Newsletter

Solution Set: How The Philadelphia Inquirer’s branding campaign grew digital subscribers from 83K to 120K

By Mark Glaser

November 5, 2026

Can an old newspaper learn new marketing tricks? With enough resources, strategy, and time, The Philadelphia Inquirer showed it’s possible with an award-winning “Unsubscribe/Subscribe” campaign leading to 5.28 million visitors, 31,000 email sign-ups, and 3,700 print subscriptions, according to a new case study. Plus, overall digital subscriptions grew from 83,000 to 120,000 during the campaign period.

Backed by a $2.75 million, four-year grant from The Lenfest Institute, The Inquirer spent about five years rebuilding its marketing and audience funnel, led by Publisher and CEO Lisa Hughes. The goal was to shed its image as a dated, print-only newspaper and reposition itself as a modern, multi-platform local news company, culminating in the branding campaign created with Red Tettemer O’Connell + Partners. 

The campaign invited Philadelphians to “unsubscribe” from outdated stereotypes and “subscribe” to the city’s authentic reality, reimagining the Inquirer’s serif “I” icon as local symbols like an Eagles balloon and a pretzel — with all five major Philly sports teams lending their marks and mascots. The strategy was informed by Harris Poll research that identified Philadelphia-area millennials as the target, and built around an “irresistible truth” that The Inquirer feeds their Philly bias.

Key lessons learned:

• Stack your strategy with data: Audience research defined likely subscribers and gave leadership the confidence to invest.
• Find the “irresistible truth” and lean into authentic identity: Rooting the campaign in a distinctly local insight and voice made the brand memorable to the people who mattered.
• Make it an org-wide strategy that evolves: Sustained funding, internal buy-in, and a phased approach treated the campaign as a “strategic investment” rather than a marketing expense.

“It’s very important to tap into your internal talent and gain their buy-in, allowing it to become a rallying cry for everyone,” said Hughes. “The pride people feel in having a great brand campaign ultimately stems from that initial work.”

Read the full case study Read the full case study

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

🎭 Up to $10,000 in arts journalism grants

💰 Up to $2 million in impact investing for local newsrooms

🎓 Big-time fellowships at Stanford, Harvard, and Missouri

💡 Learn how to jump into indie journalism from Project C

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

🧠 Brain food: insights from the field 

Social Media and News Fact Sheet from Pew Research Center

“Digital sources have become an important part of Americans’ news diets – and social media plays a crucial role, particularly for younger adults. As of 2026, more than half of U.S. adults (59%) say they get news from social media at least sometimes…Facebook and YouTube continue to outpace all other social media sites when it comes to news consumption: 40% of U.S. adults say they regularly get news on Facebook, and 34% say the same about YouTube. Smaller shares of Americans regularly get news on Instagram (23%) and TikTok (20%).”

A plurality of Americans think that most journalists try to manipulate the news by Eric Rynston-Lobel at Medill Local News Initiative

“More than three quarters of Republicans (77%) said most journalists try to manipulate the news, compared with 24% of Democrats. Meanwhile, 61% of Democrats said most journalists try to report the news as accurately as possible, compared with just 11% of Republicans…Nearly half of college graduates (48%) said most journalists try to report the news as accurately as possible, significantly more than those with some college (31%) or a high school diploma or less (30%).”

After 3 years of AI in newsrooms, what has changed? By Djordje Padejski at ASU

“There’s no doubt that AI technologies can make the work of journalists faster and more efficient. But the time, money, and staff capacity freed up by AI should open opportunities to use it to expand what can be reported and investigated, reach communities in new ways, create more useful and authentic news experiences, and build editorial and civic products — not simply produce more content. That matters because the biggest disruption from AI is not coming from how news gets produced, but how people find, experience, and interact with news and information.”

