What Works
@whatworks-nu.bsky.social
What Works: The Future of Local News, from Northeastern University's School of Jouralism and the Center for Transformative Media. Visit us at whatworks.news
Great reporting by This Week in Worcester. thisweekinworcester.com/exclusive-tr...
Exclusive: Trump DHS Plans Immigration Raids on Churches Over Holidays
The Trump Dept. of Homeland Security is briefing federal agencies on plans for immigration enforcement operations inside churches over holidays.
thisweekinworcester.com
November 18, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Great reporting by This Week in Worcester. thisweekinworcester.com/exclusive-tr...
This is so impressive. @ellenclegg.bsky.social and @dankennedy.net profiled The Mendocino Voice in their book, "What Works in Community News." The Voice is a very different project today but still turning out great work. baycitynews.bluelena.io/index.php?ac...
Who’s behind the local news in Mendocino County?
Real reporters. Real...
baycitynews.bluelena.io
November 14, 2025 at 5:36 PM
This is so impressive. @ellenclegg.bsky.social and @dankennedy.net profiled The Mendocino Voice in their book, "What Works in Community News." The Voice is a very different project today but still turning out great work. baycitynews.bluelena.io/index.php?ac...
Good story in @niemanlab.org about our friends at @bostonu.bsky.social and the BU Newsroom, which offers student-produced coverage to hyperlocal news outlets in Greater Boston. www.niemanlab.org/2025/11/a-wi...
A “win-win” partnership brings a surge of reporting firepower to hyperlocal news outlets around Boston
The Boston University Newsroom has published nearly 400 news articles in hyperlocal outlets in and around the city.
www.niemanlab.org
November 13, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Good story in @niemanlab.org about our friends at @bostonu.bsky.social and the BU Newsroom, which offers student-produced coverage to hyperlocal news outlets in Greater Boston. www.niemanlab.org/2025/11/a-wi...
Are there warning signs in rosy announcements about funding for local news? @dicktofel.bsky.social lifts the lid. dicktofel.substack.com/p/why-happy-...
Why Happy Talk Isn’t the Answer for Local News
Overstating revenue gains and ignoring failures doesn't help
dicktofel.substack.com
November 13, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Are there warning signs in rosy announcements about funding for local news? @dicktofel.bsky.social lifts the lid. dicktofel.substack.com/p/why-happy-...
Editor & Publisher's @gretchenapeck.bsky.social reports on new findings that states with fewer newspapers are less likely to comply with public records laws — and that strong press associations are a key to government transparency. www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/when...
When newspapers disappear, transparency declines: Brechner Center FOIA research reveals troubling trends - Editor and Publisher
When newspapers vanish, so does transparency. Two groundbreaking studies from the Brechner Center for the Advancement of the First Amendment expose how FOIA compliance suffers in states with fewer loc...
www.editorandpublisher.com
November 13, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Editor & Publisher's @gretchenapeck.bsky.social reports on new findings that states with fewer newspapers are less likely to comply with public records laws — and that strong press associations are a key to government transparency. www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/when...
A couple of quick hits from @niemanlab.org on the local news beat:
First: "Want to build a sustainable local newsroom? These 21 steps will help you get there, a new report finds." www.niemanlab.org/2025/11/want... (1/2)
First: "Want to build a sustainable local newsroom? These 21 steps will help you get there, a new report finds." www.niemanlab.org/2025/11/want... (1/2)
Want to build a sustainable local newsroom? These 21 steps will help you get there, a new report finds
“Having dedicated staff to generate revenue was transformational to an organization’s chances of sustainability.”
www.niemanlab.org
November 13, 2025 at 12:14 AM
A couple of quick hits from @niemanlab.org on the local news beat:
First: "Want to build a sustainable local newsroom? These 21 steps will help you get there, a new report finds." www.niemanlab.org/2025/11/want... (1/2)
First: "Want to build a sustainable local newsroom? These 21 steps will help you get there, a new report finds." www.niemanlab.org/2025/11/want... (1/2)
On the brand spanking new "What Works" podcast, Kade Krichko tells us about the global localism of Ori magazine. Plus: Jon Keller is at large, and we talk about the future of local TV news. whatworks.news/2025/11/12/k...
Kade Krichko tells us about the global localism of Ori magazine; plus, Jon Keller is at large
On the latest “What Works” podcast, Dan talks with Kade Krichko, the founder of Ori magazine, a beautifully crafted premium print publication devoted to grassroots storytelling across t…
whatworks.news
November 12, 2025 at 1:15 PM
On the brand spanking new "What Works" podcast, Kade Krichko tells us about the global localism of Ori magazine. Plus: Jon Keller is at large, and we talk about the future of local TV news. whatworks.news/2025/11/12/k...
Santa Cruz Local hires a managing editor. Alexandria Bordas is an experienced journalist who currently heads Cabrillo College's journalism department. mailchi.mp/santacruzloc...
