エピソード

  • The scrappy playbook behind premium print

    The scrappy playbook behind premium print
    2026/09/21
    Everyone keeps declaring print dead. Megan Schertler has built an entire career proving the opposite. As cofounder and managing director of In Real Life Media, she helps publishers and brands put print magazines back at the center of their business, treating it as the anchor rather than the afterthought. In this conversation she explains why print is now outperforming digital on trust, how COVID and AI reshaped what audiences actually believe, and why so many new magazines fold after a couple of issues. She breaks down the small but mighty model built on obsessive readers, the generational knowledge gap that leaves publishers unsure how to sell print, and the unglamorous operational decisions that quietly decide whether a title survives. Links In Real Life Media https://www.inreallife.media/ Megan Schertler - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mwrays/ --- This podcast is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the podcast platform built for local media. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --- Subscribe to the Local News Industry Pulse newsletter to receive a weekly briefing of news, policy, trends, and more in the local news industry: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://localnewsindustrypulse.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    41 分
  • Building a local media hold co you can run till the day you die

    Building a local media hold co you can run till the day you die
    2026/09/15
    Michael Kauffman never planned to build a media company. After a beverage startup that raised 250k and vanished in a single production run, a stint working for the founder of Priceline, and a string of ventures that burned him out, a long drive home from a Montana fishing trip pushed him to start a local newsletter with two rules, keep it fun and keep it rooted in community. That newsletter, Catskill Crew, now reaches around 41,000 subscribers. In this conversation Michael breaks down how he turned a weekly newsletter into a local holding company, stacking revenue across ads, events, merch, board games, and a new premium tier. He explains why he believes content is the hard part while subscriber growth is nearly free, why he turned down a $25,000 advertiser that did not fit the brand, and how the Newsletter Club grew into a global community of local media operators. Links: Catskill Crew https://catskillcrew.com/ The Newsletter Club https://thenewsletter.club/ Michael Kauffman socials LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeljkauffman/ X: https://x.com/MikeyPesto --- This podcast is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the podcast platform built for local media. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --- Subscribe to the Local News Industry Pulse newsletter to receive a weekly briefing of news, policy, trends, and more in the local news industry: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://localnewsindustrypulse.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    44 分
  • Running six Ohio news sites with AI

    Running six Ohio news sites with AI
    2026/09/07
    Julie D'Aloiso built a Northeast Ohio local news network almost by accident, and in this episode she traces the winding path that got her there. A former COBOL programmer turned early social media adopter, she launched SpiderCat Marketing, ran an internet radio station out of her basement, and started covering her own town once the local paper went quiet. Today she and her small family team run more than twenty city Facebook pages and six news sites, reaching millions of views a month. Our conversation gets into how she actually pulls it off: using Claude as a ghostwriter, turning long council meetings into short form video that regularly goes viral, and stitching together revenue from ads, national ad networks, and community submission tools. Julie also explains why she believes content is still king, and why AI is not always the answer. Links: Julie D'Aloiso - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdaloiso/ email: julie@spidercatmarketing.com SpiderCat Marketing https://spidercatmarketing.com/ Nordonia Hills News https://nordoniahills.news/ NE Ohio News https://neohio.news/ --- This podcast is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the podcast platform built for local media. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --- Subscribe to the Local News Industry Pulse newsletter to receive a weekly briefing of news, policy, trends, and more in the local news industry: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://localnewsindustrypulse.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    31 分
  • What local news is trying next

    What local news is trying next
    2026/08/31
    Sophie Culpepper covers local news for Nieman Lab, the Harvard based publication tracking how journalism is evolving in a digital age. She joins the show to map what is actually working in local media right now, from a Provincetown newsroom that ran a capital campaign to buy housing for its reporters to Chicago Public Media reimagining a donated web domain as a neighborhood social square. The conversation digs into the business side of local news, including events as real revenue, regional scale as a survival strategy, and the state policies starting to fund newsrooms. Sophie also makes a case for staying a self described Luddite in her own writing. Links: Nieman Lab https://www.niemanlab.org/ Sophie Culpepper socials LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-culpepper/ Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/speppered.bsky.social --- This podcast is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the podcast platform built for local media. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --- Subscribe to the Local News Industry Pulse newsletter to receive a weekly briefing of news, policy, trends, and more in the local news industry: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://localnewsindustrypulse.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    36 分
  • Funding journalism with the tools that threaten it