Empowering Midwestern Newsrooms with Advanced Fundraising Strategies from Medill-LMA

“News leaders explored advanced strategies for pursuing philanthropic support, and then put these lessons into practice through implementing capstone projects. Through peer sharing, personalized coaching, and learning from industry experts, the news organizations left with measurable successes and strategies for sustainability to share with their peers and the industry at-large…The report includes case studies from the newsrooms, showcasing their measurable successes from building data systems, developing event strategies, creating donor stewardship models, scaling high-net-worth donor processes, and more.”

Grants & fellowships: bring in the 💰

Grants

• Pitch Portal from the Economic Hardship Reporting Project – The Project is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that produces compelling journalism on economic inequality in America. It gives grants to independent journalists reporting on issues related to poverty, economic class, workers’ rights, and income disparity in the U.S., and co-publishes their work in partnership with major media outlets. It encourages people from underrepresented backgrounds to apply. Grants range from $750 to $4,000. Applications accepted on a rolling basis.
• Pathways to Sustainability Program from the Public Media Bridge Fund – The program is designed to help move local public media organizations from short-term stabilization to long-term sustainability while preserving and strengthening local service. The program helps those public media organizations develop and implement concrete strategies so they can become self-sustaining. Apply by November 19.

• Art Journalism Grants from South Arts – This is a pilot program aimed at addressing the decreasing budgets for arts journalism at legacy media outlets as well as the limited funding available for cultural coverage at many emerging media. The program recognizes that when arts journalists face fewer financial barriers, they are better able to promote critical discourse, highlight excellence in local and national artistic endeavors, and drive audiences toward public participation in the arts. Grants range from $1,000 to $10,000. Apply by November 20.
• The Human Thread from the National Geographic Explorers – Explorers receive support and funding aligned to their specific needs and goals. Each year, a small number of grants are awarded to individuals who are just beginning their National Geographic journey, as well as those who are working on more advanced projects. With support from Lilly Endowment Inc., they are seeking storytelling projects that illuminate the vast spectrum of the human experience. Apply by December 1.
• Institutional Grants from Tarbell Center for AI Journalism – Tarbell is increasing the scale of its support for independent journalism covering AI with a new institutional grants program. The program will distribute grants of $50,000 to $500,000+ to fund everything from new reporting teams, investigative units, and verticals at existing outlets to helping establish entirely new media ventures and series. Tarbell aims to distribute at least $10M in funding by the end of 2027. Apply by December 11.
• Springboard Project from Type Investigations – The Project provides an infusion of resources to help a cohort of local newsrooms and publications serving historically marginalized communities build investigative capacity. The program provides comprehensive support, including capacity assessment and goal setting, mentorship and training, and collaborative fundraising and development. Each newsroom receives a $10,000 stipend. Apply by January 8, 2027.
• Reporting Grants from New America’s Better Life Lab – The Better Life Lab invites journalists and storytellers to apply for its 2026 multimedia reporting grants. It is looking for (and funding) stories on solutions to the care crisis — from child care innovations to investments in family, disability, elder, and end-of-life care. Grants are about $1,000 each. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
• Data Journalism Grants from The Pulitzer Center – The Center is looking for proposals that will employ cutting-edge data techniques, as well as embrace collaboration among newsrooms. It encourages proposals that push the envelope in data collection and analysis and make use of advanced data mining techniques, such as machine learning, natural language processing, satellite imagery, drones, and sensors. Applications accepted on a rolling basis.
• Fund for Indigenous Journalists from International Women’s Media Foundation – The Fund’s Indigenous Journalists & Allies: Reporting on Missing & Murdered People/Women, Girls, Two-Spirit, Transgender People (MMIP/WG2T) initiative directly supports Indigenous journalists’ and allies’ reporting on the violence that targets members of Indigenous nations, both on sovereign ground and in urban settings in the U.S. Indigenous and non-Indigenous journalists of all genders affiliated with media outlets, as well as freelancers, are invited to apply. Applications accepted on a rolling basis.
• 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 combating 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.

Special opportunities

• Matching Challenge 2027 from Press Forward – The Challenge is a new national campaign to raise money for local newsrooms in 12 communities, timed to Local News Day on April 8, 2027. During the campaign, donations to participating newsrooms will be tripled, matched by Press Forward and the local Press Forward chapter, up to a match goal set by each participating community. Press Forward is committing $1 million to the challenge through its Pooled Fund. Application deadlines vary by location.
• Local Reporting Network from ProPublica – The majority of newsroom partnerships are yearlong accountability journalism projects of importance to local communities. It will accept 15 new projects in 2027. ProPublica will reimburse a news organization for the salary of the selected reporter (up to $82,500, plus a benefits stipend). Spring fellowship dates are from April 1, 2027 to March 31, 2028. Apply by January 25, 2027.
• The Chicago Journalism Mental Health Fund from IWMF – The fund will provide mental health grants to individual journalists of all genders based in or working in Cook County facing acute psychological distress resulting from their work. Journalists with an existing therapist, as well as those seeking assistance identifying a therapist to work with, are eligible to apply. They recommend the JTSN Therapy Directory as a trusted resource for identifying therapists who specialize in the mental health needs of journalists. Applications accepted on a rolling basis.
• Local News Impact Investment Fund from Press Forward and Social Finance – Social Finance manages the fund by sourcing, underwriting, and coaching U.S. local news organizations that receive $500,000 to $2 million in debt and equity investment to modernize their platforms, test new revenue models, and expand their reach. Social Finance tracks each investee’s financial health and community impact throughout, monitoring the impact this capital brings to the local news ecosystem. To learn more about eligibility and applying for investment, contact [email protected] 

Fellowships

• Fellowships from Tarbell Center for AI Journalism – The fellowship is a one-year program for journalists and subject-matter experts interested in covering artificial intelligence. The fellowship runs from June 2027 to May 2028. Fellows who excel in their newsroom placements are eligible for an additional one-year extension, through May 2029. Fellows complete online summer courses covering AI and journalism fundamentals, attend a weeklong journalism summit in August, and secure a nine-month placement at a newsroom. Apply by November 22.

• JSK Journalism Fellowships at Stanford University – From September through May, the program allows journalists to leave the daily grind and learn at Stanford University. Fellows explore questions they bring, test new approaches, and grow as more effective, purposeful, and resilient leaders. Fellows receive a $135,000 stipend, tuition, and health insurance, and access to Stanford classes. There are weekly cohort meetings and biweekly one-on-one coaching sessions. Learn more at an online information session on November 10 at 1 pm EST. Apply by December 2.

• California Health Equity Fellowship from USC Annenberg – The fellowship is designed to support reporters in the Golden State pursuing ambitious, enterprising projects on overlooked health and health equity issues. Fellows receive in-person training on the USC Annenberg campus. That’s followed by ongoing mentoring and virtual meetings. The program places strong emphasis on the ways in which environmental conditions influence our lives. Includes a $2,000 to $10,000 stipend to cover reporting costs. Apply by December 16.

• Professional Innovation Fellowships from RJI – Whatever your idea, it will be built, tested, and launched to be utilized by other news organizations, journalists, and the people who depend on them by the end of your fellowship. You will publish articles, build fundraising strategy, create social logo and branding standards, and share what you’re learning for newsrooms and journalists, prepare for launch, and ensure the long-term sustainability of your tool. Stipends are up to $100,000 per fellowship. Apply by January 8, 2027.

• Nieman Fellowship from Nieman Foundation – Fellows spend two full semesters in residence at Harvard University, audit classes across Harvard, MIT, and Tufts, attend exclusive seminars, master classes, shop talks, and narrative writing workshops. Open to working journalists with at least five years of full-time professional experience. Fellows receive $87,500 stipends plus child care and health insurance costs. Apply by January 31, 2027.