Meet our new managing editor!
mailchi.mp
November 9, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Santa Cruz Local hires a managing editor. Alexandria Bordas is an experienced journalist who currently heads Cabrillo College's journalism department. mailchi.mp/santacruzloc...
New at What Works: The Plymouth Independent names a Pulitzer winner as its next editor. whatworks.news/2025/11/07/t...
The Plymouth Independent names a Pulitzer winner as its next editor
The Plymouth Independent, a digital startup that ranks among the larger such projects in Eastern Massachusetts, has named a new executive editor. David Kidwell, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist …
whatworks.news
November 7, 2025 at 2:12 PM
New at What Works: The Plymouth Independent names a Pulitzer winner as its next editor. whatworks.news/2025/11/07/t...
The @walthamtimes.bsky.social, a nonprofit startup in the Boston area, is seeking a part-time assistant editor, an ad sales rep and a board member. walthamtimes.org/join-our-team/
Join our team – Waltham Times
We are seeking a board member with development experience: We are seeking a Media Sales Representative to join our team and connect businesses with our engaged readership. They will be […]
walthamtimes.org
November 5, 2025 at 9:51 PM
The @walthamtimes.bsky.social, a nonprofit startup in the Boston area, is seeking a part-time assistant editor, an ad sales rep and a board member. walthamtimes.org/join-our-team/
For people living in the Deep South, local news is what really matters. deepsouthtoday.org/2025/10/29/w...
Where the Story Lives - Deep South Today
This fall, Deep South Today partnered with Murmuration, a nonprofit that strengthens community-driven change at the local level, to understand how people across the Deep South stay informed: where the...
deepsouthtoday.org
October 30, 2025 at 4:07 PM
For people living in the Deep South, local news is what really matters. deepsouthtoday.org/2025/10/29/w...
Since 2021, @ellenclegg.bsky.social and @dankennedy.net have recorded 107 episodes of the "What Works" podcast, interviewing entrepreneurs and thought leaders on the future of local news. Our latest is with Rick Goldsmith, whose film "Stripped for Parts" is streaming on @pbs.org. Give us a listen!
Podcast
Welcome to the conversation From Northeastern University’s School of Journalism and the Center for Transformative Media, welcome to “What Works: The Future of Local News,” hosted by former Boston G…
whatworks.news
October 30, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Since 2021, @ellenclegg.bsky.social and @dankennedy.net have recorded 107 episodes of the "What Works" podcast, interviewing entrepreneurs and thought leaders on the future of local news. Our latest is with Rick Goldsmith, whose film "Stripped for Parts" is streaming on @pbs.org. Give us a listen!
Another headache for news publishers: How AI browsers sneak past blockers and paywalls. www.cjr.org/analysis/how...
How AI browsers sneak past blockers and paywalls.
OpenAI’s Atlas and Perplexity’s Comet present a new challenge for media companies that want to limit AI access.
www.cjr.org
October 30, 2025 at 11:43 AM
Another headache for news publishers: How AI browsers sneak past blockers and paywalls. www.cjr.org/analysis/how...
What Works co-leader @dankennedy.net talks with @iandonnis.bsky.social of @oceanstatemedia.bsky.social about why the local-news ecosystem in Mass. (and R.I.) is stronger than it is in some other parts of the country. www.oceanstatemedia.org/news-and-cul...
Even in 2025, Rhode Island and Massachusetts boast stronger media landscapes than most states
But coverage outside the capitals can sometimes get spotty
www.oceanstatemedia.org
October 29, 2025 at 2:49 PM
What Works co-leader @dankennedy.net talks with @iandonnis.bsky.social of @oceanstatemedia.bsky.social about why the local-news ecosystem in Mass. (and R.I.) is stronger than it is in some other parts of the country. www.oceanstatemedia.org/news-and-cul...
Call us skeptical: Nextdoor doubles down on local news — here's why publishers should care.
www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/next...
www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/next...
Nextdoor doubles down on local news — here’s why publishers should care - Editor and Publisher
While Facebook and X have been retreating from news, Nextdoor is moving in the opposite direction. The neighborhood-based platform has rolled out a redesign, brought back its original branding, and is...
www.editorandpublisher.com
October 29, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Call us skeptical: Nextdoor doubles down on local news — here's why publishers should care.
www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/next...
www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/next...
On the new "What Works" podcast, Rick Goldsmith tells us about "Stripped for Parts," his jeremiad against hedge-fund journalism. whatworks.news/2025/10/28/r...
Rick Goldsmith tells us about ‘Stripped for Parts,’ his jeremiad against hedge-fund journalism
On the latest “What Works” podcast, Dan is flying solo because Ellen is recovering from knee-replacement surgery. But fear not — she was behind the scenes making sure this episode got r…
whatworks.news
October 28, 2025 at 11:19 AM
On the new "What Works" podcast, Rick Goldsmith tells us about "Stripped for Parts," his jeremiad against hedge-fund journalism. whatworks.news/2025/10/28/r...
New at What Works: The New York Times discovers Maine's Midcoast Villager. Here's the rest of the story. whatworks.news/2025/10/27/t...
