Yoni Greenbaum
@yonigre.bsky.social
Media exec & VP, Product Strategy @ American Press Institute
Building tools for trust & sustainable journalism
Sharing lessons at Backstory & Strategy - yonigre.substack.com
Building tools for trust & sustainable journalism
Sharing lessons at Backstory & Strategy - yonigre.substack.com
You can’t sharpen a knife while you’re cutting.
If you never stop working to fix your process, your process will eventually break you.
Some thoughts on the strategic necessity of the "pause" for the week ahead: www.backstoryandstrategy.com/p/you-cant-s...
If you never stop working to fix your process, your process will eventually break you.
Some thoughts on the strategic necessity of the "pause" for the week ahead: www.backstoryandstrategy.com/p/you-cant-s...
You Can’t Sharpen a Knife While You’re Cutting
I used to think a good manager kept the copy moving at all costs. I was wrong. Real resilience isn't about endurance—it's about the discipline to stop.
www.backstoryandstrategy.com
December 7, 2025 at 7:31 PM
You can’t sharpen a knife while you’re cutting.
If you never stop working to fix your process, your process will eventually break you.
Some thoughts on the strategic necessity of the "pause" for the week ahead: www.backstoryandstrategy.com/p/you-cant-s...
If you never stop working to fix your process, your process will eventually break you.
Some thoughts on the strategic necessity of the "pause" for the week ahead: www.backstoryandstrategy.com/p/you-cant-s...
Milton risked his life. Murrow risked his career.
We talk trust metrics, but let's remember what journalism makes possible: it’s the mechanism by which free people figure out what's true.
The toast is still relevant.
www.backstoryandstrategy.com/p/milton-mur...
#PressFreedom #Thanksgiving
We talk trust metrics, but let's remember what journalism makes possible: it’s the mechanism by which free people figure out what's true.
The toast is still relevant.
www.backstoryandstrategy.com/p/milton-mur...
#PressFreedom #Thanksgiving
From Milton to Murrow: A Thanksgiving Toast to Free Speech
Explore the powerful lineage of free expression. See how the battles fought by John Milton and Edward R. Murrow set the table for our modern gratitude this holiday season.
www.backstoryandstrategy.com
November 28, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Milton risked his life. Murrow risked his career.
We talk trust metrics, but let's remember what journalism makes possible: it’s the mechanism by which free people figure out what's true.
The toast is still relevant.
www.backstoryandstrategy.com/p/milton-mur...
#PressFreedom #Thanksgiving
We talk trust metrics, but let's remember what journalism makes possible: it’s the mechanism by which free people figure out what's true.
The toast is still relevant.
www.backstoryandstrategy.com/p/milton-mur...
#PressFreedom #Thanksgiving
Everyone’s chasing the next platform.
Meanwhile, creators are back on Facebook, and audiences never left YouTube.
Maybe the future of trust and connection isn’t somewhere new — it’s somewhere we stopped showing up.
open.substack.com/pub/yonigre/...
#Media #Trust #BackstoryAndStrategy
Meanwhile, creators are back on Facebook, and audiences never left YouTube.
Maybe the future of trust and connection isn’t somewhere new — it’s somewhere we stopped showing up.
open.substack.com/pub/yonigre/...
#Media #Trust #BackstoryAndStrategy
The Platforms We Forgot Still Work
Creators are back on Facebook. Audiences never left YouTube. Maybe the next big thing in news isn’t new at all — it’s where trust already lives
open.substack.com
October 27, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Everyone’s chasing the next platform.
Meanwhile, creators are back on Facebook, and audiences never left YouTube.
Maybe the future of trust and connection isn’t somewhere new — it’s somewhere we stopped showing up.
open.substack.com/pub/yonigre/...
#Media #Trust #BackstoryAndStrategy
Meanwhile, creators are back on Facebook, and audiences never left YouTube.
Maybe the future of trust and connection isn’t somewhere new — it’s somewhere we stopped showing up.
open.substack.com/pub/yonigre/...
#Media #Trust #BackstoryAndStrategy
Public media can’t fix itself with the same tools that broke it.