Training: upskill FTW 🎓

• AI for Product: Are You AI-Exposed? from the Local Media Association, November 10 at 2 pm EST; free for LMA members; $29 for non-members – Artificial intelligence creates many opportunities for news innovation. But AI also exposes news organizations to many new risks. In this essential session, Jon Accarrino, founder of ORDO Digital, walks news leaders through the key privacy and security risks news organizations face both from using AI and from having their content used by AI, including a security and tools checklist.
• Is Indie Journalism Right for Me? from Project C, November 11 at 1 pm EST – Layoff season is here again. If you’ve just been cut, taken a buyout, or you’re still inside and quietly wondering what else is out there, this hour is for you. Three Project C members will each take six minutes to tell you how they made the jump to independent journalism: why they left, what they do now, how the money actually comes in, what surprised them, and what’s been harder than they expected.
• Building Sustainable Newsrooms through Evidence-Based Reporting from LMA, November 12 at 2 pm EST – Local newsrooms are uniquely positioned to equip their audiences with evidence-based reporting that informs their daily decisions. Reporting that brings evidence to bear on everyday issues such as housing, transportation, and weather stands to build community trust. Join The Open Notebook for a free training on how to evaluate scientific claims, find and interview expert sources, and confidently incorporate evidence into stories.
• How to Build a Brand Around Your Story from ONA, November 17 at 2 pm EST – As journalists, we’ve mastered the art of telling other people’s stories. But when it comes to telling our own, many of us either don’t know where to start or end up burying the lede. This session from brand builder and storytelling coach Renee Frojo will help you understand how building a brand around yourself is the most effective way to reach new audiences, build loyalty around your work, and amplify your impact.

Bill Gentile on patrol with members of Nicaragua’s Sandinista People’s Army

• Raise Yr Voice: Backpack Video Journalism Workshop from Bill Gentile, November 17 to 19; 6:30 to 9 pm EST each evening; $295 – You’ll learn the visual language, how to find and shoot a character-driven story, how to conduct interviews and use sound, and how to write, narrate, and edit. Beginners are welcome. So are working professionals who want a sharper method. Every attendee gets a PDF of Gentile’s Essential Video Journalism Field Manual, Third Edition, emailed when the book is published.
• How to Structure and Sell Any Pitch from ASME, November 17 at 6:30 pm EST; $20 for members, $35 for non-members – The workshop is for early-career editors, led by Rachel Epstein, Features Director, Men’s Health and Women’s Health. Learn how to turn ideas into stories and get them published. This session will cover how to find and develop stories, how to work with writers to put together pitches, and what makes a good pitch.
• Solutions Lab from Counterpart, November 19 at 7 am EST – This training is designed to teach the fundamentals of solutions journalism. The first installment of this training program will focus on short-form vertical video formats. Selected participants will undergo an intensive and collaborative two-hour online training with journalists from around the world. Upon completion of the workshop, participants will develop a concept and script for a solutions-focused vertical video with professional editorial guidance and feedback. Apply by November 12.
• Reddit revisited: Tools, tips, and creative ideas for newsrooms from the Lenfest Audience Community, November 19 at 1 pm EST – Join The Lenfest Institute’s Audience Community and Gabriel Sands from Reddit for a practical conversation about making the most of the platform. We’ll explore Reddit’s tools for publishers and media professionals, best practices for engaging with communities, and some of the cool, creative ways newsrooms are using Reddit to share journalism, connect with audiences, and experiment with new approaches.
• How to Launch a Library-Local News Collaboration and Civically Engage Your Community from the Library Newsroom Project, November 19 at 1 pm EST – Attendees will learn how to practically implement a collaboration in their community, walking through the process from conception to assessment with engagement journalist Terry Parris Jr. and journalist and current Library Futures intern Jazmyn Gray.
• Audience & Community Futures Lab from LMA, December 2026 to June 2027 – Local media companies are invited to apply to the Lab, a seven-month program that helps newsrooms grow their audiences, deepen community ties, and get ready for what audience engagement looks like next. The Lab builds on years of work helping local publishers strengthen first-party data, grow registered audiences, and better understand who their readers are. Apply by November 19.
• How The Philadelphia Inquirer Is Growing Consumer Revenue Through Philanthropy and Premium Subscriptions from ONA, December 1 at 2 pm EST – The Inquirer’s Senior Director of Revenue Generation, Sarah Jarvis, and Senior Product Manager for Revenue, Harriet White, will share how the Inquirer is experimenting with philanthropy and a new premium subscription product to diversify revenue, deepen reader loyalty, and drive incremental consumer revenue from its most engaged audiences.
• AMA: Practical year-end donor stewardship from the Lenfest News Philanthropy Network, December 10 at 2 pm – For newsrooms, year-end campaigns can bring a welcome rush of gifts and a long list of follow-ups. Once someone chooses to give, what should happen next? How do we thank new supporters, reconnect with longtime donors, and share the value of our journalism in ways that feel personal and manageable? Join two members of The Lenfest Institute’s development team, Kirsten Halker-Kratz, Head of Development and Donor Relations, and Jane Hayden, Individual Giving Officer, for a practical AMA on donor stewardship.
• Today’s News for Tomorrow cohort from Internet Archive, Poynter, and IRE – Participating newsrooms will be provided with free access to tools and services to support the preservation of digital news. At least one representative from each newsroom will be expected to engage in both asynchronous and live training activities. There is no cost associated with participation. Training will begin in January. Apply by December 11.

