Hostwriter’s Post

The real solution to the local news crisis, Professor Dan Kennedy of Northeastern University says, needs to come from the bottom up – from folks at the community level who decide to take their news and information needs into their own hands. Read more at The Conversation US: https://lnkd.in/guhMxSdH #Journalism #Community #LocalNews #Philanthropy #Entrepreneur #RebuildLocalNews

Reading this column made me realize how I already donate to more #nonprofit #news (WNYC, Chalkbeat, even my local paper) than subscribe to for-profit media. Some interesting points about the need to focus on mission and the role of “readers who are essentially giving a tithe to democracy.” Excerpt: “But in the future, it is likely that lots of news organizations will essentially be charities, asking rich people and also you to help them provide a critical service that the market won’t support. 
So what kind of journalism should Americans be willing to fund? Three kinds in particular. Government and policy news, particularly at the local and state levels; watchdog journalism that closely scrutinizes powerful individuals, companies and political leaders; and cultural coverage, from important books and movies to faith and spirituality.” https://wapo.st/497eh4Y

In my work, I try to highlight the global impact donors can have by giving to University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. This is a great example of how our students are changing the world: https://lnkd.in/diQX4Mm5

Public Assembly can be used for more than just political action. It can be used for civic involvement. One such place where it can be used is in non-profit, public-good, journalism. In the Bucks County area the water isn't very clean. Especially down by the former Naval Base in Horsham (on the Montgomery County side). Local newspapers used to cover the water issues, but with journalism being gutted, Public Assembly could be used to form a journalism outfit for the public good to cover these issues. This is just one way Public Assembly can be used outside of Politics. What do you think? How would you use Public Assembly? Let us know in the comments! #civicjournalism #civicengagement #grassrootsactivism #localjournalism

Are we actually in the middle of a generosity crisis? A new article from Celia Ford of Vox drills into a ton of nuances within that very question posed by Nathan Chappell, MBA, MNA, CFRE and Brian Crimmins in their fantastic book. Yet, are people less generous inherently? Or simply not driving their dollars and energy toward traditional nonprofits? Is this truly just an efficiency or overhead problem? The answer, as you can expect, is much more complicated than even a well-researched and cited article can outline. But this isn’t just an operational issue—it's a moral one. The very fabric of nonprofit missions is at risk, as the lifeblood of these organizations—genuine, passionate supporters—drifts away, disillusioned and disconnected. Imagine the countless potential supporters who turn away because they feel unseen and unvalued. Picture the long-term supporters who become disheartened because their contributions seem to vanish into a void, unacknowledged and unappreciated. And misalignment of goals and assets accelerates staff burnout as well. Every missed opportunity to connect meaningfully with a supporter brings you a step closer to losing their trust forever. This crisis isn't just about numbers; it's about the deep emotional connections that are being severed every day. Here's the article, what are your thoughts? https://lnkd.in/eWTYaWnD

Did you know there are currently more than 200 U.S. counties without any local newspapers, digital sites, public radio newsrooms or ethnic publications? One is in New Jersey-Salem County. This data comes from researchers at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, who are worried that an additional 228 counties are at substantial risk of becoming news deserts in the coming years. This is something we should all be aware of because news deserts are bad news for democracy. The absence of strong independent journalism, whether location- or topic-specific, makes it very tough to find trustworthy news on topics that matter. Corruption is also a lot harder to uncover and root out when watchdogs don’t exist. At NJ Spotlight News we are reminded every day of the importance of truth-seeking reporting and analysis, especially during this important election year. We want to do everything in our power to provide the reliable, data-driven news that you need to make good decisions, engage with your community and thrive. But we need your help. NJ Spotlight News would not exist without the contributions of our readers. When you contribute to our state-wide newsroom, you enable all of us to be better informed, connected and empowered during this important election year. Your support and our commitment together can create real change and is an important vote of confidence to our news team. Today is World Press Freedom Day. We strive to serve our New Jersey communities with independent journalism that’s free of outside bias. World Press Freedom Day is a reminder of how important it is to foster solutions that make our communities and world a better place to live. At this time in our current world climate, this day is truly quite significant. Join us as a member and help keep journalism in New Jersey strong.

Instead of ditching legacy media, Rebuild Local News President Steven Waldman highlights the need for public policies that will uplift the local news landscape as a whole. “The binary of ‘old’ vs. ‘new’ media is close to worthless, as is pitting ‘commercial’ media against nonprofits.” Read more at Editor & Publisher (E&P) Magazine: https://lnkd.in/ehEq5Vvf #Journalism #PublicPolicy #LocalNews #Business #Nonprofit #Commercial #RebuildLocalNews

Protecting independent journalism, with Lexie Kirkconnell-Kawana of IMPRESS: Between charitable status and news deals with big tech, there are lots of moves to support local news, but are they short-term patches or long-term solutions? #digitalpublishing #journalism #onlinepublishing

📢 Attention journalists and minority activists! Apply now for stipends from the EMMAP programme to support your fieldwork. Journalists can receive funding for investigative reporting on minorities, migration, conflict or peacebuilding. Minority activists can create media content to support their initiatives. Grants up to €2000 available. Deadline: 12 April. Apply and make an impact! #Journalism #MinorityActivism #EMMAP