Examiner Media's Newsletter Booms After Meta Accelerator Program
Examiner Media, a local newspaper chain, has seen a boost in its newsletter subscriptions following participation in the Meta Journalism Project's Accelerator Program. This success is part of a broader trend of philanthropic support reshaping journalism, particularly at the local level.
Over the past seven years, platforms have offered direct financial support, training, and research funding, playing a significant role in journalism's evolution. In the US, local support schemes have launched or expanded, including Substack Local, Facebook Journalism Project's support for Bulletin, and Apple News' expansion of local news offerings. Examiner Media has successfully secured funding from Substack, Meta, Google, and the Local Media Association to diversify its revenue and modernize operations.
Examiner Media launched a Substack newsletter, Examiner, with a $75,000 grant from Substack Local. This initiative has led to steady subscriber growth and the hiring of a newsletter-first reporter. Google and Meta alone provided around $262 million to nearly seven thousand local newsrooms and fact-checking initiatives within the first half of 2020. In Australia, the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code has led to multimillion-dollar deals with large news companies and collective bargaining opportunities for smaller publishers.
The success of Examiner Media's newsletter and the broader trend of philanthropic support indicate a shift in journalism funding. As tech platforms continue to play a role, initiatives like the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act aim to ensure fair financial terms for publishers. Meanwhile, countries like Canada and the UK consider adopting similar models to Australia's mandatory bargaining code.
