The fight for local news in the world’s media capital with THE CITY’s Nic Dawes

Local News Matters

Nic Dawes, executive director of THE CITY, discusses the vital role nonprofit journalism plays in New York’s shrinking local news ecosystem. He explains how his organization fills coverage gaps left by retrenching legacy media, focusing on investigative reporting and service journalism to meet the needs of New Yorkers across all boroughs.

Dawes also delves into THE CITY’s unique strategies for community engagement, including open newsrooms and dynamic beat assignments, allowing them to stay responsive to the city's most pressing issues. He highlights how their mission-driven approach prioritizes impact over viral traffic, balancing coverage for both affluent media-savvy readers and underserved communities.

On the business side, Dawes shares insights on nonprofit journalism’s financial sustainability, from leveraging philanthropy and membership to navigating New York’s competitive fundraising environment. He reflects on his transition from large global organizations to a leaner, more focused newsroom, where the immediacy of local impact offers both challenges and rewards.

Episode chapters:

(00:02:19) - Why THE CITY is needed in New York's media-rich environment

(00:06:59) - THE CITY's structure and coverage areas

(00:10:10) - Maintaining local focus and resisting viral traffic for its own sake

(00:13:29) - Serving two distinct audiences in New York City

(00:17:34) - Using open newsrooms to engage with the community

(00:20:36) - Financial sustainability at THE CITY

(00:29:51) - Transitioning from large media organizations to smaller teams

(00:35:46) - Challenges of maintaining a diverse newsroom

(00:37:12) - Rapid-fire questions

(00:50:52) - Media and local recommendations

Links:

• Show notes with transcript

• Nic Dawes: Linkedln, Twitter, Threads

• THECITY.NYC

• Mentioned

• Human Rights Watch

• Hindustan Times

• The Mail & Guardian

• Gwynne Hogan

• Rosalind Adams

• Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY

• NYC Mayor’s Office of Community and Ethnic Media

• Press Forward

• American Journalism Project

• Local recommendations

• NYC beaches, especially Jacob Riis Beach

• New York Food Court

• Staten Island Ferry

• Museum of the City of New York

• KGB Bar

• New Asha

• Dhamaka

• Media recommendations

• Odd Lots podcast

• Chartbook

• Prophet Song by Paul Lynch

• Local News Matters: web, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn

• Pirate Audio

• Colorado Press Association: web, Twitter, Facebook

• Tim Regan-Porter: bio, Twitter

For show notes, transcripts, newsletter sign-up and past guests on the Local News Matters podcast, please visit localnewsmatterspodcast.com or lnmpod.com.

Past guests on the Local News Matters podcast include: Allison Taylor Levine (Local News Initiative Delaware), Crystal Good (Black by God), Lisa Snowden (Baltimore Beat), Karen Rundlet (INN), Jim Brady (Knight Foundation), Candice Fortman (Exit interview, Outlier Media), Jean Friedman-Rudovsky (Resolve Philly), Jay Rosen (NYU), Sue Cross (Exit interview, INN), Mary Margaret White (Mississippi Today), Amy Kovac-Ashley (Tiny News Collective), Michael Shapiro (TAPinto), Kenny Katzgrau (redbankgreen and Broadstreet), John Garrett (Community Impact), Shannon Kinney (Dream Local Digital), Larry Ryckman (The Colorado Sun), Frank Mungeam (Local Media Association), Kelly Ann Scott (Alabama Media Group), Sara Lomax and S. Mitra Kalita (URL Media), Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro (National Trust for Local News), Mike Rispoli and Richard Young (via When the People Decide), Sarabeth Berman (American Journalism Project), Rabbi Hillel Goldberg and Shana Goldberg (Intermountain Jewish News), Lyndsay C. Green (via The Journalism Salute), Rashad Mahmood and Mark Glaser (New Mexico Local News Fund), Christian Vanek and Barbara Hardt (The Mountain-Ear), Dan Grech (BizHack), Zack Richner (Easy Tax Credits), Tracie Powell (Pivot Fund), Dan Oshinsky (Inbox Collective), Linda Shapley (via What Works), Yehong Zhu and Jake Seaton (Zette, Column), Charity Huff (January Spring), Joaquin Alvarado and Dave Perry (Aurora Sentinel), Steve Waldman (Rebuild Local News), Maritza Félix (Conecta Arizona), Michael Bolden (American Press Institute), Jeff Roberts and Corey Hutchins (CFOIC, Colorado College), Eve Pearlman and Erica Anderson (Spaceship Media), Jennifer Brandel (Hearken, Democracy SOS), Corey Hutchins with Bay Edwards, Todd Chamberlain and Raleigh Burleigh (Sopris Sun).