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News, information and much more for independent online news publishers. 
Grant aids Berkeleyside's bid to turn readers into investors

The Lenfest Institute, a Philadelphia-based foundation set up as part of the Philadelphia Inquirer's switch to being owned by a nonprofit, has announced $1 million in grant funding to support local journalism innovation and sustainability efforts.

The grants, funded in part by the Knight Foundation, include support for a LION member's efforts to get have readers become investors in California local independent online news site Berkeleyside.

Berkeleyside's "direct public offering" is the first of its kind for a local news site. It's goal is to raise $800,000 in investments of $1,000 or more from readers and community supporters. It has raised nearly $600,000 so far from 226 individuals.

Related: An ambitious plan to put 1,000 new reporters in newsrooms across the country. Why it’s time for ‘Report for America,’ a public service program for journalists.


50,000 reasons to attend LION's annual summit in Chicago

From the publishers of startup local news sites, to sponsors and industry experts, there's widespread agreement that the annual LION Summit is a conference like no other

"Every time I go, I get $50,000 worth of ideas" ...

"Go, and be prepared to feel like your head's going to explode — in a good way. You are going to hear so many amazing ideas that you just can't wait to implement." ...

"Attending this conference has been a game changer for my news website."



Google and Facebook tighten grip on digital advertising

Google and Facebook will take an estimated 63 percent of ALL digital advertising in the U.S. this year, Google with 35 billion, up 18.9 percent, and Facebook with $17.37 billion, up 40.4 percent.

They're getting 92.7 percent of the growth in digital. And if you add growth at Amazon and Snapchat to that figure, digital ad revenue has actually DROPPED for everyone else combined.

Google and Facebook don't just dominate online ads — they're pushing everyone else out, too.

Related: Facebook gives, but continues to take more from publishers. Small businesses crowd Facebook, Twitter for marketing. How Amazon is becoming the third powerful force in advertising. Quartz’s Kevin Delaney: Advertising is still a great business model for news.


After Russia outrage, Facebook overhauls ad transparency

Following outrage over revelations that Russian interests had purchased targeted Facebook ads seeking to manipulate the U.S. election, Facebook has announced a major policy shift in transparency over political ads. It will also turn over information about the Russian ads to Congress.

Some see the advertising overhaul as a "crucial first step" for Facebook to make sure that its platform is not being used for nefarious ends.

Ultimately, lawmakers might not be content with leaving it to Facebook to self-regulate on this issue. Democratic senators are preparing a bill to deal with online political advertising.

Related: Why do Facebook’s algorithms keep abetting racism? Or does the problem have nothing to do with algorithms? Facebook, after ‘fail’ over ads targeting racists, makes changes. Google allowed advertisers to target people searching racist phrases. Twitter lets you target ads to millions of people who use the N-Word. Big tech’s half-hearted response to fake news and election hacking. Trump is using targeted Facebook ads to reassure supporters he will build the border wall. How Facebook determines what's acceptable speech.


An indie site steps up as flooded city faces its 'biggest crisis'

"Flooding from Hurricane Harvey was perhaps the biggest crisis ever in Katy, Texas. The community has been providing nonstop thanks for our coverage. We were on it day and night, and the community responded with more than 1 million page views in a week."

In a member spotlight Q&A, LION member Dennis Spellman, publisher of Covering Katy, talks about why he started the local independent online news site in Texas, and offers advice on paying the bills while dealing with community leaders who don't necessarily welcome accountability journalism.


Wall or fence? Navigating editorial-business divide at a small site

Poynter caught up with LION member Liena Zagare, publisher of Bklyner, on navigating the traditional "wall" between the business side of news organizations and journalism. At small local independent online news organizations, the news and business sides have to collaborate, sometimes because they're the same person.

"In our newsroom, we all sit in the same room. The business team wants to have good stories that have impact and reach. It helps to have the credibility. It aligns with the brand and it makes it easier for them to sell when we do great stories, and it makes it easier for us to do great stories when they can sell. It's really simple."

