Things local news could be doing way better (with the right resources and runway):
All three offer something that national outlets, artificial intelligence, and in some cases even social media can’t quite replicate — a community’s connective tissue. That last idea, youth sports, comes from veteran journalist Chuck Todd in a conversation that Poynter republished.
He says this:
“Think about the demographic of the parents of a kid in youth sports. They’re all under the age of 45, which is a demographic that nobody in the news business has right now. That’s why I think it’s a lucrative base to start from. Too many local news start-ups start with trying to get the news junkies to pay for subscriptions to pay for it, but I think you’re a closed audience there. That instead, you start with the widest-possible pool of people to begin with and also are desirable for advertisers so you can have an ad-based system.”
He goes on: “My vision is that the local news organization, they hold all the rights for all the youth sports. So if you can’t make it to your kid’s game, you’re watching the livestream on the local news site. They are your conduit.”
About two years ago, I wrote about how one small newsroom was approaching high school sports by making the most of Instagram.
What’s interesting about The Delaware County Daily Times’ approach is that it only follows school sports, not club, so reporters are covering talent, not just resources. As a parent who’s involved with both school and club sports, I’d much rather pay a local newsroom for a streaming subscription so my mom in St. Louis can watch my daughter’s volleyball match than whatever I’m currently paying that streaming service.
I think Chuck Todd is on to something. And he’s not the only one to talk about this. In 2023, Report For America co-founder and Rebuild Local News president Steve Waldman wrote for Poynter about the kinds of coverage local newsrooms can’t afford to forget, including high school sports.
“In addition to the watchdog function, local news — of a different sort — has a community cohesion role. Obituaries, high school sports, school board meetings, the new economic development plan, the amateur theater production, a couple’s 50th wedding anniversary — these types of stories teach neighbors about each other, provide basic information on community problems and create a sense of shared interest.”
The issue, like with obits and nostalgia, gets down to resources. And those resources include people, but they also demand good tech and a decent user experience. I say decent because, frankly, the apps and services I’m on for club and school sports aren’t that great. For creative local newsrooms, there’s still space.
If you’re in a local newsroom, how is your news org covering youth sports, if at all? Reply to this email, I’d love to hear from you.
|
