Newsletter

Solution Set: Google search continues its march into oblivion

Insights from the latest Newspaper Executive Poll

August 20, 2026

In recent years, news publishers have learned to unlove what they once loved about referral traffic to their websites. That list includes Facebook, Twitter/X, and especially Google search. Chartbeat found that small publishers lost 60% of referral traffic from search over the past two years, with a 47% drop for medium-sized publishers. So it’s not a surprise that two-thirds of execs surveyed in the latest Newspaper Executive Insights Poll from Blue Engine Collaborative and The Lenfest Institute say search accounts for a third or less of their traffic, with most expecting another 25%+ drop over the next year.

What’s more interesting is that most publishers are moving on from Google search in the age of AI, with a consistent priority of “owning the relationship” with their audience. Half the respondents said email newsletters, SMS, and other first-party data would win the day, with the most common response for Google Ads spending being $0. That’s right: a goose egg, nil, or nada.

Here are some other noteworthy takeaways from the survey:

The worst may already be priced in. Most newsroom leaders have already absorbed the bulk of the search-traffic hit and aren’t expecting things to get dramatically worse.
Doubling down on owned audiences. The dominant coping strategy isn’t chasing SEO tricks, but focusing on direct audiences through email and SMS.
News publishers are a bit more insulated from the search apocalypse. Index Exchange’s analysis of ad slot requests across 1,200 publishers found news and politics saw just a 7% decline for full-year 2025 — the smallest drop among all verticals tracked.

“None of this means local news is Going To Be Just Fine – just to consider all discussion of Google Zero with the fact that you probably weren’t trying to still win the What Time Is the Super Bowl? Lottery,” wrote David Grant of Blue Engine Collaborative.

Check out the full survey

Now let’s get to some timely resources for newsrooms, including:

💰Up to $10,000 in grants for reporting on racism, misogyny, and intolerance

✍🏽 An Editing Residency at the New York Times for two years

🔎 An inside look at the groundbreaking California Civic Media Program

📅 An event for product managers and product-thinking in newsrooms

Did we miss any resources? Drop us a line here and let us know.

The Local Edition from Kristen Hare at Poynter

Want to learn more about what’s happening in local news and among local journalists? Subscribe to Poynter’s Local Edition newsletter, where Kristen Hare checks in with journalists, newsrooms, and the people who know what’s working. Learn more here.

🧠 Brain food: insights from the field

Engagement in public life is linked with Americans’ views of politics, news from Pew-Knight Initiative

“Unlike trust in the federal government, trust in the news media differs more clearly by level of engagement. Majorities of Mobilizers (62%), Connectors (64%), and Spectators (57%) say they have at least some trust in the information they get from national news organizations…Trust in local news organizations is higher overall than trust in national news. But there is a similar pattern by engagement: Outsiders are less likely than other groups to say they have at least some trust in the information they get from local news organizations.”

Building Community Power Through Movement Journalism: The Kansas City Defender’s Impact Story from The Pivot Fund

“Since receiving Pivot Fund support, the Defender has grown annual revenue by more than 400%, expanded from one full-time staff member to five, secured major new philanthropic investments and diversified its funding through grants, events, sponsorships, and advertising…Its reporting contributed to the creation of Missouri’s Missing and Murdered African American Women and Girls Task Force, while a documentary on a St. Louis tornado reached more than 25,000 YouTube viewers and generated new small-dollar support.”

How newsrooms collaborating helps their local communities by Muhammad Osama Farooq at RJI

“The Collaborative Detroit Newsrooms Network…shares resources and cross-publish each other’s stories. This allows each newsroom to lean into their strengths and not duplicate efforts. Newsrooms divide the roles and work as a team to finish more complex stories between the journalists who are partnering on the work. This approach helps us reach more people in the community and serve in more meaningful ways through our coverage of important updates and issues.”

How Spotlight Delaware is succeeding with revenue diversification from BlueLena

“In just 30 months since its founding, Spotlight Delaware has already achieved a newsletter subscriber base of nearly 20,000 readers while cultivating a community of more than 1,200 financial supporters who have contributed over 6,000 individual donations. Nearly 400 of those supporters now give through recurring monthly contributions, providing a strong foundation of predictable reader revenue…Spotlight has developed and staffed six complementary revenue streams, including philanthropy, membership and reader revenue, advertising, branded content, events, and sponsorships.”

