2023 Report: Local News Outlets Drive Growth Amid Audience Declines

The Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) recently released its seventh annual Index Report, surveying 346 member outlets about coverage, revenue, staffing, and audience in 2023. The data provides a comprehensive overview of trends and changes in the nonprofit news sector.

INN’s CEO Karen Rundlet, research director Emily Roseman, and Calvin University associate professor Jesse Holcomb noted mixed signals in the latest report. While the sector continues to grow, this growth is slowing. Average monthly unique web traffic declined by about one-third compared to 2022. More details on audience trends are expected in a separate report this fall.

Key takeaways include:

Membership Growth: INN membership grew by 11% between 2022 and 2023, slower than the previous year’s 17% increase. Local outlets drive this growth and are expected to become the majority by 2025.
Revenue Trends: Three-quarters of INN members maintained or grew their revenue from 2022 to 2023. Foundation funding remains the largest revenue source, with individual giving and earned revenue also important. Local outlets saw varied revenue changes, with smaller, newer organizations often faring better.
Audience Trends: Over 70% of INN members are digital-first. Changes in the social media landscape negatively impacted reach, with many outlets experiencing a drop in web traffic. Despite this, over half of publishers increased their email newsletter subscribers.
Volunteer Contributions: The sector employs over 4,500 people, with volunteers playing significant roles in many organizations. This reliance on volunteers helps operations but can pose challenges for sustainability.

INN plans to release further insights on audience and distribution trends this fall.