The rise and evolution of nonprofit news: Exit interview with INN's Sue Cross

Local News Matters

Sue Cross, the recently retired executive director of the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN), shares her insights on the remarkable growth and impact of nonprofit news. She highlights the evolving landscape of newsroom founders, the crucial role of community support, and strategies to maintain journalistic independence from funders.

Cross also addresses the challenges of scaling and funding newsrooms in underserved communities, the necessity for national news to be informed by local stories, and the complexities involved in converting from for-profit to nonprofit models. Her reflections offer valuable insights into sustaining local journalism and fostering innovation within the nonprofit sector.

Episode chapters:

(00:02:47) - Growth of INN and nonprofit news

(00:07:21) - The evolving profile of newsroom founders

(00:10:56) - Community relationships and support for newsrooms

(00:15:06) - Maintaining journalistic independence from funders

(00:18:25) - The challenges of scale and funding for underserved communities

(00:23:14) - Unique challenges facing nonprofit newsrooms

(00:27:34) - The need for national news to be informed by local news

(00:34:23) - Converting from a for-profit to a nonprofit newsroom

(00:45:22) - Career trajectory and evolution as a leader

(00:53:04) - Advice for support organizations

(00:56:10) - Rapid-fire questions

(01:03:15) - Local recommendations (Los Angeles)

Links:

• Sue Cross: Linkedln, Twitter/X

• INN

• Mentioned

• Range by David Epstein

• MLK 50

• NewsMatch

• LION

• Press Forward

• Block Club Chicago

• ProPublica

• Mother Jones

• Grist

• Salt Lake City Tribune

• Lawyers for Reporters

• Davis Wright Tremaine

• TrustLaw

• Justworks

• Local / media recommendations:

• East Sider

• LA Taco

• LA Public Press

• Witness LA

• Afro LA

• Tacos Delta

• Local News Matters: web, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn

• Pirate Audio

• Colorado Press Association: web, Twitter, Facebook

• Tim Regan-Porter: bio, Twitter

For show notes, transcripts, newsletter sign-up and past guests on the Local News Matters podcast, please visit localnewsmatterspodcast.com or lnmpod.com.

Past guests on the Local News Matters podcast include: Mary Margaret White (Mississippi Today), Amy Kovac-Ashley (Tiny News Collective), Michael Shaprio (TAPinto), Kenny Katzgrau (redbankgreen and Broadstreet), John Garrett (Community Impact), Shannon Kinney (Dream Local Digital), Larry Ryckman (The Colorado Sun), Frank Mungeam (Local Media Association), Kelly Ann Scott (Alabama Media Group), Sara Lomax and S. Mitra Kalita (URL Media), Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro (National Trust for Local News), Mike Rispoli and Richard Young (via When the People Decide), Sarabeth Berman (American Journalism Project), Rabbi Hillel Goldberg and Shana Goldberg (Intermountain Jewish News), Lyndsay C. Green (via The Journalism Salute), Rashad Mahmood and Mark Glaser (New Mexico Local News Fund), Christian Vanek and Barbara Hardt (The Mountain-Ear), Dan Grech (BizHack), Zack Richner (Easy Tax Credits), Tracie Powell (Pivot Fund), Dan Oshinsky (Inbox Collective), Linda Shapley (via What Works), Yehong Zhu and Jake Seaton (Zette, Column), Charity Huff (January Spring), Joaquin Alvarado and Dave Perry (Aurora Sentinel), Steve Waldman (Rebuild Local News), Maritza Félix (Conecta Arizona), Michael Bolden (American Press Institute), Jeff Roberts and Corey Hutchins (CFOIC, Colorado College), Eve Pearlman and Erica Anderson (Spaceship Media), Jennifer Brandel (Hearken, Democracy SOS), Corey Hutchins with Bay Edwards, Todd Chamberlain and Raleigh Burleigh (Sopris Sun).