Grants & Fellowships: bring in the 💰

Grants

Fault Lines Reporting Fund from International Women’s Media Foundation

Supports journalists reporting on the forces driving racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, misogyny, and other forms of intolerance. Successful applications will examine how false, divisive, and harmful narratives take hold, including what is fueling them, where they are most pronounced, the scope of their impact, and where progress is made in combatting hate-based agendas. Grant awards range from $2,500 to $10,000. Applications accepted on a rolling basis.

Reporting Grants from Sidney Hillman Foundation

Grants support ambitious, timely, under-covered stories about the U.S workplace. The grants are part of the foundation’s efforts to improve coverage of working people, union organizing, and the workplace. They are also intended to help support freelance reporters. Grants are up to $5,000 and are intended to cover the costs of reporting these vital stories, such as travel and related expenses. Applications accepted on a rolling basis.

California Civic Media Program

Grants of up to $250,000 for California-based newsrooms, determined by a pro rata formula based on journalist headcount and a needs-based set-aside to adjust awards for organizations whose impact exceeds what headcount alone reflects. Organizations with less than one full-time employee can still apply for the program and are eligible for up to $40,000 in funding through the needs-based adjustment. Apply by August 21 (tomorrow!).

U.S. Democracy Reporting Grants from the Pulitzer Center

The Center is offering special grants for reporting on democracy in the United States. They are open to ambitious story ideas with themes such as voting rights, civil and free-speech rights, transparency of elections, and investigations into how federal and state government agencies are carrying out their work. Those welcome to apply include newsroom staff reporters and editors, and freelancers who would work closely with a newsroom on a text, multimedia, or broadcast project. Apply by August 31.

Ian Parry Photojournalism Grants

The program is an international photographic competition for young photographers who are 24 years of age or under, or anyone who is studying in a full-time photographic course. Recipients receive £10,000 towards their chosen project, along with a loan of Canon equipment and publication of images by The Guardian. Apply by August 31.

Level Up Grants from the Trans Journalists Association

Accessing funding for professional development as a journalist is tough. Level Up grants help cover the cost for an industry conference or leadership program, or for a training or certification. The stipends are for student or professional journalists who support the TJA’s mission: to foster the careers of gender-expansive journalists and to improve the quality of coverage of trans communities. Stipends up to $1,000 are available. Apply by September 1.

Investigative Journalism Grants from the Fund for Investigative Journalism

The Fund provides grants and other support for reporters to produce high-quality, unbiased, nonpartisan investigative stories that have an impact.

Freelance journalists, staff reporters, and media outlets are eligible for grants, and their investigations can be for print, online, or broadcast stories, books, documentaries, or podcasts. Regular grants are up to $10,000 with seed funding grants for up to $2,500 for preliminary reporting. Apply by September 14.

Collaborative Operating Models Program from the Public Media Bridge Fund

The first open call under the Sustainability Program focuses on advancing collaborative operating models across the public media system. The purpose of this initiative is to implement new operating and collaborative structures that strengthen the long-term sustainability of public media organizations. Investments up to $500,000 include grants, low-interest loans, and advisory services. Applications accepted on a rolling basis.

Fellowships

Editing Residency at The New York Times

The Residency is a one-of-a-kind program aimed at cultivating the next generation of editors. The art of editing continues to evolve as newsrooms tell stories in increasingly creative and visual ways. Residents work full time for two years across a range of desks in the newsroom. They are paid, receive benefits, and attend dedicated training and speaker programs at the Times. Three new residents are expected to start early next year. Apply by September 8.

Chauncey Bailey Journalist of Color Investigative Reporting Fellowship from IRE

Over the course of the year, fellows receive IRE training, mentorship, data services, and support — with the goal of producing an investigative reporting project to help their community. The program also provides an opportunity for the fellow’s news outlet to benefit from their investigative skill-building. Apply by September 1.

Karsh Journalism Fellowship

The fellowship offers specialized training in Jewish issues to professional journalists and recent journalism school graduates. Fellows participate in three intensive all-expense-paid retreats — in Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C. — engaging with leading journalists, scholars, policymakers, and innovators across arts, media, and business.

