Photo: Cameraman for the local NBC station in Columbus, Ohio, filming b-roll of Aurora De Lucia running, for a story on her 52 half marathons in 52 weeks, and her quilt made by Keepsake Theme Quilts, from Wikimedia Commons
Although news fatigue is on the rise, people often have an endless reservoir of love and care for the places they live and the neighborhoods they call home. This presents opportunities for local news leaders who want to strengthen community relationships that sustain their businesses.
In April, the American Press Institute convened nearly 70 news leaders and experts from non-news spaces for our Local News Summit on Local Identity, History and Sustainability in Nashville, Tenn. Leaders from organizations such as Block Club Chicago, L.A. Taco, Chattanooga Times Free Press and Verite News spoke with one another about how they have leveraged history, nostalgia, archives, community markers and partnerships to build products, services and experiences that drive revenue.
One point that resonated: Leaning into local identity and history can move our journalism from ‘we provide facts alone’ to ‘we provide facts and serve other important community functions.’
Samantha Ragland and Kevin Loker