Related: Local online news publishers offer advice on hiring, managing, paying advertising sales reps.


Tools and Tips: Advertising and Revenue

AD BLOCKING: ‘We are not going to give up’: German publishers continue war with ad blockers.

AD TECH: Forget the duopoly, Apple’s anti-tracking moves rattle digital media. Apple responds to ad group’s criticism of Safari cookie blocking. Facebook will target ads to people based on store visits, offline purchases, calls to businesses. Vox Media is bending to the wave of using technology to sell ads. Economist suffers ad revenue decline as ‘virus’ catches up with it.

AMP: Why only Google talks about “happier users” or “faster pages” as the business case for AMP.

APPLE NEWS: Publishers continue to see monetization problems with Apple News.

FACEBOOK: Facebook on local news partnerships: ‘We’re just getting started.’ Facebook ramps up reach for “donate” buttons and fundraisers.

METRICS: Publishers, pick your KPIs and stick with them.

NEWSLETTERS: USA Today sees a template in its Hurricane Irma email newsletter.

PODCASTING: How podcasts with small audiences are attracting advertisers.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: What makes people willing to pay for news online? Quality content; a clean, convenient reading experience.

TRANSPARENCY: Newspapers should be transparent about their financial challenges. To avoid accusations of media bias, news organizations are lifting the veil.

VIDEO: Chrome will no longer autoplay videos with sound in January 2018. Video advertising took a big leap in Q2. FoxSports.com has reportedly lost 88% of its audience after pivoting to video. Millennial publisher Mic.com says comScore data showing a shrinking audience is wrong. Buzzfeed on "what we've learned about doing video and reporting, together."
This free tool comes with a well-stocked video library.


Tools and Tips: Journalism and Technology

AI: The future of news is humans talking to machines. Google adds new machine learning technology to newsrooms. AI is going to be helpful for personalizing news — but watch out for journalism turning into marketing. Google’s AI chief thinks reports of the AI apocalypse are greatly exaggerated.

BUSINESS REPORTING: This former hedge fund guy is a one-man nonprofit investigating some of America’s shadiest companies.

CORRECTIONS: Want to build trust? Start with a good corrections policy.

DATA: The state of data journalism in 2017: A new report. Database offers trove of criminal justice stories with rare, deep look into local data.

DIVERSITY: What the Jemele Hill controversy says about failed attempts at true newsroom diversity. Another missed deadline: journalism's decades-long diversity dilemma. In search of equity: the Media Consortium reinvents itself.

ENGAGEMENT: Why the Knight Foundation's Jennifer Preston moved her focus to engagement metrics. Chat bots help newsrooms talk to readers one-on-one — and discover stories in their community. What Vox learned from building groups and creating communities on Facebook.

FOIA: A look at why FOIA has been so crucial to U.S. democracy. How you can use FOIA on every beat. How long does your state have to respond to your public records request? Lawmakers say they value open government. But not for themselves. Governments turn tables by suing public records requesters.

GUNS: Rethinking news coverage of mass shootings in the age of gun violence.

HEALTH CARE: “The Internet hates secrets”: Clear Health Costs works with newsrooms to bring healthcare costs out of hiding.

HURRICANES: For local newsrooms covering hurricanes Harvey and Irma, 'the story is just beginning.' After two back-to-back hurricanes, what have fact-checkers learned about covering storms? How journalists can better approach victims of disaster. "TV hurricane coverage failed my family."

INSTAGRAM: Small brands are finding it harder to get verified on Instagram. A detailed guide to gaining more followers on Instagram.

MESSAGING: Univision is trying out WhatsApp to distribute news and information during hurricane emergencies.

METRICS: It’s time to reinvent news media audience measurement. The historical habit: When and how to use your historical data.

MOBILE: How iOS 11 will affect news publishers. How to replace the content of an iOS notification.

