212 A 16-year-old launches a news site that is out-reporting the local Gannett "ghost paper."
"E & P Reports" from Editor & Publisher Magazine hosted by Mike Blinder
Release Date: 11/11/2023
290 Print roots. Multimedia future. Adams evolves into “Adams MultiMedia”
"E & P Reports" from Editor & Publisher Magazine hosted by Mike Blinder
Adams Publishing Group is stepping into a new era with a name that reflects its ambition: Adams MultiMedia. As local news organizations everywhere wrestle with disruption, Adams is betting that combining deep community roots with expanded digital services is the path to growth. The rebrand signals more than a cosmetic change—it’s a strategy to stay relevant to audiences and advertisers in a media landscape that never stops evolving. This move offers a glimpse into how a large, family-owned publisher plans to thrive when so many others are struggling to survive. Access more at this...
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289 Rebuilding local news by thinking like an entrepreneur
"E & P Reports" from Editor & Publisher Magazine hosted by Mike Blinder
Pason Gaddis thinks local newspapers don’t have to fade quietly into history. As CEO of , he’s betting that lean operations, local control, and a focus on original reporting can rebuild trust—and profitability—where others have given up. “You have to change or you have to die,” Gaddis said, urging publishers to break free from outdated models. His approach is proving that if you invest in community journalism, audiences will still show up—and pay for it. Access more at this episode’s landing page, at:
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288 Staying local, staying strong: Jeffrey Warshaw on what still works in media
"E & P Reports" from Editor & Publisher Magazine hosted by Mike Blinder
Connoisseur Media CEO Jeffrey Warshaw isn’t chasing trends—he’s doubling down on what works: local content, real relationships, and a service-first sales strategy. In a no-nonsense conversation, Warshaw explains why legacy media still has power when it’s community-rooted and advertiser-driven. With digital and radio sales integrated under one roof, he’s building not just reach, but results. “Local, baby,” is still his mantra—and it’s paying off. If you’re in media and missing this mindset, you’re leaving money (and trust) on the table. Access more at this...
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287 Innovating hyperlocal: how Current Publishing redefines suburban news
"E & P Reports" from Editor & Publisher Magazine hosted by Mike Blinder
When a suburban newspaper starts thinking like a startup, big things happen. At Current Publishing in suburban Indianapolis, innovation isn’t just a buzzword—it’s fueling real growth, younger audiences, and serious digital revenue. From influencer-driven reels to a text-based edition with 65% engagement, President Ben Weir is proving hyperlocal doesn’t mean old-school. Here’s how one free weekly is rewriting the playbook for local news success. Access more at this episode’s landing page, at:
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286 Turning a small-town newspaper into a community hub
"E & P Reports" from Editor & Publisher Magazine hosted by Mike Blinder
Four years ago, Max Kabat left Manhattan to reinvent local journalism in the remote West Texas town of Marfa. He didn’t just take over a newspaper—he built a café, bar, event space, and community hub to fund it. Now, that bold experiment is not only thriving but inspiring others to rethink what local media can be. We caught up with Kabat to find out how it’s working, what’s next, and what lessons other publishers can take from the journey. Access more at this episode’s landing page, at:
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285 From sales to SaaS: Todd Handy’s playbook for sustainable local media
"E & P Reports" from Editor & Publisher Magazine hosted by Mike Blinder
What if local media companies stopped acting like publishers and started thinking like SaaS platforms? That’s the provocative challenge laid down by veteran digital strategist Todd Handy in a recent episode of E&P Reports. Drawing from decades in media, tech, and recurring revenue models, Handy believes the path to sustainability lies in ditching short-term campaigns and embracing lifetime customer value. His message to news leaders: the future of publishing won’t look like a newsroom — it’ll look like a software company. Access more at this episode’s landing page:
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284 Local media’s tipping point into oblivion — a 1-on-1 with Gordon Borrell
"E & P Reports" from Editor & Publisher Magazine hosted by Mike Blinder
Local media isn’t just struggling — it’s at a tipping point, and most companies are leaning the wrong way. In a brutally candid conversation, Gordon Borrell lays out why 85% of local outlets are capturing less than 10% of their digital ad potential and why newspapers, in particular, have seen zero digital revenue growth since 2020. He calls out broken sales cultures, invisible new businesses, and the dangerous illusion that hard paywalls are a sustainable fix. If you’re in news publishing and not reading this, you’re missing your wake-up call — and possibly your last chance to...
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283 Coalition unites press associations to defend journalism’s future
"E & P Reports" from Editor & Publisher Magazine hosted by Mike Blinder
With legislative threats mounting at the state level, America’s Newspapers has launched a new coalition to unite press associations and publishers in defense of local journalism. In a recent E&P Reports episode, CEO Dean Ridings was joined by Alan Fisco, president of The Seattle Times and AN board member, and Debbie Anselm, the new executive director of the Iowa Newspaper Association, to unpack the coalition’s goals. Together, they made the case for why statehouse advocacy is longer optional — and how a collective voice can drive meaningful policy change. Access more at...
