| Study: Tax money wasted after local journalism disappears
New research shows that the decline of local journalism leads directly to higher costs for taxpayers.
"Local newspapers hold their governments accountable. We examine the effect of local newspaper closures on public finance for local governments," write the authors of a study from professors at the University of Notre Dame and University of Illinois at Chicago. "Following a newspaper closure, we find municipal borrowing costs increase by 5 to 11 basis points in the long run. Identification tests illustrate that these results are not being driven by deteriorating local economic conditions. The loss of monitoring that results from newspaper closures is associated with increased government inefficiencies, including higher likelihoods of costly advance refundings and negotiated issues, and higher government wages, employees, and tax revenues."
LION will talk reader revenue, seed funding, ad sales in Orlando
LION Publishers will hold a day-long summit at the Investigative Reporters & Editors conference in Orlando Friday, June 15, covering issues, opportunities, ideas and advice for local independent online news organizations and entrepreneurs who are considering starting their own local news site.
The program will include early lessons from LION's Revenue from Advertising Mentorship (RAMP) program; small local publishers' advantages in advertising sales over the big tech platforms; using the impact of accountability reporting to raise money from readers; a discussion of seed funding for local independent online news organizations and "information inequality;" and an update from Facebook on the visibility and engagement around local news on the platform.
A limited number of travel stipends are available for LION members who want to attend.
Referral program grows local news sites' newsletter subscriptions
 "Earlier this year, WhereByUs launched an email referral program at three of its brands — The New Tropic in Miami, The Evergrey in Seattle, and Bridgeliner in Portland. The goal is to try and grow its email newsletter lists and reward its most loyal readers."
Why readers donate to independent journalism organizations
The Membership Puzzle Project " interviewed more than 200 people who support independent news with their time, ideas, expertise, and money."
 "Most commonly their contributions are financial, which is highly valuable as advertising revenue declines and the costs of reporting news rise. Some people pay in other ways. We talked to supporters who serve as comment moderators, event participants and volunteers, fact checkers, volunteer graphic designers and audio editors, sources, grammarians, contributors of code, product testers, and more."
One of the most basic keys to success: "offer(ing) multiple ways for people outside the organization to take part and contribute what they know."
RELATED: Rusty Coats on the future of the local news business: "Local media does not need to be saved. ... We do not need salvation. We need to sustain ourselves."
News About Local Independent Online News Sites
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