Fellows receive a $4,000 stipend and all travel expenses paid. Apply by September 1.

Brain Health Reporting Fellowship from Poynter

A year-long fellowship designed to help journalists strengthen their reporting on brain health, neuroscience, and scientific research. It will bring together 30 journalists from across the country for advanced training, personalized coaching, and direct access to leading journalists, researchers, and medical experts. The program begins in December 2026 with a three-day convening at Poynter’s campus followed by monthly virtual workshops and individualized coaching throughout 2027. Fellows receive a $3,000 stipend. Apply by September 22.

Berlin Prize Fellowship from the American Academy in Berlin

The Academy welcomes applications from a broad range of disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, law, journalism, and various areas of public policy. They encourage projects that address pressing issues of the day, such as democracy, security, technology and society (especially AI). Fellows receive monthly stipends of $5,000, round-trip airfare, and accommodation at or near the Hans Arnhold Center. Apply by September 25.

Training: upskill FTW 🎓

From Vision to Implementation: Inside California’s $20 Million Civic Media Program from Press Forward

August 26 at 3 pm EDT

The webinar offers an inside look at the groundbreaking California Civic Media Program, a $20 million public-private partnership supporting local news through investments from the State of California and Google. The program is administered by the James B. McClatchy Foundation, home of Press Forward Central Valley. Keiona Williamson of McClatchy Foundation (pictured above) and Blake Kaiser-Lack of the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development will share a candid account of how the partnership came together, what they learned during its first year, and what lies ahead.

AI Isn’t a Journalist! Its Limits Are a Fundraising and Engagement Opportunity from Lenfest News Philanthropy Network

August 26 at 2 pm EDT

In this conversation led by Lynn Walsh of Trusting News, the focus will be on technological limitations of AI and how that may actually be one of the strongest fundraising and engagement opportunities currently available to local news. Could the answer be as simple as leaning into the human elements of reporting: building relationships, making ethical decisions, understanding communities, and producing original reporting?

Beat Academy: Reporting the 2030 Census from Poynter

August 26

Prepare your reporting for the 2030 Census with expert guidance on policy changes, methodology, and local story opportunities. See how decisions taken today could systematically shape Census outcomes in 2030. Understand the debate around Census practices and historic problems with undercounts. Identify story opportunities tied to census policy changes.

Bringing readers back: Real-world tactics for combating news fatigue from ONA

September 2 at noon EDT

Timely case studies from the Globe and Mail’s Angela Pacienza and consultant Jennifer Kho will address news avoidance in an era of unending content, offering attendees tactics and strategies to make their offerings more friendly and relatable, including creating entire new beats, broadening the scope of alerts, and re-thinking what makes an audience-first story mix.

Understanding U.S. indie info providers from CNTI and ONA

September 10 at noon EDT

Drawing on in-depth interviews with 26 indie info providers, the discussion will focus on two of the most actionable areas: how indie info providers approach multiplatform distribution and audience reach, and how they’re working — often struggling — to build sustainable revenue.

Power of Diverse Voices: Writing Workshop for Journalists of Color from Poynter

November 10-13 in St. Petersburg, Fla.

This free workshop (with some travel support) celebrates its 10th anniversary at Poynter by helping journalists of color harness the power of their voice through four intensive days of immersive learning. Develop confidence and skills to share your unique perspective, build professional networks, and address the underrepresentation of diverse voices in opinion journalism. Apply by September 18.

Propel Regional Training from the Maynard Institute

October 22-24 in Burbank, Calif.

The second training round of the Propel Regional Training Series is in partnership with California State University at Northridge and will convene at the Los Angeles Burbank Marriott Airport Hotel. This training is for California-based early- and mid-career editors and managers, focusing on the tools and frameworks needed to succeed in their newsrooms and careers. The training is free, and there is limited, needs-based travel assistance. Register by October 14.

Support: Get the help you need ☎️

Evidence-based election coverage: A guide for journalists from SciLine

SciLine offers reporting resources to help journalists step back from political back-and-forth and show voters what evidence-based research can tell us about the biggest issues at stake in the midterm elections. They will be adding more resources throughout the 2026 midterm election season.