The New York Times discovers Maine’s Midcoast Villager. Here’s the rest of the story.
By Dan Kennedy The Midcoast Villager, an innovative weekly newspaper based in Camden, Maine, got The New York Times treatment last week. But though the Times lavished attention on the high-profile …
whatworks.news
October 27, 2025 at 2:45 PM
New at What Works: The New York Times discovers Maine's Midcoast Villager. Here's the rest of the story. whatworks.news/2025/10/27/t...
Alden Global Capital's @denverpost.com owes the city of Denver $2 million in back rent on its former headquarters, @coreyhutchins.bsky.social reports. coloradomedia.substack.com/p/awkward-de...
Awkward! Denver Post quits paying city rent as paper covers city's budget woes
The news behind the news in Colorado
coloradomedia.substack.com
October 25, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Alden Global Capital's @denverpost.com owes the city of Denver $2 million in back rent on its former headquarters, @coreyhutchins.bsky.social reports. coloradomedia.substack.com/p/awkward-de...
A new nonprofit, the Tulsa Flyer, achieves liftoff — and is helping to revitalize The Oklahoma Eagle, a historic Black-owned newspaper. tulsaflyer.org/tulsa-flyer-...
Tulsa Flyer Launches
New nonprofit news organization the Tulsa Flyer launches its free daily news website, vastly expanding journalism that serves Tulsa’s needs
tulsaflyer.org
October 23, 2025 at 4:58 PM
A new nonprofit, the Tulsa Flyer, achieves liftoff — and is helping to revitalize The Oklahoma Eagle, a historic Black-owned newspaper. tulsaflyer.org/tulsa-flyer-...
The Worcester Guardian and @gbhnews.bsky.social have announced a partnership, debuting with a story about barriers to voting. theworcesterguardian.org/f/worcester-...
Worcester Guardian, GBH News partner to expand civic coverage
The first joint story examined barriers to voting in Worcester and efforts by community groups to boost turnout ahead of the Nov. 4 election.
theworcesterguardian.org
October 23, 2025 at 4:08 PM
The Worcester Guardian and @gbhnews.bsky.social have announced a partnership, debuting with a story about barriers to voting. theworcesterguardian.org/f/worcester-...
📰 @stevenwaldman.bsky.social has taken a look at @localnewsini.bsky.social’s new report on the State of Local News. And he’s deeply worried. www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/were...
We’re losing the race against time - Editor and Publisher
The core news out of Medill’s extraordinary State of Local News 2025 report is: there are positive developments in local news but they’re being swamped by the negative trends. We’re losing the race a...
www.editorandpublisher.com
October 22, 2025 at 5:17 PM
📰 @stevenwaldman.bsky.social has taken a look at @localnewsini.bsky.social’s new report on the State of Local News. And he’s deeply worried. www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/were...
New at What Works: Digital startups are a bright spot in the latest "State of Local News" report, but rural areas are lagging. whatworks.news/2025/10/21/d...
Digital startups are a bright spot in the latest ‘State of Local News’ report, but rural areas are lagging
By Dan Kennedy Finding news in the annual State of Local News report from Northwestern University’ Medill School can be a challenge because, frankly, it’s always the same depressing thi…
whatworks.news
October 21, 2025 at 5:19 PM
New at What Works: Digital startups are a bright spot in the latest "State of Local News" report, but rural areas are lagging. whatworks.news/2025/10/21/d...
Do you publish an independent hyperlocal newspaper or digital news outlet in Massachusetts? Make sure you're in our What Works database! Please visit tinyurl.com/mass-indy-news.
Independent local media in Massachusetts
tinyurl.com
October 20, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Do you publish an independent hyperlocal newspaper or digital news outlet in Massachusetts? Make sure you're in our What Works database! Please visit tinyurl.com/mass-indy-news.
New at What Works: How to spot trustworthy news — and how you can tell when it's not. From the @granitestatenc.bsky.social. whatworks.news/2025/10/17/h...
How to spot trustworthy local news — and how you can tell when it’s not
By Paul Cuno-Booth Granite State News Collaborative It’s happened to all of us. You’re scrolling through your social media feed and see a link to what appears to be a news story, with a startling h…
whatworks.news
October 17, 2025 at 5:21 PM
New at What Works: How to spot trustworthy news — and how you can tell when it's not. From the @granitestatenc.bsky.social. whatworks.news/2025/10/17/h...
Public journalism redux: Post-academia, @jayrosen.bsky.social returns to where he started. What implications might this have for local journalism? New by @dankennedy.net. dankennedy.net/2025/10/16/p...
Public journalism redux: Post-academia, Jay Rosen returns to where he started
Jay Rosen has been one of the major thinkers in journalism since the 1990s. Younger followers may think of him mainly as a media critic, and there’s no doubting his influence in that field. T…
dankennedy.net
October 16, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Public journalism redux: Post-academia, @jayrosen.bsky.social returns to where he started. What implications might this have for local journalism? New by @dankennedy.net. dankennedy.net/2025/10/16/p...