The infrastructure that built it isn’t the one that will save it.
Here’s why we need to rebuild, not restore:
yonigre.substack.com/p/the-infras...
The infrastructure that built it isn’t the one that will save it.
Here’s why we need to rebuild, not restore:
yonigre.substack.com/p/the-infras...
The Infrastructure That Built Public Media Won't Save It
With CPB shutting down after 58 years and audiences already on-demand, survival depends on the one thing the system has always resisted: real experimentation. Some stations are already proving it work...
yonigre.substack.com
October 26, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Public media can’t fix itself with the same tools that broke it.
The infrastructure that built it isn’t the one that will save it.
Here’s why we need to rebuild, not restore:
yonigre.substack.com/p/the-infras...
The infrastructure that built it isn’t the one that will save it.
Here’s why we need to rebuild, not restore:
yonigre.substack.com/p/the-infras...
Vibe coding flips software creation on its head.
No dev team. No big budget. No permission. Just a clear problem and a strong idea.
What’s the first thing you’d build if the barrier was gone?
🔗 yonigre.substack.com/p/vibe-codin...
No dev team. No big budget. No permission. Just a clear problem and a strong idea.
What’s the first thing you’d build if the barrier was gone?
🔗 yonigre.substack.com/p/vibe-codin...
The Era of Permission is Over
Building software used to mean hiring a dev team or learning to code. Vibe coding changes that. All you need now is a problem to solve — and a clear vision of what you want built.
yonigre.substack.com
October 21, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Vibe coding flips software creation on its head.
No dev team. No big budget. No permission. Just a clear problem and a strong idea.
What’s the first thing you’d build if the barrier was gone?
🔗 yonigre.substack.com/p/vibe-codin...
No dev team. No big budget. No permission. Just a clear problem and a strong idea.
What’s the first thing you’d build if the barrier was gone?
🔗 yonigre.substack.com/p/vibe-codin...
Heading to Chicago for meetings with news leaders ahead of #NPASUMMIT 2025.
If you're arriving early for the summit, let's connect for a coffee. I'm keen to talk about the work we're doing at the American Press Institute on influencers, impact, and trust.
DM me to connect! #journalism
If you're arriving early for the summit, let's connect for a coffee. I'm keen to talk about the work we're doing at the American Press Institute on influencers, impact, and trust.
DM me to connect! #journalism
October 19, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Heading to Chicago for meetings with news leaders ahead of #NPASUMMIT 2025.
If you're arriving early for the summit, let's connect for a coffee. I'm keen to talk about the work we're doing at the American Press Institute on influencers, impact, and trust.
DM me to connect! #journalism
If you're arriving early for the summit, let's connect for a coffee. I'm keen to talk about the work we're doing at the American Press Institute on influencers, impact, and trust.
DM me to connect! #journalism
Been experimenting with making my Substack archive more useful.
I built an AI 'Pocket Coach' that lets you have a conversation with all my past posts on strategy, journalism, and nonprofits. It turns a static archive into an interactive tool.
Try it out here:
yonigre.substack.com/p/stop-searc...
I built an AI 'Pocket Coach' that lets you have a conversation with all my past posts on strategy, journalism, and nonprofits. It turns a static archive into an interactive tool.
Try it out here:
yonigre.substack.com/p/stop-searc...
Introducing the Backstory & Strategy Pocket Coach
I built a new AI-powered tool to help you stop searching and start solving. Instantly search my entire archive, get key takeaways, and find the strategic insights you need, right when you need them.
yonigre.substack.com
October 13, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Been experimenting with making my Substack archive more useful.
I built an AI 'Pocket Coach' that lets you have a conversation with all my past posts on strategy, journalism, and nonprofits. It turns a static archive into an interactive tool.
Try it out here:
yonigre.substack.com/p/stop-searc...
I built an AI 'Pocket Coach' that lets you have a conversation with all my past posts on strategy, journalism, and nonprofits. It turns a static archive into an interactive tool.
Try it out here:
yonigre.substack.com/p/stop-searc...
We don’t need more meetings. We need better ones.
That’s why I built AgendaFlow: a fast way to turn chaos into clarity.