PAGE LOAD: How Reader’s Digest cut its page-load time by 40 percent this year.

PODCASTING: Investigative reporting has found a new home: podcasts. Free tools for creating audio stories.

RACE: Lessons on covering race and racism after Charlottesville.

SOCIAL MEDIA: BuzzFeed’s strategy for getting content to do well on all platforms? Adaptation and a lot of A/B testing. Q&A: How Diply goes “social-first” to create stories that stand out in the newsfeed. 'Likes' lead to nothing — and other hard-learned lessons of social media marketing. Twitter dustups are a reminder: Journalists, you are what you tweet.

STORY COMMENTS: The Washington Post starts using Talk, an open-source tool for improving online comments.

TOOLS: Digital tools available now to add power and simplify every journalist’s job.


Industry News

ALASKA: Layoffs hit Alaska Dispatch News in wake of bankruptcy sale.

ALT WEEKLIES: Motel 6 scoop in Phoenix New Times: an advertisement for alt-weeklies.

AUSTRALIA: New media ownership law in Australia doesn't address the real crisis in journalism. Can Australia’s media reform help news move beyond clicks?

ELECTION: Hillary Clinton and journalism’s failures.

FAKE NEWS: All the academics these days are studying "post-truth" and the fake news phenomenon. Inside the Macedonia fake news machine that's gearing up for the 2020 U.S. election. GOP governors launch ‘news’ site critics call propaganda. Snopes and the search for facts in a post-fact world.

GANNETT: El Paso Times Editor Bob Moore, a Ben Bradlee Award winner who led coverage that exposed deep corruption in a public school district, resigns in effort to save newsroom jobs amid latest Gannett layoffs. Gannett lays off Tennessee journalists.

GOOGLE: Google is linking secret, court-protected names - including victim IDs - to online coverage.

MEDIA REPORTING: Why the New York Times covers its own industry.

MEDIUM: Plans for Medium 3.0 take shape.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: Manchester Union-Leader sells building for $3.8 million.

PINTEREST: Pinterest opens up 5,000 interest categories for ad targeting.

PRESS FREEDOM: How a reporter’s photos were deleted at the Vermont border. Post-Dispatch demands charges be dropped against reporter covering protest.

PRINT: Print’s future may be as creative builder of news brands. How the Birmingham News separated print from digital to save the newspaper. What newsroom execs around the world think should be the next big areas of focus for their companies.

SINCLAIR: FCC seeks more evidence for Sinclair/Tribune deal claims.

TRONC: Tronc to cut 25 percent of staff at Chicago-area weekly group.

TWITTER: Twitter’s Popular Articles feature shows you the most shared stories in your network.


UPCOMING EVENTS

BUSINESS PLANNING FOR NONPROFIT NEWS: The Institute for Nonprofit News will host a one-day intensive on business planning for nonprofit news organizations Oct. 3 in Philadelphia.

ONA CONFERENCE: The Online News Association's annual conference will be held Oct. 5-7 in Washington, D.C.

ASNE CONFERENCE: The American Society of News Editors and Associated Press Media Editors joint conference will be held Oct. 8-10 in Washington, D.C.

LION SUMMIT - CHICAGO: Register now! LION Publishers' annual conference will be held Oct. 26-28 in Chicago.


Is Your LION Publishers Membership Up for Renewal?
 
For many of our LION Publishers members, it's time to renew! Your membership includes participation in the LION Publishers Den on Facebook, networking and support from fellow LION publishers, our new newsletter, discounted rates on media liability and directors and officers insurance and more. 

Plus, being a member gives you access to a members-only rate to the LION Summit – a savings of up to $175 compared to the non-member rate. If your membership is due for renewal, please go to http://www.lionpublishers.com/members/dues/renew to submit your payment. Those who opt for multi-year membership save, and easy, secure payment options are available via credit card or through Paypal. (Not sure when your membership expires? You can look it up easily on LIONPublishers.com.)
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