers in 20 states, helping editors figure out where these tools actually fit into their day-to-day work. In this conversation, Eli gets specific about what AI integration looks like inside a real local news operation: running police logs through LLMs, using Claude for brainstorming when juggling multiple publications, and experimenting with AI-assisted podcasts and video products. Links: Eli Wohlenhaus - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/eli-wohlenhaus-274212a4/ Adams MultiMedia https://adamsmultimedia.com/ DC Military https://www.dcmilitary.com/ --- This podcast is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the audio platform built for local media. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --- Subscribe to the Local News Industry Pulse newsletter to receive a weekly briefing of news, policy, trends, and more in the local news industry: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://localnewsindustrypulse.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    43 min
  5. Higher ed is a local story no one is telling

    May 13

    Higher ed is a local story no one is telling

    Sara Hebel is the co-founder and editor in chief of Open Campus, a nonprofit news organization built on the idea that higher education is fundamentally a local story. In this conversation, she walks through how Open Campus embeds reporters directly inside partner newsrooms across the country, combining subject matter expertise in higher education with each outlet's knowledge of its own community. Links: Open Campus https://www.opencampus.org/ Sara Hebel - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-hebel/ --- This podcast is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the audio platform built for local media. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --- Subscribe to the Local News Industry Pulse newsletter to receive a weekly briefing of news, policy, trends, and more in the local news industry: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://localnewsindustrypulse.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    35 min
  6. The least interesting thing you can do with AI in a newsroom

    May 11

    The least interesting thing you can do with AI in a newsroom

    Aron Pilhofer has spent three decades at some of the most recognizable names in journalism, from the New York Times to the Guardian, and now serves as Chief Product and Membership Officer at Chicago Public Media, home of WBEZ and the Chicago Sun Times. He joins the show to talk about what drew him to one of the more unusual mergers in local media, and where he sees the industry heading. Links: Aron Pilhofer - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/aronpilhofer/ Chicago Public Media https://www.chicagopublicmedia.org/ --- This podcast is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the audio platform built for local media. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --- Subscribe to the Local News Industry Pulse newsletter to receive a weekly briefing of news, policy, trends, and more in the local news industry: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://localnewsindustrypulse.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    25 min
  7. How New York Focus grew from $75K and a WordPress site

    May 6

    How New York Focus grew from $75K and a WordPress site

    Rebecca Klein, publisher at New York Focus, traces an unlikely path from national education reporter to leader of one of New York's most impactful nonprofit newsrooms. In five years, the outlet grew from a scrappy $75,000 seed-funded operation to a full-time team of 16, powered almost entirely by donor support. Rebecca breaks down how New York Focus reaches readers through daily newsletters, a syndication network spanning dozens of outlets, live events, and social video, all centered on translating Albany politics for everyday New Yorkers. Links: New York Focus https://nysfocus.com/ Rebecca Klein socials: Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/rebsklein.bsky.social Twitter/X https://x.com/rklein90/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccahelenklein/ --- This podcast is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the audio platform built for local media. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --- Subscribe to the Local News Industry Pulse newsletter to receive a weekly briefing of news, policy, trends, and more in the local news industry: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://localnewsindustrypulse.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    18 min
  8. From Facebook to the front page rebuilding local news in Maine

    May 4

    From Facebook to the front page rebuilding local news in Maine

    Will Bleakley is CEO of Islandport Media and Publisher of the Midcoast Villager, a weekly print newspaper that doubled in size after merging four coastal Maine papers, paired with a community cafe, a book publisher, and a deliberate bet on analog life in a digital world. Will talks through what it actually looked like from inside the Facebook Journalism Project, how the Villager grew reader revenue by 40 percent in its first year, why they opened a cafe as a strategic move rather than a vanity project, and what he thinks AI can and cannot do for small newsrooms. Links: Midcoast Villager midcoastvillager.com Villager Cafe villagercafe.com Will Bleakley - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/willbleakley/ --- This podcast is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the audio platform built for local media. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --- Subscribe to the Local News Industry Pulse newsletter to receive a weekly briefing of news, policy, trends, and more in the local news industry: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://localnewsindustrypulse.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    37 min
See All (122)

Trailer

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

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.

Information

You Might Also Like