Penelope Muse Abernathy

Jan 18, 2024 | localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu | Penelope Muse Abernathy |Rick Reger |Mark Caro

A good newspaper is an anchor in a community.  It reminds a community every day of its collective identity, the stake we have in one another, and the lessons of its history. Ron Heifetz, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University Two decades ago, few of us envisioned how quickly and decisively the internet would demolish the economic model that had supported local news in this country for almost two centuries.

Dec 4, 2023 | editorandpublisher.com | Penelope Muse Abernathy

Posted Monday, December 4, 2023 10:10 am The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s leadership did not believe it could cut its way to long-term sustainability by offering subscribers less while charging them more, so it sought creative ways to cut print and distribution expenses.

Nov 17, 2023 | editorandpublisher.com | Penelope Muse Abernathy

Posted Friday, November 17, 2023 9:41 am There was both good news and bad news for local journalism this past year.

Nov 16, 2023 | localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu | Penelope Muse Abernathy

Executive SummaryThere was both good news and bad news for local journalism this past year. The good news raised the possibility that a range of proposals and programs could begin to arrest the steep loss of local news over the past two decades and, perhaps, revive journalism in some places that have lost their news.

Nov 16, 2023 | editorandpublisher.com | Penelope Muse Abernathy

Posted Thursday, November 16, 2023 11:40 am A decade ago John Henry, the Boston Globe’s entrepreneurial owner, noticed the one growth area amid the news company’s business: digital subscriptions.