    Funding journalism with the tools that threaten it
    2026/07/20
    Brian Kennett is the founder of Built Revenue. He argues that local publishers are sitting on the most valuable asset in their market, a trusted audience, and monetizing almost none of what it is worth. In this conversation Brian breaks down why the platforms will never build the tools publishers actually need, how complexity and disconnected systems quietly bleed revenue, and why he leans fully into AI to fund journalism rather than fear it. He and Paul trade real examples of publishers turning idle space into cafes, event venues, and studios, and Brian makes the case that the publishers moving fast right now are the ones who will still be standing in five years. Links: Built Revenue https://www.builtrevenue.com/ Brian Kennett - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/briankennett/ --- This podcast is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the podcast platform built for local media. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --- Subscribe to the Local News Industry Pulse newsletter to receive a weekly briefing of news, policy, trends, and more in the local news industry: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://localnewsindustrypulse.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    34 分
  • How AI rewired a one person newsroom

    How AI rewired a one person newsroom
    2026/07/13
    Uriah Kiser has spent more than three decades in local media, from interviewing President Clinton as a teenage TV reporter to launching Potomac Local two years before the Virginia newspaper he grew up delivering shut its presses for good. Sixteen years later he is still covering why the cops were on your street, what the city council voted on, and which new restaurant just opened, all while running lean with a rotating crew of high school interns. In this conversation Uriah breaks down how AI reshaped his workflow without breaking the rules of journalism, from turning hours long meeting transcripts into story ideas to profiling prospects before a sales call and translating ad analytics into plain language clients actually read. Links: Uriah Kiser - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/uriah-kiser-27093a10/ Potomac Local News https://www.potomaclocal.com/ --- This podcast is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the podcast platform built for local media. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --- Subscribe to the Local News Industry Pulse newsletter to receive a weekly briefing of news, policy, trends, and more in the local news industry: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://localnewsindustrypulse.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    48 分
  • The firewall between business and editorial is becoming a half wall

    The firewall between business and editorial is becoming a half wall
    2026/07/06
    Brandon Mercer is the Vice President of Ad Product Integrated Solutions at Hearst, where he builds the programs that sit between editorial and advertising across the company's local newspaper properties. Brandon argues that the old firewall between the business and editorial sides is turning into a half wall, something teams should be able to see over rather than hide behind. His clearest advice for local publishers is to pour energy into email, text messaging, and events, the channels they actually control as search traffic and zero click answers eat into website readership. Links: Brandon Mercer - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mercerbrandon/ Mentioned in the episode: Trumpia - https://www.trumpia.com/ Subtext - https://info.joinsubtext.com/ Sailthru - https://zetaglobal.com/sailthru/ Inside the Creator Economy newsletter - https://insidethecreator.beehiiv.com/ --- This podcast is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the podcast platform built for local media. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --- Subscribe to the Local News Industry Pulse newsletter to receive a weekly briefing of news, policy, trends, and more in the local news industry: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://localnewsindustrypulse.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    41 分
  • What Blockbuster and Redbox reveal about local news

    What Blockbuster and Redbox reveal about local news
    2026/06/29
    Justin Rushing has spent more than fifteen years on the revenue side of local news. Today he is cofounder of the HBCU Digital Media Collaborative, which partners with historically Black colleges and universities to help students build campus publishing outlets and find real pathways into media careers. In this conversation Justin traces how a single internship pulled him into a field he did not know existed, why activating students on campus sits at the heart of the Collaborative's work, and what local publishers should actually focus on in 2026. He argues that revenue is logistical before it is transactional, that publishers should monetize whichever asset is stronger, their brand or their audience, and that the consumer rather than the newsroom ultimately decides what survives. Links: Justin Rushing: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-rushing-21341616/ https://www.iamjustinrushing.com/ HBCU Collaborative https://hbcucollaborative.org/ --- This podcast is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the podcast platform built for local media. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LocalPod.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --- Subscribe to the Local News Industry Pulse newsletter to receive a weekly briefing of news, policy, trends, and more in the local news industry: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://localnewsindustrypulse.beehiiv.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    41 分