Emergency Mode for News from OpenNews, Newspack, and NC Local

The resource equips local journalists and their newsrooms with the tools they need to respond to climate disasters. With a disaster reporting action pack, software, and a learning community, Emergency Mode is designed to help journalists act nimbly and creatively to serve their communities when the unexpected happens.

Trusting News AI worksheet: Create an AI use policy

This worksheet is designed to encourage newsrooms to more quickly get on the record about if and how they use AI, without waiting months to share this information publicly with their community. If creating a new policy is a daunting task for you, this worksheet will suggest other ways to share your approach.

Local News Research Hub from Rebuild Local News and Syracuse University

Access a curated collection of studies that show how the decline of local news affects communities and the solutions emerging across the country. Building on Democracy Fund’s literature review, the Hub collates and regularly updates the evidence base to guide more targeted investments and policy interventions that support the local news ecosystem.

The Lenfest Expert Network from The Lenfest Institute

The Expert Network connects local news organizations with experienced consultants who provide pro bono hands-on support to strengthen sustainability, audience engagement, and digital transformation for short-term consulting engagements lasting one to six months. Interested in joining an upcoming consulting round? Sign up for office hours here.

Events: learn and network 📅

AI x Visual Journalism Forum from Hacks/Hackers

August 25-26 in Phoenix

Join Hacks/Hackers and Arizona State University’s Narrative and Emerging Media program for a full day of hands-on learning with visual journalists, technologists, artists, and ethics experts.

Near + Now Event Series from Public Media Journalists Association

August 26 in Indianapolis; September 9 in New York

Near + Now is designed for everyone on the public media team — reporters, producers, hosts, editors, podcasters, digital leads, audience specialists, and every role that’s emerged in the last five years. Four one-day events in four different cities.

Independent News Sustainability Summit from LION Publishers

September 9–11 in San Diego

Brings together local independent online news leaders to share knowledge, hard-won lessons, and actionable advice on running a sustainable news business.

NLGJA’s National Convention

September 10–13 in San Francisco

The country’s leading event for LGBTQ+ journalists, media professionals, students, and educators. The community spans every corner of the industry, from broadcast and print to digital and radio.

International Symposium on Journalism (ISOJ)

September 17-18 in Austin

A global gathering that convenes leading journalists, media executives, and scholars to explore emerging innovations and challenges shaping the field.

Mental Health in Journalism Summit from The Self-Investigation

October 6-9 online

An open, collaborative, and global conversation about what care looks like when it’s built into the structures of journalism work.

Local News Camp from Blue Engine Collaborative

October 14–16 in Durham, NC

The event is for leaders who get things done: publishers, editors, audience directors, product leaders, and analytics mavens. Attendance is capped to preserve depth, connection, and meaningful exchange.

News Product Alliance Summit

October 21-23 in Chicago

The event is for decision-makers who set priorities and ship work across product, audience, technology, revenue, and editorial, and turn strategy into execution.

Ask a Bot 🤖

Prompt: I am starting a local newsroom. Tell me in one brief paragraph how much time, energy, and money I should invest in search engine optimization and Google Ads to promote my news outlet?

Answer via ChatGPT: For a local newsroom, I’d put substantial effort into SEO and relatively little into Google Ads: roughly 5 to 10 hours/week on SEO once the basics are set up, with an initial investment of perhaps $2,000 to $5,000 for technical setup, site structure, analytics, and local-search optimization, then ongoing work focused on publishing useful, locally specific stories that earn links and repeat readership. I’d treat Google Ads as a small test budget, about $300 to $1,000/month for the first few months, mainly to promote newsletters, memberships, or particularly important coverage rather than trying to buy traffic to every article; for a newsroom, building direct audience, email subscribers, social/community distribution, and Google News visibility will usually be more valuable long-term than paying for clicks.

Human analysis: Yes, SEO still has some value, and Google Ads don’t have as much. However, this still seems like a large investment of time and money (“substantial effort”) for both SEO setup and Google Ads spending. SEO setup can be part of a larger technical setup budget, but shouldn’t cost that much. Google Ads tests could be more like $150 to $300 per month for a news startup with little budget and time for testing. What is on target is “building direct audience” through email and community distribution.