Local News Catalyst, a national initiative of Public Media Company, helps small and under-resourced local public media organizations strengthen their operations, improve financial sustainability, and better serve their communities.
Through practical tools, actionable data, and collaborative solutions, Local News Catalyst supports station leaders in making informed decisions and navigating an increasingly challenging environment.
Current Focus
Local News Catalyst was designed to help public media organizations play a more active role addressing the local news crisis. While that remains our long-term mission, the immediate priority is different.
With the loss of federal funding and ongoing threats to public media, many stations – especially smaller and rural ones – face unprecedented pressures. For now, the focus is on preserving current service, protecting stations from disruption, and building a stable platform for future growth.
By helping stations stay operational and financially secure over the next 12 months, Local News Catalyst is ensuring they have the foundation needed to expand their local news reach and impact when the time is right.
Resources & Support
Local News Catalyst offers no-cost resources to help station leaders:
➡ Stabilize operations with clear roadmaps, checklists, and budget tools
➡ Make informed choices using data about their communities, finances, and peers
➡ Increase capacity through shared services, partnerships, and collaboration
All resources are provided free of charge.
Funded by Knight
Local News Catalyst is made possible thanks to the generous support of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, along with collaboration from partners across public media and the civic sector. The Knight Foundation’s investment ensures that small and rural stations have access to the resources needed to remain strong, connected, and ready for the future.
Connection to Public Media Company
Public Media Company, a national nonprofit, has worked for over two decades to help public media organizations build stronger operations, sustainable business models, and greater community impact. Local News Catalyst draws on this expertise to deliver practical, actionable, and free support for the stations that need it most.
Learn more about Public Media Company
Looking Ahead
While today’s priority is stabilization, the larger mission of Local News Catalyst remains:
to help strengthen local public media’s ability to expand news coverage and address the ongoing local news crisis. By securing a strong foundation now, stations can be positioned to thrive and expand their impact in the future.