Knight Foundation Invests in Publishers of Color Boosting Digital Platforms   

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Black media never looked so good. 

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation recently announced an investment in over $4 million over the next three years to help assist local publishers of color stay looking great while becoming more financially sustainable. The investment is a continuation of Knight’s long-time support for diverse communities, aligns with Knight’s strategy to help journalists, publishers and newsrooms increase trust, reach diverse audiences and generate sustainable revenue models.  

Knight’s investments include the Knight x LMA BloomLab, a program that’s expanding to invest $1.3 million in 26 Black-owned local news outlets including the Michigan Chronicle. 

“The Knight x LMA BloomLab is an immersive three-year experience with 26 Black-owned local media outlets, including the Michigan Chronicle as part of the Word in Black network. Thanks to the Knight Foundation and the Local Media Association for investing in sustainability,” Hiram Jackson, Real Times Media CEO and the Michigan Chronicle publisher. 

Another Knight investment is startup networks Capital B and URL Media, as well as the International Women’s Media Foundation’s Gwen Ifill Mentorship Program to increase newsroom leadership diversity. 

Knight x LMA BLOOM Lab at the Local Media Association ($3.2 million) to increase its successful Lab for Black-owned media outlets to include 26 publishers over the next three years. The Lab is a digital transformation program that assists its first five participating newspapers more than triple digital revenues with assessment, training and coaching. Each news outlet will receive $50,000 to support its work. The Knight investment enabled the Lab, led by LMA Chief Content & Collaboration Officer, Andrew Ramsammy, and LMA Chief Operating Officer Jay Small, to hire three full-time employees to support the Lab, including: Robert Walker-Smith, digital revenue director; Apryl Pilolli, technology director; and a soon-to-be-named program director/coach. They will provide expert advice on smart technical and digital business strategies, and then directly provide funds to support the continued transformations of these publications, according to a press release. 

The Knight x LMA BloomLab is an additional element of LMA’s Digital Transformation Lab for Black publishers that launched in early 2019, the press release added. That lab assists in driving digital revenue and audience growth, along with new product launches such as newsletters, for the five Black publishers.  

The new Lab will include three full-time dedicated staff members who will work alongside the publishers on a daily basis. The entire Local Media Association/Local Media Foundation team will also be involved in the BloomLab as subject-matter experts in areas such as reader revenue, branded content, philanthropic funding and more.  

The Lab will start with the 10 publishers that make up Word In Black, including The Atlanta Voice, New York Amsterdam News, Houston Defender, Washington Informer, St. Louis American, AFRO News, Seattle Medium, Sacramento Observer, Michigan Chronicle and Dallas Weekly. 

Applications for the second cohort of eight publishers will open in Spring 2022. A third cohort will be announced in the first quarter of 2023. All Black-owned local media outlets are encouraged to apply.  

“These investments show just how important continued support for publishers of color remains in the industry,” said Jim Brady, Knight’s vice president of Journalism. “Many legacy Black newspapers remain trusted voices in their communities, but have struggled as more Americans get their news from digital sources. Supporting legacy newsrooms and nurturing startup networks run by innovative leaders shows our commitment to publishers of color, helping Knight better serve the information needs of these communities.” 

“Thanks to the LMA Lab we were able to significantly grow our digital revenue and audience, especially around newsletters and promotions,” said Elinor Tatum, publisher and owner, New York Amsterdam News. “The Knight x LMA Bloom Lab will help take our transformation to a whole new level. We’re especially excited about the technology stipends and dedicated resources to help us execute.”  

“Since establishing sustainability for publishers of color as one of our four core pillars in 2018, the LMA has helped nearly 100 BIPOC organizations with business transformation, monetization and audience-building strategies,” said Nancy Lane, LMA’s chief executive officer. “The Knight x LMA BloomLab will take these efforts to a whole new level as we will be able to provide unprecedented resources, specifically focused on technology, to a group of 26 Black-owned-and-operated media organizations. We’re thrilled to partner with the Knight Foundation on this groundbreaking industry initiative.” 

These grants complement Knight’s $300 million, five-year commitment to invest in new, scalable initiatives with the potential to underpin a fresh future for local news and strengthen journalism, according to the press release.   

For more on Knight’s strategy to support local news, visit: https://knightfoundation.org/features/localnews/.