Indiana publisher irrigates the news desert


A wealthy investor bought 21 local publications in Indiana to prevent them from closing, an increasingly common trend in the U.S. The 21 Indiana publications employ about 60 people and have relied on a model to be profitable that includes hyper-local reporting. The newspapers don’t shy away from journalism that breaks news and holds officials accountable, but their focus is on “refrigerator journalism,” reporting on local events, such as Little League games, that people want to clip and hang on their refrigerators. Some have also transitioned from daily to twice-weekly publications for profitability.

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