Make meetings feel like progress, not punishment.
🔗 app.backstoryandstrategy.com
That’s why I built AgendaFlow: a fast way to turn chaos into clarity.
Make meetings feel like progress, not punishment.
🔗 app.backstoryandstrategy.com
September 25, 2025 at 12:20 AM
We don’t need more meetings. We need better ones.
That’s why I built AgendaFlow: a fast way to turn chaos into clarity.
Make meetings feel like progress, not punishment.
🔗 app.backstoryandstrategy.com
That’s why I built AgendaFlow: a fast way to turn chaos into clarity.
Make meetings feel like progress, not punishment.
🔗 app.backstoryandstrategy.com
Is "if it bleeds, it leads" still a winning strategy for news?
We bet against it. We built a newscast around context instead of crime tape and beat the competition.
Viewers don't want more spectacle, they want respect. My story:
yonigre.substack.com/p/why-if-it-...
We bet against it. We built a newscast around context instead of crime tape and beat the competition.
Viewers don't want more spectacle, they want respect. My story:
yonigre.substack.com/p/why-if-it-...
Why “If It Bleeds, It Leads” Is Failing Local News
Local TV has leaned on crime for decades. But audiences are showing that fear-driven coverage doesn’t just cost trust—it’s bad strategy.
yonigre.substack.com
August 8, 2025 at 1:49 AM
Is "if it bleeds, it leads" still a winning strategy for news?
We bet against it. We built a newscast around context instead of crime tape and beat the competition.
Viewers don't want more spectacle, they want respect. My story:
yonigre.substack.com/p/why-if-it-...
We bet against it. We built a newscast around context instead of crime tape and beat the competition.
Viewers don't want more spectacle, they want respect. My story:
yonigre.substack.com/p/why-if-it-...
Exciting news: On Aug. 4, I’ll join the American Press Institute as VP of Product Strategy. 15 years after speaking there, I return at a critical moment for journalism. Why I’m hopeful despite the challenges: yonigre.substack.com/p/back-to-ap...
#journalism #product #strategy
#journalism #product #strategy
Back to API, 15 Years Later — and Why It Matters Now
I’m returning to the American Press Institute as VP of Product Strategy at a critical moment for journalism.
yonigre.substack.com
July 30, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Exciting news: On Aug. 4, I’ll join the American Press Institute as VP of Product Strategy. 15 years after speaking there, I return at a critical moment for journalism. Why I’m hopeful despite the challenges: yonigre.substack.com/p/back-to-ap...
#journalism #product #strategy
#journalism #product #strategy
Public media is banking on corporate giving to fill a $1.1B clawback.
But a change to federal tax law just rewrote the rules.
I break it down here:
yonigre.substack.com/p/the-floor-...
#nonprofitmedia #journalism #fundraising
But a change to federal tax law just rewrote the rules.
I break it down here:
yonigre.substack.com/p/the-floor-...
#nonprofitmedia #journalism #fundraising
July 23, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Public media is banking on corporate giving to fill a $1.1B clawback.
But a change to federal tax law just rewrote the rules.
I break it down here:
yonigre.substack.com/p/the-floor-...
#nonprofitmedia #journalism #fundraising
But a change to federal tax law just rewrote the rules.
I break it down here:
yonigre.substack.com/p/the-floor-...
#nonprofitmedia #journalism #fundraising
Urgency grabs attention.
But what happens after the crisis fades?
New on Backstory & Strategy: why nonprofit media & mission-driven orgs need to build for endurance, not just adrenaline.
yonigre.substack.com/p/when-the-s...
But what happens after the crisis fades?
New on Backstory & Strategy: why nonprofit media & mission-driven orgs need to build for endurance, not just adrenaline.
yonigre.substack.com/p/when-the-s...
When the Sirens Fade
Saving the infrastructure behind public media—before the alarms stop working
yonigre.substack.com
July 21, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Urgency grabs attention.
But what happens after the crisis fades?
New on Backstory & Strategy: why nonprofit media & mission-driven orgs need to build for endurance, not just adrenaline.
yonigre.substack.com/p/when-the-s...
But what happens after the crisis fades?
