Independent News Sustainability Summit 2024 has ended

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Independent News Sustainability Summit 2024

Welcome to the 2024 Independent News Sustainability Summit, hosted by LION Publishers and presented by Knight Foundation and Google.

Learn more about the Summit.

10:00am CDT

Registration Lower Level #2

11:15am CDT

Welcome and opening remarks Grand Ballroom

11:30am CDT

Lunch session: Building for the future: Understanding the needs of the next generation of news consumers (Sponsored by Google) Grand BallroomJeremy Gilbert

1:00pm CDT

What we can learn from Chicago’s investment in its local news ecosystem Grand BallroomMorgan Elise Johnson • Morgan Malone • Olivia Obineme • John Palfrey • Maple Walker Lloyd

2:30pm CDT

Do less with more: How to combat burnout through ruthless prioritization Riverfront RoomBrittany Harlow • AX Mina Making a difference: Measuring and communicating the impact of strong local journalism Astor BallroomLisa Heyamoto • Kara Meyberg Guzman • Rebecca Neuwirth • Shane Pekny Choosing a profit path: Comparing the effort and impact of different reader revenue models Promenade BallroomJay Allred • Ned Berke • Oseye Boyd • Liz George Consolidating for impact: How mergers and acquisitions are changing the independent news landscape Grand BallroomSisi Wei • Neil Chase

4:00pm CDT

Growing your newsletter audience: From 78 friends and family to more than 3 million subscribers Riverfront RoomTim Huelskamp How to use philanthropic funding as a jumping-off point for diversifying your revenue Grand BallroomChristina Shih • Lizzy Hazeltine Navigating the major donors' journey Astor BallroomKimberly Griffin Nothing but net (profit): How three publishers grew revenue by six figures in a year Promenade BallroomMaritza L. Félix • Luanne Rife • Amber DeLind • Graham Ringo

5:30pm CDT

LION Sustainability Awards Social Hour Grand Court

7:00pm CDT

LION Sustainability Awards Ceremony & Dinner Grand Ballroom

9:00am CDT

Solopreneurs Affinity Group Promenade BallroomNicci Kadilak Affinity Groups: Diaspora Journalists and Spanish Speaking Journalists Grand BallroomClaudia Yaujar-Amaro • Camille Padilla Dalmau BIPOC Journalists Affinity Group Riverfront RoomFlavian DeLima Black Journalists Affinity Group Astor BallroomJa Keen Fox Indigenous Journalists Affinity Group Executive RoomEden Fineday LGBTQIA+ Affinity Group Grant RoomLeo Cusimano

11:00am CDT

Change from the top: How innovative ownership and leadership structures improve impact and productivity Astor BallroomTara Francis Chan • Luke Baumgarten • Mariann Martin Product thinking in local news Grand BallroomAnita Li • AX Mina • Shannan Bowen Spending wisely and sitting pretty: Building an operations team you can afford Riverfront RoomKristin Tessman • Anne Galloway • Stacey L. Peters Movement building: How local leaders can build the case that local nonprofit news must be a public good Promenade BallroomMukhtar M. Ibrahim • Christopher Baxter • Lisa Heyamoto

12:15pm CDT

Lunch session: Level up your 2024 election plan with Election SOS and the Knight Election Hub (Sponsored by Knight Foundation) Grand BallroomMary Walter-Brown • Evan Mackinder • Josh Hoffner • Bridget Thoreson • Ariel Zirulnick • Brandi Swicegood

2:00pm CDT

What we've learned about AI and local news Promenade BallroomJay Allred • Dana Amihere • Scott Brodbeck • Dorrine Mendoza Strategy is for everybody: A strategic planning workshop for solopreneurs and leaders of small news outlets Grand BallroomAshley Woods Branch • Bene Cipolla Journalism+: Going beyond news to meet community information and civic engagement needs Riverfront RoomRichard Young • Nicci Kadilak • Mia Warren • Lela Savic Strategic engagement: Innovative approaches to building audience relationships Astor BallroomCamille Padilla Dalmau • Larry Graham • Allison Levine • Anita Li

3:30pm CDT

Building work culture: How investing in people and systems creates more sustainable newsrooms Riverfront RoomAmanda Zamora • Irene Fischler McKisson • Jennifer Mizgata • Yukari Kane From founder to leader: Becoming the leader your news business needs you to be Astor BallroomCharo Henríquez Maximizing revenue and community engagement through events Promenade BallroomSimon Galperin • Brittany Harlow • Ryan Sorrell • Todd Stauffer Would that really work?: Innovative revenue streams that might be right for your organization Grand BallroomKenny Katzgrau • Luanne Rife • Laprisha Berry Daniels • Cara Kuhlman

9:00am CDT

Table Talk discussions Grand BallroomKristen Hare • Dylan Smith • Kay Murray • Jennifer Stratton • Sarah Bishop Woods • Eden Fineday • Megan Stokes • Meghan Rutigliano

11:00am CDT

From sporadic to systematic: How to plan, launch, and execute your first reader revenue campaign Astor BallroomMelanie Jongsma • Emma Restrepo How to sell digital advertising in 30 minutes in 2024: A session for solopreneurs and smaller teams Riverfront RoomKenny Katzgrau From Growing to Thriving: Sustainability for large publishers Promenade BallroomChloe Kizer • David Grant • Larry Lee Punching above your weight: Building community and brand recognition in a crowded ecosystem Grand BallroomLisa Snowden • Ryan Sorrell • Richard Young

1:30pm CDT

The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated: Advertising and sponsorship can still work! Astor BallroomColleen Leary • Lance Knobel Growing audiences en español: Why translation isn't enough Riverfront RoomPaola Jaramillo • Janine Warner • Claudia Yaujar-Amaro Meeting people where they are: Creative ways to reach new audiences Promenade BallroomAriel Zirulnick • Lela Savic • Simon Galperin • Libbie Sparadeo • Makeda Easter Successful succession: How to navigate the personal, strategic, and logistical aspects of a significant leadership transition Grand BallroomAmanda Zamora • Mukhtar M. Ibrahim • Wendi C. Thomas

3:00pm CDT

Lessons from the Canadian local news ecosystem Grand BallroomErin Millar • Vicky Mochama • Eden Fineday