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282 Print proud, data smart: Inside Charity Huff’s reinvention of 5280
"E & P Reports" from Editor & Publisher Magazine hosted by Mike Blinder
After helping hundreds of publishers navigate digital transformation, Charity Huff decided to walk the walk — by acquiring Denver’s 5280 Magazine. Just four months in, she’s proving that legacy brands can thrive with a modern strategy rooted in audience, authenticity, and innovation. From rethinking revenue to doubling down on events and email, Huff is blending bold ideas with respect for tradition. Her mission: to build a community-first, future-ready media company — and show others it can be done. Access more at this episode’s landing page, at:
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281 Should opinion journalism evolve or disappear? Live panel from the 2025 Mega-Conference
"E & P Reports" from Editor & Publisher Magazine hosted by Mike Blinder
At a time when trust in journalism continues to erode, the future of opinion content is under intense scrutiny. Should newspapers continue publishing unsigned editorials and political endorsements, or is it time to rethink the role of opinion altogether? That was the focus of a live panel at the 2025 America’s Newspapers’ Mega-Conference, where hundreds of news executives gathered for this live panel discussion to share strategies, struggles, and shifting audience expectations. What emerged was a candid, sometimes surprising conversation about how opinion journalism must evolve — or risk...
info_outlineOn September 11, 2023, Jason Sethre, publisher of the Fillmore County (MN) Journal, posted an op-ed with the headline: "One Moment, Please… Hutchinson News in Kansas or Minnesota?" Within the piece, he reported that subscribers to the Hutchinson (KS) News were greeted one day with a front page showing a group of senior citizens having an outing on a lake in Hutchinson, Minnesota, with a headline of a story showing how the Hutchinson Senior Center keeps seniors busy with an array of activities… in Hutchinson, Minnesota.
With a sartorial slant, Sethre wrote, "Apparently, The Hutchinson News in Hutchinson, Kansas, covers stories about what's happening in Hutchinson, Minnesota — 628 miles away.” However, he explained to his readers how once-thriving newspapers, bought by large corporations (in this case, Gannett), have downsized operations so much that there is minimal local reporting, and mistakes such as this made by an out-of-town editor can happen. Sethre wrote, "For the community of Hutchinson, Kansas, it's an absolute disaster with what has happened to their local newspaper. Gannett bought the newspaper from the Harris family in 2016 and ran it into the ground rather quickly. They laid off nearly all the staff that made this once Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper.” He added that staff "live in other states and write about what is happening in a community in which they have no connection. The designers working on the publication layout don't live in that area either. The story on the front page of The Hutchinson News that had nothing to do with Hutchinson, Kansas, is the result of a media company that is completely disconnected from the communities they serve. And this is one of the many problems with newspapers owned by corporations. They don't care about the communities they serve. They only care about satisfying shareholders.”
However, all is not lost for the citizens of Hutchinson, Kansas, because 16-year-old high school student Michael Glenn has launched a new online-only news publication — The Hutchinson Tribune, which now covers important meetings, elections, culture and even high school sports for this community of over 40,000. Using Substack for a CMS, the Tribune now offers the news people crave, plus provides a subscription plan for expanded content for as low as $8 a month. In addition, Glenn has recruited several adult reporters to submit content to the venture.
Is there a benefit to visiting this new site for a Hutchinson resident who craves a local journalistic voice?
On the day of this posting, the Gannett-owned Hutchinson News (HutchNews.com) had only six stories posted within one week that reported on a local city issue or included a local Hutchinson source or event. The new Tribune site had 27 articles, two op-eds and seven local sports pieces. Plus, if you click on any local headline on the news site, you hit the Gannett hard paywall, asking for just 23 cents a week to get the two weekly issues of the printed paper, see USA Today's digital crossword and see all the "features" of an undefined "Essential Digital." For an additional $1, you can get six months of site content and the newspaper's digital replica as well.
However, all the stories on HutchTribune.com can be accessed up to the 1st four paragraphs. However, each page has a plea to subscribe and contribute to support the site.
In this episode of "E&P Reports," we go one-on-one with 16-year-old Hutchinson, Kansas high school student Michael Glenn, who became frustrated when his local Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper, The Hutchinson News, was sold to Gannett and downsized over a few years to a "ghost paper" of two local employees, with most content being generated from out of state. So, in the summer of 2023, Glenn recruited a team of journalists and started the competing Hutchinson Tribune at HutchTribune.com, which now out-reports the HutchNews.com site 36 local stories to six (on the day of this posting).