New on Backstory & Strategy: why nonprofit media & mission-driven orgs need to build for endurance, not just adrenaline.
yonigre.substack.com/p/when-the-s...
I've spent my career in local news. But this week, I found myself asking:
Do I live in a news desert?
A personal reflection on shrinking coverage, civic info gaps, and what happens when your own community is left out.
🔗 yonigre.substack.com/p/do-i-live-...
Do I live in a news desert?
A personal reflection on shrinking coverage, civic info gaps, and what happens when your own community is left out.
🔗 yonigre.substack.com/p/do-i-live-...
Do I Live in a News Desert?
It's not a desert, but we're in a drought. A look at what's lost when local news outlets retreat from our towns.
yonigre.substack.com
July 16, 2025 at 6:35 PM
I've spent my career in local news. But this week, I found myself asking:
Do I live in a news desert?
A personal reflection on shrinking coverage, civic info gaps, and what happens when your own community is left out.
🔗 yonigre.substack.com/p/do-i-live-...
Do I live in a news desert?
A personal reflection on shrinking coverage, civic info gaps, and what happens when your own community is left out.
🔗 yonigre.substack.com/p/do-i-live-...
In 2008, someone pitched me a product. I pitched back something else entirely.
That moment shaped how I think about business relationships to this day.
The full story—and what it taught me about finding partners instead of vendors:
🔗 yonigre.substack.com/p/stop-looki...
That moment shaped how I think about business relationships to this day.
The full story—and what it taught me about finding partners instead of vendors:
🔗 yonigre.substack.com/p/stop-looki...
yonigre.substack.com
July 16, 2025 at 1:24 AM
In 2008, someone pitched me a product. I pitched back something else entirely.
That moment shaped how I think about business relationships to this day.
The full story—and what it taught me about finding partners instead of vendors:
🔗 yonigre.substack.com/p/stop-looki...
That moment shaped how I think about business relationships to this day.
The full story—and what it taught me about finding partners instead of vendors:
🔗 yonigre.substack.com/p/stop-looki...
🎙️ Launching Backstory & Strategy—a podcast about leadership, trust, and the real decisions behind the scenes.
14 episodes are live. New ones drop most weekdays. Thoughtful, practical, no fluff.
Apple: yoni.short.gy/Q1IRKd
Spotify: yoni.short.gy/vNJTmD
Amazon: yoni.short.gy/piE655
#podcasts
14 episodes are live. New ones drop most weekdays. Thoughtful, practical, no fluff.
Apple: yoni.short.gy/Q1IRKd
Spotify: yoni.short.gy/vNJTmD
Amazon: yoni.short.gy/piE655
#podcasts
Backstory & Strategy
Non-Profit Podcast · Updated Daily · Why do great strategies stall? What’s the hidden cost of “wait and see”? How do you build a sustainable model in a world of constant change? Welcome to Backstory &...
yoni.short.gy
July 15, 2025 at 12:28 PM
🎙️ Launching Backstory & Strategy—a podcast about leadership, trust, and the real decisions behind the scenes.
14 episodes are live. New ones drop most weekdays. Thoughtful, practical, no fluff.
Apple: yoni.short.gy/Q1IRKd
Spotify: yoni.short.gy/vNJTmD
Amazon: yoni.short.gy/piE655
#podcasts
14 episodes are live. New ones drop most weekdays. Thoughtful, practical, no fluff.
Apple: yoni.short.gy/Q1IRKd
Spotify: yoni.short.gy/vNJTmD
Amazon: yoni.short.gy/piE655
#podcasts
Announcing the Backstory & Strategy Podcast!
My Substack is now in audio form. I'm launching with 14 episodes, with new ones dropping most weekdays. The full written archive is also coming to audio soon.
Listen here:
Apple: yoni.short.gy/Q1IRKd
Spotify: yoni.short.gy/vNJTmD
#podcast #strategy
My Substack is now in audio form. I'm launching with 14 episodes, with new ones dropping most weekdays. The full written archive is also coming to audio soon.
