How to recession-proof your news business

11/17/22 • 59 min

Economists are forecasting a “mild” recession in 2023. That’s driven by inflation, higher interest rates, and a tight labor market. What can news publishers and entrepreneurs do to prepare for an economic downturn?

Listen for an assessment of the current economic climate for journalism and advice on how small and bootstrapped newsrooms can survive a recession.

Panelists included:

Glenn Burkins — Founder and Publisher of QCityMetro.com in Charlotte, North Carolina
Anita Li — Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Green Line in Toronto, Canada
Justin Rushing — Director of Growth and Partnerships at inewsource.org in San Diego, California

Zuri Berry, the principal producer and owner of ZMC Podcasts, moderated this discussion.

This conversation was sponsored by the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

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The Pivot Fund is a new venture philanthropy organization dedicated to investing $500 million into independent BIPOC-led community news outlets through grantmaking, development support, and strategic consulting. For more information on The Pivot Fund, visit https://thepivotfund.org.

The Pivot Fund Pod is edited and produced by ZMC Podcasts.

Listen for an assessment of the current economic climate for journalism and advice on how small and bootstrapped newsrooms can survive a recession.

Panelists included:

Glenn Burkins — Founder and Publisher of QCityMetro.com in Charlotte, North Carolina
Anita Li — Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Green Line in Toronto, Canada
Justin Rushing — Director of Growth and Partnerships at inewsource.org in San Diego, California

Zuri Berry, the principal producer and owner of ZMC Podcasts, moderated this discussion.

This conversation was sponsored by the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

The Pivot Fund Pod is edited and produced by ZMC Podcasts.

Previous Episode

Who owns Black media?

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What does it mean to be Black media? And how can media that targets Black audiences be culturally competent?

The Pivot Fund and Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press hosted this conversation on Feb. 23, 2022, about Black media ownership and the support systems they need to be successful and serve the Black community.

Tracie Powell, The Pivot Fund's CEO, moderated the discussion with Kamesha Laurry, an attorney and fellow at the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.

Panelists included:

Joseph A. Torres, co-author of "News for All the People: The Epic Story of Race and the American Media"
Sara Lomax-Reese, co-founder of URL Media and president and CEO of WURD Radio
Cheryl Thompson-Morton, director of the Black Media Initiative at the Center for Community Media at City University of New York
Hiram Jackson, the CEO of Real Times Media

Resources:

Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press hotline: 1-800-336-4243.
rcfp.org

The Pivot Fund is a new venture philanthropy organization dedicated to investing $500 million into independent BIPOC-led community news outlets through grantmaking, development support, and strategic consulting.

For more information on The Pivot Fund, visit thepivotfund.org.

The Pivot Fund Pod is edited and produced by ZMC Podcasts.

Next Episode

How to turn your board of directors into fundraisers

Raising funds is hard! But it doesn’t have to be. In this panel discussion, we review strategies for turning members of your board of directors into effective fundraisers by tapping into their wealth of knowledge, connections, and resources.

Panelists included: