The News Nirvana Podcast

Ep. 50: Reviving Local Journalism in Excelsior Springs, Mo

In this episode of the News Nirvana podcast, host Nick Parker welcomes Jason and Courtney Cole from The Excelsior Springs Citizen. They discuss the challenges and opportunities faced by local journalism, particularly in the wake of significant events like a microburst, a flood, and the collapse of a historic building in Excelsior Springs. The Coles share how they transitioned from a Facebook group to a full-fledged online news platform, driven by the need for timely information in their community. They highlight the importance of community engagement, direct sales advertising, and the use of technology, including AI, to enhance their reporting.

Ep. 49: Connecting with audience through newsletters

Creating and maintaining engaging connections with our audience is vital to all of us. If readers or viewers don't connect with the people delivering the news we don't earn their trust and we don't earn their loyalty. In Episode 49 we're looking into how one group of newspapers is successfully creating relationships through curated newsletters. Alessia Alaimo, Digital Manager for Wick Communications, joins host Nick Parker in this episode of the News Nirvana podcast.

Ep. 48: Driving revenue & content through contests

Stephanie Carey joins host Nick Parker to talk about contesting and its ability to drive additional revenue and content for news organizations. Carey, a sales director and contesting lead at Blox Digital, offers real-world experience on the impact of "Best of" contests, sweepstakes and more in this lively conversation. Oh, and the two pose an important question, what's the BBQ scene like in Michigan?

Ep. 47: Leveling up with events

In this episode of the News Nirvana Podcast, Sara McNamara, VP of Sales for Evvnt, joins host Nick Parker to discuss the intersection of events and content generation in the news business. The pair delves into how events can be more than just fun gatherings, serving as powerful revenue generators and community builders. From leveraging existing community events to hosting your own, explore strategies for news organizations to stay hyper-local and engage audiences effectively.

Ep. 46: Sustainable news business starts with community focus

"How can we be better together?" This is the driving question behind Frank Mungeam's work with local media organizations on both the content and revenue-generating sides of the business. The Chief Innovation Officer at Local Media Association joined host Nick Parker for a conversation about using old-fashioned community-oriented focus to create sustainable business partnerships that also help drive meaningful content generation and journalism for the news side of the organization. Want to stay up-to-date on the News Nirvana podcast? Sign up for our monthly news digest at newsnirvana.com/newsletter.

Ep. 45: Julia Campbell on LMA labs and the power of cause marketing

Julia Campbell has a fantastic title; Chief Business Transformation Officer just sounds cool. You might think she's a "robot in disguise", or you could just think the Local Media Association executive has one of those jobs where she gets to play with all the new toys and work with members to establish innovative and sustainable systems for their news organizations. One of those—the latter, of course—is actually correct. In this episode, Julia sits down with host Nick Parker to talk about LMA's labs and the power coming from those exchanges and learning environments, as well as one of her favorite topics, cause marketing.

Ep. 44: Hyper-local content & personal connections at the heart of TravelHost's renaissance

Let's get back to our roots. It's not that the phrase is almost a cliche, it is a cliche. But here's the thing about cliches—they exist because they're true. So, whether it's going back to their roots or getting back to basics, Orestes Baez and Scott Davis are committed to a personal and hyper-local approach that has brought new life to a national niche publication, TravelHost. Just 18 months after taking over the print and digital publication, Baez and Davis join News Nirvana host Nick Parker for an in depth conversation about their business and vision for the future.

Ep. 43: Unveiling journalistic tricks & tools for today's reporters

Join host Nick Parker in a riveting conversation with veteran journalist Mike Reilley as they delve into the behind-the-scenes tales of newsrooms past and the essential tools every journalist needs in today's rapidly evolving media landscape. From swapping stories to unveiling the secrets behind Reilley's popular Journalist's Toolbox, this episode offers insights for both seasoned reporters and aspiring journalists alike. Discover how Reilley's journey from reporter to educator has shaped the latter part of his career as a newsroom trainer and Senior Lecturer of digital and data journalism at the University of Illinois-Chicago. 

Ep. 42: Leveraging the power of the collective

Ask Tobias Bennett what excites him about the media industry and you'll get the same answer every time—it's the unknown. Bennett, VP of Partnerships and Revenue, and Fran Wills, CEO, for Local Media Consortium join host Nick Parker for a look into the current state of the news industry, and how their association helps member organizations traverse the ever-changing landscape and embrace what comes next. 

Ep. 41: Aligning your local media organization with your purpose

Veteran editor and digital news guru Bob Rose joins host Nick Parker on this latest episode of the News Nirvana Podcast.  Their in-depth conversation focuses on rebuilding trust and fostering partnerships with the communities we cover. The episode also explores the importance of aligning our content with both our varied modes of delivery and with the business partners we look to for continued revenue.