Listen here:
Apple: yoni.short.gy/Q1IRKd
Spotify: yoni.short.gy/vNJTmD
#podcast #strategy
Backstory & Strategy
Non-Profit Podcast · Updated Daily · Why do great strategies stall? What’s the hidden cost of “wait and see”? How do you build a sustainable model in a world of constant change? Welcome to Backstory &...
yoni.short.gy
July 14, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Announcing the Backstory & Strategy Podcast!
My Substack is now in audio form. I'm launching with 14 episodes, with new ones dropping most weekdays. The full written archive is also coming to audio soon.
Listen here:
Apple: yoni.short.gy/Q1IRKd
Spotify: yoni.short.gy/vNJTmD
#podcast #strategy
My Substack is now in audio form. I'm launching with 14 episodes, with new ones dropping most weekdays. The full written archive is also coming to audio soon.
Listen here:
Apple: yoni.short.gy/Q1IRKd
Spotify: yoni.short.gy/vNJTmD
#podcast #strategy
My new podcast, Backstory & Strategy, is live.
The first episode covers the critical difference between a vendor and a partner—one sends invoices, the other shares your goals.
A key lesson from my Philly.com days. Listen here:
yoni.short.gy/9Chu6h
#Podcast #Leadership #BusinessStrategy
The first episode covers the critical difference between a vendor and a partner—one sends invoices, the other shares your goals.
A key lesson from my Philly.com days. Listen here:
yoni.short.gy/9Chu6h
#Podcast #Leadership #BusinessStrategy
July 14, 2025 at 4:39 PM
My new podcast, Backstory & Strategy, is live.
The first episode covers the critical difference between a vendor and a partner—one sends invoices, the other shares your goals.
A key lesson from my Philly.com days. Listen here:
yoni.short.gy/9Chu6h
#Podcast #Leadership #BusinessStrategy
The first episode covers the critical difference between a vendor and a partner—one sends invoices, the other shares your goals.
A key lesson from my Philly.com days. Listen here:
yoni.short.gy/9Chu6h
#Podcast #Leadership #BusinessStrategy
When leaders get stuck, the "wait and see" approach isn't neutral. It's a costly stall that erodes team morale and trust.
My new piece covers why this happens and how to get things moving again, whether you're making the call or waiting for it.
yonigre.substack.com/p/the-hidden...
My new piece covers why this happens and how to get things moving again, whether you're making the call or waiting for it.
yonigre.substack.com/p/the-hidden...
The Hidden Cost of “Let’s Wait and See”
What happens when leadership gets stuck—and how to get things moving again
yonigre.substack.com
July 11, 2025 at 2:41 PM
When leaders get stuck, the "wait and see" approach isn't neutral. It's a costly stall that erodes team morale and trust.
My new piece covers why this happens and how to get things moving again, whether you're making the call or waiting for it.
yonigre.substack.com/p/the-hidden...
My new piece covers why this happens and how to get things moving again, whether you're making the call or waiting for it.
yonigre.substack.com/p/the-hidden...
Many nonprofits chase recurring revenue without seeing the cash flow trap it can create. I break down the hidden risks of the "sustainer" model and offer a 3-part strategy for building a program that's actually sustainable. #nonprofit #fundraising
yonigre.substack.com/p/the-myth-o...
yonigre.substack.com/p/the-myth-o...
The Myth of the Self-Sustaining Membership
Part of the 💬 Mind the Gap series on mission + money in nonprofit media
yonigre.substack.com
July 9, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Many nonprofits chase recurring revenue without seeing the cash flow trap it can create. I break down the hidden risks of the "sustainer" model and offer a 3-part strategy for building a program that's actually sustainable. #nonprofit #fundraising
yonigre.substack.com/p/the-myth-o...
yonigre.substack.com/p/the-myth-o...
Why don't newsrooms learn from mistakes (and successes) like hospitals do?
My post explores using M&M Conferences for blameless post-mortems and Grand Rounds to systematically study what works. A path to a better culture.
yonigre.substack.com/p/what...
#journalism #newsnerds
My post explores using M&M Conferences for blameless post-mortems and Grand Rounds to systematically study what works. A path to a better culture.
yonigre.substack.com/p/what...
