What if the future of local journalism didn’t depend on saving legacy newsrooms—but on reimagining the system entirely?

In this episode, Yoni Greenbaum dives into a bold new model from California: a Civic Media Fund that brings together state government, philanthropy, and public libraries to strengthen community-centered journalism.

Then he asks: what would it take to build something similar in Pennsylvania? The ingredients are there—libraries, nonprofit newsrooms, civic engagement. So why not here? And why not everywhere?

If you care about the sustainability of local news, public trust, or civic infrastructure, this episode offers both inspiration and a path forward.

Drawn from Yoni’s “Mind the Gap” series on Backstory & Strategy, this episode offers a reality check—and a roadmap—for anyone trying to align mission with sustainable revenue. Featuring new reflections and a state-level lens, it builds on his ongoing work exploring the tension between purpose and profit in nonprofit media.

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