Katherine Lee understands the power of harnessing new technologies to drive journalistic impact. Earlier in her career, her team’s timely adoption of social media at the Tuscaloosa News earned them a Pulitzer Prize. Now, she carries that embrace of fresh innovations to her work leading features coverage as the news and culture editor at the Portland Press Herald. “We have to get outside our comfort zone and figure out how to use it,” Lee said of new technology. When Lee was c

Over the past two years, Central Maine reporter Emily Duggan started noticing routine school board meetings weren’t so routine. Parents who organized against the anti-LGBTQ rhetoric from growing conservative parents’ organizations stand outside school administration offices in Gardiner, Maine. Candidates with Christian nationalist agendas were elected to the boards, and the rhetoric changed from budgets and field trips to cultural issues such as LGBTQ+ youth and putting Bible

A town-by-town snapshot of everyone detained  by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents after a week of enhanced enforcement in Maine. Protesters gather for anti-ICE rally in Portland's Monument Square on Jan. 30. A Maine-focused analysis  of the people identified in the Department of Homeland Security’s “worst of the worst” list.  Interviews with Mainers who welcome immigration sweeps  and on-the-ground coverage of protests against ICE enforcement. A father detained on h

Joshua Wilson has spent nearly two decades telling stories about the Deep South. But when he relocated to Macon in 2025 to lead The Macon Melody, the Mississippi native noticed something remarkable: Everywhere he turned, he encountered the city's extraordinary contributions to music. "Macon's influence on American music is staggering," Wilson said. "The Allman Brothers, Little Richard, Otis Redding, Jason Aldean — this city shaped, and continues to shape, the music we cherish

As the National Trust for Local News works to transform community news assets to grow the reach and impact of local journalism, the nonprofit today announced the launch of its new digital marketing agency, Switchline Digital . Led by experienced executives at the National Trust, Switchline will provide human-led, AI-driven marketing strategies for businesses across every industry. “Switchline Digital represents one example of the National Trust for Local News’s enhanced focus

In early 2025, The Portland Press Herald  stopped running nationally syndicated op-eds and started focusing solely on the state of Maine. The Maine Trust for Local News  also created a single Opinion and Letters section to serve all of its daily papers, giving top priority to Letters to the Editor and op-ed submissions that have a local or statewide focus.  📈 The result? Within six months, web visits to opinion stories or letters were up by 63%, with more than 300 new subscr

Strong communities rely on strong local news and information. That's why the National Trust for Local News is proud to be a founding partner of the inaugural  Local News Day .  Launching April 9 , this national day of action is designed to connect communities with trusted local journalism and encourage people to engage with and subscribe to their local news outlets.  This coordinated effort can help local newsrooms nationwide broaden their impact and build ongoing engagement

Strengthening local news requires bold ideas ignited by journalists in the field. Catalyzing sparks of innovation that come from those working every day to educate, engage and inform our readers can transform the industry and charge growth.  The National Trust for Local News believes in accelerating visionary concepts from our journalists to power solutions for market challenges. The News Innovation Sprint, sponsored by the  Google News Initiative , represents one way the Nat

The local news organizations owned by the National Trust for Local News drive earned revenue to fund their essential journalism. While individual donations and philanthropic partners provide crucial capital, the majority of NTLN’s revenue comes from subscriptions, advertising and other emerging sources.  That’s why the National Trust invests in teams and technology that experiment with new ways to grow consumer revenue while ensuring the widest possible access to news in the