#journalism #newsnerds
July 8, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Why don't newsrooms learn from mistakes (and successes) like hospitals do?
My post explores using M&M Conferences for blameless post-mortems and Grand Rounds to systematically study what works. A path to a better culture.
yonigre.substack.com/p/what...
#journalism #newsnerds
My post explores using M&M Conferences for blameless post-mortems and Grand Rounds to systematically study what works. A path to a better culture.
yonigre.substack.com/p/what...
#journalism #newsnerds
Does your nonprofit board create more work than value?
It's the most common source of friction in nonprofits: the blurred line between governance & management.
I wrote a practical guide on how to fix it, with scripts for your staff and a playbook for leaders.
Link in bio to read the full piece.
It's the most common source of friction in nonprofits: the blurred line between governance & management.
I wrote a practical guide on how to fix it, with scripts for your staff and a playbook for leaders.
Link in bio to read the full piece.
July 7, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Does your nonprofit board create more work than value?
It's the most common source of friction in nonprofits: the blurred line between governance & management.
I wrote a practical guide on how to fix it, with scripts for your staff and a playbook for leaders.
Link in bio to read the full piece.
It's the most common source of friction in nonprofits: the blurred line between governance & management.
I wrote a practical guide on how to fix it, with scripts for your staff and a playbook for leaders.
Link in bio to read the full piece.
Perfect for a Saturday evening scroll.
This week on Backstory & Strategy, I published a new tool: a practical framework for making purpose-driven decisions 🧭
Plus, deep dives on the future of news & 'culture fit'. Catch up on the week's reads.
Link in bio!
#Strategy #Leadership #DecisionMaking
This week on Backstory & Strategy, I published a new tool: a practical framework for making purpose-driven decisions 🧭
Plus, deep dives on the future of news & 'culture fit'. Catch up on the week's reads.
Link in bio!
#Strategy #Leadership #DecisionMaking
July 5, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Perfect for a Saturday evening scroll.
This week on Backstory & Strategy, I published a new tool: a practical framework for making purpose-driven decisions 🧭
Plus, deep dives on the future of news & 'culture fit'. Catch up on the week's reads.
Link in bio!
#Strategy #Leadership #DecisionMaking
This week on Backstory & Strategy, I published a new tool: a practical framework for making purpose-driven decisions 🧭
Plus, deep dives on the future of news & 'culture fit'. Catch up on the week's reads.
Link in bio!
#Strategy #Leadership #DecisionMaking
Long before we had feeds and timelines, newspapers were the glue that held a new nation together. My latest article looks at how these original social networks delivered independence to the American people. The full post is in my bio.
#History #4thofJuly #Journalism #AmericanRevolution
#History #4thofJuly #Journalism #AmericanRevolution
July 4, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Long before we had feeds and timelines, newspapers were the glue that held a new nation together. My latest article looks at how these original social networks delivered independence to the American people. The full post is in my bio.
#History #4thofJuly #Journalism #AmericanRevolution
#History #4thofJuly #Journalism #AmericanRevolution
Are you accidentally filtering out your best candidates by misjudging "culture fit"? My new article discusses how to use cultural alignment as a powerful tool for building a successful team. Read the full post in my bio.
#Hiring #Recruitment #CultureFit #Leadership
#Hiring #Recruitment #CultureFit #Leadership
July 3, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Are you accidentally filtering out your best candidates by misjudging "culture fit"? My new article discusses how to use cultural alignment as a powerful tool for building a successful team. Read the full post in my bio.
#Hiring #Recruitment #CultureFit #Leadership
#Hiring #Recruitment #CultureFit #Leadership
My latest piece is a blueprint for revitalizing local news in Pennsylvania. I'm proposing a Civic Media Fund, a public-private partnership to support our journalists and combat "news deserts." Check out the full post in my bio. #localnews #journalism #Pennsylvania
July 2, 2025 at 12:32 PM
My latest piece is a blueprint for revitalizing local news in Pennsylvania. I'm proposing a Civic Media Fund, a public-private partnership to support our journalists and combat "news deserts." Check out the full post in my bio. #localnews #journalism #Pennsylvania