Working groups

How can we create more understanding of the Spanish-speaking media ecosystem and strengthen its reach? We aim to establish a dynamic collaboration of Spanish-language news outlets, civic leaders, and media innovators united to revolutionize local journalism for Hispanic communities in the US. We want to empower Spanish-speaking newsrooms with shared resources, and a powerful network of support. Together, we'll tackle the unique challenges of our industry but Con Acento y Con Talento.

What set of standards should we advocate for in local news and information ecosystem assessments? With Press Forward's launch, more organizations are mapping local news needs. However, some assessments lack rigor in data collection, accuracy and community engagement. We'll develop shared standards prioritizing community wellbeing and ethical research by studying existing work, gathering examples, and producing recommendations for the field.

How might we ramp up News Future's influence to foster policy and cultural conversations around reimagining local news for our communities? We'll create a "publishing wing" to produce and distribute diverse media content (writing, videos, TikToks) about local news transformation, targeting civil society power centers beyond journalism. Building on our 2024 member survey, we'll focus on two priorities in 2025: establishing sustainable infrastructure for this work and launching public conversations through panels, podcasts, columns, or zines.

How might we better support journalists in their transition to becoming newsroom leaders? Journalists are trained to report, but as they excel, they are often promoted into roles that require skills in management, finance, strategy, and more. We will address the gap in leadership and management training within the industry. Through virtual convenings, we’ll engage current, future and past leaders to explore the types of training, community-building and resources needed at various stages of leadership.

How might we refresh the original Hierarchy of Information Needs, articulated in our 2018 paper “Is Your Journalism a Luxury or a Necessity?” There is huge transformative potential in a structural approach to meeting information needs, where fundamental needs are addressed as a public good and higher levels of information preference are met by the market as a luxury good. This framework, created at the first meeting of what would become News Futures, has helped people around the world, but it’s time for a refresh.

How might we build stronger alliances with values-and mission-aligned people and organizations outside of the local news space? We’ll be getting to know civic allies who work across libraries, digital spaces, grassroots organizing, and more. We’ll host and participate in ~5 Zoom learning sessions with potential civic allies. Outside of those learning sessions, we’ll debrief what we’ve learned and identify areas of collaboration between News Futures and civic allies.

What would a $1 billion economy for civic information look like? We'll envision an economic model for a reparative civic information sector focused on community wellbeing. We'll explore sustainable funding approaches from traditional methods (high-net-worth donors, proven fundraising narratives) to innovative solutions, aiming to develop mission-driven financing, grantmaking, mutual aid, and investment strategies that prioritize public interest and sustainability.

How might we elevate examples of civic media being practiced by individuals and organizations in communities? We will help translate the News Futures Charter into an accessible, growing set of living examples (like a cookbook) for others to learn from, grow and advance civic information / civic health.

How can we understand and map the emerging civic media movement? We've just published the Civic Media Census Report and are currently canvassing feedback to shape an expansion and future iteration.

Cycle: 2023-2024

How can policy platforms guide and shape the future of local news? The Media Power Collaborative, born out of News Futures in 2021 and now part of Free Press, is made up of media workers, movement organizers and allied researchers and is working to be an active political voice in emerging debates about the future of local news and civic information.

Cycle: 2023-2024

How can community media centers serve as laboratories for collaborative journalism? This group worked with community media center leaders nationwide, developing case studies and narratives showcasing these centers as collaborative journalism laboratories, emphasizing their role in coalition and trust building.

Cycle: 2023-2024

How can local journalism challenge mainstream narratives in West Virginia? This group addressed journalism's role in West Virginia's democracy, partnering with Black By God, The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation, and News Futures to develop local journalism that challenges mainstream narratives.

Cycle: 2023-2024

What is at the intersection of care-full gatherings and storytelling? Season II of the Care Collaboratory focused on how we gather people (IRL and virtually) in ways that generate a deeper sense of connection, belonging and possibility.

Cycle: 2023-2024

How might we create a publishing platform for civic media voices? This group supported members in completing book proposals while exploring the development of a publishing wing for the civic media movement.

Cycle: 2023-2024

How can we best equip community members with journalism skills? This education-focused group connects journalists, organizers, and educators, developing best practices for community journalism training programs and facilitating knowledge exchange among practitioners.

Cycle: 2022-2023

What is our vision for the information ecosystem of our dreams? This group develops News Futures' strategic direction, working with news and information leaders to craft a vision for transforming communities through improved information ecosystems.

Cycle: 2022-2023

How can we care for community members in our storytelling processes? Through six monthly virtual gatherings, the Care Collaboratory brought together an interdisciplinary group to explore why enacting care is crucial to building trust, belonging and healing and shared examples and resources on how to do it.

Cycle 2022-2023

How can public policy support and strengthen local news? This group emerged from discussions about the New Jersey Civic Info Bill campaign, shaping media policy initiatives and helping launch the Media Power Collaborative to support the field through public policy.

Cycle: 2021-2022

How can we effectively advocate for and impact our communities? This group strengthens strategic decision-making and impact communication in journalism, assessing existing models and developing new frameworks to measure influence from individual to national scales.

Cycle: 2021-2022