1 Year of Keep It Local: The Ideas, Strategies and Trends Shaping Local Media

This special anniversary episode of Keep It Local, a podcast from the Local Media Association, looks back at a full year of conversations with leaders across the local news industry.

Host Ryan Welton highlights the biggest takeaways on revenue, AI, audience trust, and innovation — all focused on one mission: helping local media organizations build sustainable business models.

🔑 What you’ll learn

Branded content that actually works

Why internal alignment is critical to successHow storytelling drives advertiser value

AI in the newsroom

Practical use cases beyond writingHow AI can improve accessibility and efficiencyWhy trust and transparency matter more than ever

New revenue opportunities

Donation strategies that convert audiences into supporters“Best of” campaigns as long-term revenue enginesMonetizing short-form video and branded content

Audience trust & data strategy

What consumers actually think about AI in newsHow zero- and first-party data strengthen relationships

Growth strategies for modern newsrooms

Short-form video adoptionCommunity-first engagement modelsBuilding direct audience relationships

🎯 Why it matters

Local journalism is evolving fast. The organizations that survive — and thrive — will be the ones that adapt, experiment, and connect deeply with their communities.

This episode is a roadmap for doing exactly that.

Editor's note: These podcast notes were written by AI from an episode transcript plus inputs from its host.