Support: Get the help you need ☎️

• Storytelling Guide for People with Disabilities from WORDSLAW and RJI – The practical guide helps newsrooms host a storytelling event that showcases the stories of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in your community.
• News Media Help Desk from RJI – Free resource for local publishers with Learning Center articles, a Scorecard database of third-party digital tools, a literal help desk with live chat, and Digital On-Demand Services with expert contractors for hands-on work.
• Homeless Reporting Toolkit from Homelessness Beat Reporters Collective – This guide was compiled by journalists with years of experience reporting on homelessness. The guide includes tools and context to report accurately and thoughtfully on homelessness, which can be politically divisive and misunderstood.
• 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.
• 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 📅

• From the Ground Up: The Founders Reimagining Local News from TNC, November 10 in New York; November 17 in Washington D.C. – Join Tiny News Collective for a conversation with the community-centered founders rebuilding and reimagining local news.
• National Journalism + AI Accelerator from Arizona State University, January 5 to 7, 2027 – The Accelerator brings invited leaders and doers to ASU in downtown Phoenix for three days of focused collaboration, rapid prototyping, and shared problem-solving around AI in news. Apply to attend here by November 13.
• Knight Media Forum from Knight Foundation, February 17 to 19, 2027 – The invite-only forum brings ideas, data, and lived experience into the same room, creating space for honest questions, useful connections, and new approaches to shared challenges.
• Trans Journalists Summit from TJA, March 24 to 27, 2027 in Chicago – For the first time, trans journalists from across the country will formally gather to share expertise, build networks, advance careers, and strengthen the vital work of telling stories that matter. Apply to attend here by November 9.

Ask a Bot 🤖

Prompt: Explain how a new alignment in Congress might lead to better outcomes for journalists and news organizations.

Answer via Claude: Congressional alignment matters less for journalism than for most issues because the press bills that have gained traction draw support from both parties, so the question is mostly whether leadership and the Senate floor calendar make room for them, and the Election Day results may shift that. The PRESS Act, a federal shield law that limits law enforcement from compelling journalists to reveal sources, passed the House by unanimous consent, but it became less likely to clear the Senate before the previous session ended. A Congress with more unified leadership, or a working bipartisan coalition on press freedom, could get that bill over the line.

The same goes for local news funding: The Community News and Small Business Support Act, co-sponsored by Republican Claudia Tenney and Democrat Suzan DelBene, would offer payroll tax credits for local journalists and credits to small businesses that advertise with local outlets. Because the bill is bipartisan, it could move under almost any alignment if leaders prioritize it.

Human analysis: Under really any alignment, new or old, the U.S. Congress has not prioritized press bills, leaving many bipartisan bills to twist in the wind, including the two bills mentioned above. Even with the windfall Democratic victory in the midterm elections, it would take a huge outpouring of support to get these issues past the finish line (and a Trump veto). That’s why so much effort has been put into state and local policy initiatives, with a huge recent win in California. 🏛️