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
300 After the Kirk shooting, Peter Laufer warns: Journalism is more dangerous than ever
"E & P Reports" from Editor & Publisher Magazine hosted by Mike Blinder
In a world where speaking out can result in being silenced forever, journalism itself is under attack. Hours before this conversation was taped, commentator and podcaster Charlie Kirk was gunned down at an event at Utah Valley University — a stark reminder that public voices, whether political or journalistic, face real and rising danger. Against that backdrop, Dr. Peter Laufer, world-traveling journalist, author and editor of the new book “Don't Shoot the Journalists: Migrating to Stay Alive,” joined E&P Reports to explore what’s at stake when reporters are exiled, threatened or...
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299 Behind the launch: A closer look at the Philly-area’s new Fideri News Network
"E & P Reports" from Editor & Publisher Magazine hosted by Mike Blinder
When that Broad + Liberty and Access Network were merging to form the Fideri News Network, the press release generated more questions than answers: What exactly is this new company? How is it structured? Is it truly positioned to become a meaningful player in today's media landscape, or simply a rebranding of existing outlets? To delve deeper into the announcement, E&P sat down with Broad + Liberty CEO Terry Tracy and Access Global Advisors CEO Jim McDonald, now chairman of the network, for a closer look at what Fideri actually is — and what it aims to become. Access more at this...
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298 USA TODAY doubles down on women’s sports with Heather Burns at the helm
"E & P Reports" from Editor & Publisher Magazine hosted by Mike Blinder
Heather Burns has spent three decades breaking barriers in sports journalism — and now she’s making history as USA Today’s first women’s sports editor. From building ESPN’s NFL Nation team to championing deeper coverage of women’s athletics, Burns brings both experience and passion to the role. “It can’t always be cheerleading,” she says. “It’s also got to be good journalism with integrity.” With a new strategy called Studio 9 and the power of the USA Today Network behind her, she’s determined to give women’s sports the coverage it has always deserved. Access more...
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297 The future of news: A deeper look at ASU’s Knight Center experiment
"E & P Reports" from Editor & Publisher Magazine hosted by Mike Blinder
The Knight Center for the Future of News at ASU’s Cronkite School isn’t tinkering at the edges of journalism — it’s ripping up the blueprint and starting fresh. Dean Battinto Batts calls this moment “an inflection point,” where trust is eroding and technology is racing ahead faster than most newsrooms can follow. Julia Wallace insists transformation must be rooted in community, warning that too many audiences have been “left alone” without information they can rely on. Together, they’re pushing for flatter newsrooms, bold experiments with AI, and business models that do more...
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296 The last American newspaper takes the stage
"E & P Reports" from Editor & Publisher Magazine hosted by Mike Blinder
When Ken Tingley retired after more than two decades leading The Post-Star in Glens Falls, New York, he thought he was closing the book on his newsroom career. Instead, he wrote one. Then he took it a step further—turning his memoir, The Last American Newspaper, into a stage play that sold out four nights in a row at the Adirondack Theatre Festival. The production didn’t just entertain. It pulled audiences to their feet, stirred tears, and forced a community to reckon with what happens when a local newsroom fades away. Access more at this episode’s landing page, at:
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295 The CFINR mission: Clear values, stronger trust
"E & P Reports" from Editor & Publisher Magazine hosted by Mike Blinder
What if every newsroom in America posted its journalistic values where everyone could see them? That’s the bold vision behind the Center for Integrity in News Reporting (CFINR), founded by Walter Hussman — legendary publisher of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and chairman of WEHCO Media — and led by Executive Director Rufus Friday. Their mission is as ambitious as it is urgent: rebuild public trust in journalism by making transparency impossible to ignore. In this conversation, they reveal how a simple statement of values could transform how audiences see — and support — the news. ...
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294 In Detroit, a powerful case is made for saving local journalism
"E & P Reports" from Editor & Publisher Magazine hosted by Mike Blinder
What happens when more than 250 civic leaders, journalists, academics, and funders gather to face the collapse of local news head-on? In Detroit, it sparked an unfiltered conversation about trust, collaboration, and what it will take to rebuild journalism from the ground up. In this episode of E&P Reports, five media power players unpack the July 22 “Local News Crisis” event — and what must happen next. If you care about the future of local journalism, this is the conversation you can’t afford to miss. Access more at this episode’s landing page, at:
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293 New chapter for Lansing’s City Pulse: Philanthropy backs fierce independence
"E & P Reports" from Editor & Publisher Magazine hosted by Mike Blinder
In an era when hedge funds gut local newspapers and trust in media is under siege, Lansing’s fiercely independent City Pulse has found a surprising new lifeline—not in corporate consolidation, but in mission-driven philanthropy. The paper’s founder, Berl Schwartz, turned down multiple offers before striking a deal with the Michigan Independent Media Group, led by civic engagement leader Dr. Jason Franklin. Their partnership isn’t just a transaction—it’s a bold experiment in saving local journalism with values at the center and sustainability in sight. Access more at this...
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292 Brewing trust: How a newsroom and brewery built community through beer
"E & P Reports" from Editor & Publisher Magazine hosted by Mike Blinder
What happens when a local newspaper and a craft brewery join forces? In Spokane, Washington, it results in the First Amendment beer — a bold collaboration between The Spokesman-Review and No-Li Brewhouse that's as much about community as it is about hops. In this episode, we crack open the surprising story behind the beer making headlines and the mission to protect local journalism. It’s a blueprint for sustainability with authentic flavor — and one you’ll want to sip on. Access more at this episode’s landing page, at:
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291 When tragedy strikes, local journalism leads: Coeur d’Alene Press acts with clarity and compassion
"E & P Reports" from Editor & Publisher Magazine hosted by Mike Blinder
When tragedy struck Coeur d’Alene, the local newsroom didn’t flinch — they mobilized. Within hours, the Press team defied routine, printed on an off day, and delivered vital information to a grieving community. Their leadership didn’t just report the news — they helped shape how the town processed its heartbreak. In this episode, Clint Schroeder and Bill Buley reveal how local journalism rose to the moment when it mattered most. Access more at this episode’s landing page, at:
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).