A path is opening for innovation in local news to gain reader support while breaking free of ad revenue and platform intermediaries. My research project at the Lenfest Institute explores the history of publishers monetizing attention, the conflict between advertising and reader support, and the challenge to integrate legacy products and digital products. In my report, I propose a broad solution that takes news organizations down this path. In short, publishers need to deploy technologies that allow them to know their audiences better, design user experiences that clearly convey value to their readers, and develop economies of scale that reduce costs without cutting journalism.
This talk will cover material in my report from the perspective of WordPress and the open web, both of which are core to my thinking.