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The Lenfest Institute for Journalism

@lenfestinstitute.org

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Solutions for the next era of local news.

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The Lenfest Institute for Journalism @lenfestinstitute.org · 2d

💸 And an sales tool from The Seattle Times is transforming prospect research from an hours-long process into one that takes minutes, giving sales teams more opportunities to connect with potential customers. Sales reps say: “I’m walking into calls more organized and professional.”

Lenfest AI Collaborative and Fellowship Program: AI-Powered Prospecting Agent

The Seattle Times set out to test whether an AI “prospecting agent” could help automate its ad sales process.

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The Lenfest Institute for Journalism @lenfestinstitute.org · 2d

🍔 @startribune.com’s interactive restaurant guide is sorted by cuisine type, neighborhood, dietary needs, amenities, and more. Rather than searching through a static list, users can get up-to-date answers to questions like “is this restaurant kid-friendly?” or “are there vegan options?”

Lenfest AI Collaborative and Fellowship Program: Culinary Compass

The Minnesota Star-Tribune used AI to build an interactive restaurant guide that could make its food coverage more searchable and evergreen.

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The Lenfest Institute for Journalism @lenfestinstitute.org · 2d

🔎 @inquirer.com's archive research assistant can help reporters sort through thousands of news archives in seconds, consolidating previously disjointed digital archives and giving reporters more time to focus on crafting their stories.

Lenfest AI Collaborative and Fellowship Program: Dewey, the Archivist

The Philadelphia Inquirer tested whether a generative AI “archive research assistant” could help automate the research process for reporters.

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The Lenfest Institute for Journalism @lenfestinstitute.org · 2d

As part of the Lenfest AI Collaborative and Fellowship Program, in partnership with OpenAI and Microsoft, the fellows have already tested and launched several AI tools that help employees streamline their workflows — and now, they’re sharing their code for your newsroom to learn from, too.

Reposted by The Lenfest Institute for Journalism

Carrie Brown @brizzyc.bsky.social · 7d

"Keep up with your people. Celebrate their wins. Be there for them when life happens. Make an effort to see them when you’re in their town, or they’re in yours. Ask for help when you need it, and offer help when you can give it." Meena knows what is up.

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism @lenfestinstitute.org · 9d

“Yes, journalism is a craft. Yes, it’s a business. But more than anything, it’s a people practice.” Meena Thiruvengadam, our Lenfest Audience Community facilitator, shared how connection and community were top-of-mind at #ONA25 earlier this month 👇

What we learned at ONA25: From solo creators to shared purpose

More than anything, journalism is a people practice. At ONA25, we strengthened our connections with our audiences — and each other.

www.lenfestinstitute.org

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism @lenfestinstitute.org · 7d

The Lenfest News Philanthropy Network is hosting a workshop on Oct. 16 at 2:30 p.m. EDT / 11:30 a.m. PDT featuring @chronphilanthropy.bsky.social. Learn insights from the broader philanthropic field — including details on donor trends, tax laws, and more — and how you can apply them to local news.

Fundraising trends with The Chronicle of Philanthropy

The Chronicle of Philanthropy joins the Lenfest News Philanthropy Network to share insights from the broader philanthropic field.

www.lenfestinstitute.org

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism @lenfestinstitute.org · 9d

“Yes, journalism is a craft. Yes, it’s a business. But more than anything, it’s a people practice.” Meena Thiruvengadam, our Lenfest Audience Community facilitator, shared how connection and community were top-of-mind at #ONA25 earlier this month 👇

What we learned at ONA25: From solo creators to shared purpose

More than anything, journalism is a people practice. At ONA25, we strengthened our connections with our audiences — and each other.

www.lenfestinstitute.org

Reposted by The Lenfest Institute for Journalism

Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting @pcgvr.org · 21d

Two weeks to go! Conference updates:
• Expanding to address the accelerating challenges
• Group discounts and individual support available
• Complete agenda, conference faculty and more
Info and tickets: PCGVR.org

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism @lenfestinstitute.org · 21d

Their findings are based on discussions with the Lenfest Communities of Practice, and they’ll return for another workshop on Thursday, Sept. 25 at 2 p.m. EDT / 11 a.m. EDT. Join us to discuss specific implementation strategies for turning service-oriented journalism from theory into practice:

Using service to connect journalism's mission to measurement

A workshop for news orgs on how service can be used to connect the concept of impact and genuine value delivered to communities.

www.lenfestinstitute.org

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism @lenfestinstitute.org · 21d

Service-oriented journalism can help provide deeper impact data and ensure your reporting is relevant. But how can we adopt this approach when so many systems in our industry are resistant to change? Madison Karas & @pboehler.net explored this idea through workshops and one-on-one sessions 👇

Service-oriented journalism: Moving from idealism to utility

Journalism can be more impactful if we focus on the utility people receive from it. But what obstacles are preventing us from getting there?

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The Lenfest Institute for Journalism @lenfestinstitute.org · 26d

Meet the cohort here — and stay tuned for additional updates on what they learned:

Introducing ONA25's Project C Creator Cohort — ONA25

We are excited to collaborate with Project C and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism to establish the inaugural Project C Creator Cohort at ONA25—supporting 10 independent journalists with an expense...

ona25.journalists.org

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism @lenfestinstitute.org · 26d

Update from #ONA25: The inaugural Project C Creator Cohort is on the ground in New Orleans!

We partnered with Project C and @journalists.org to bring 10 independent journalists to this year's conference to learn, network, and represent the growing field of creator journalism.

The 2025 Project C Creator Cohort at ONA25

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism @lenfestinstitute.org · 28d

Attending #ONA25? Join us this afternoon for a panel with fellows from the Lenfest AI Collaborative & Fellowship Program, in partnership with OpenAI & Microsoft. Stop by Empire CD at 4 p.m. for working demos, lessons on development and rollout, and open-source code you can use in your own newsroom.

See an overview of the schedule for ONA25 in New Orleans, Sept. 10-13

ona25.journalists.org

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism @lenfestinstitute.org · Sep 2

There’s no time like the present to get serious about digital transformation, and the Beyond Print Diagnostic is here to help. Take the free survey to assess where you are in your journey and receive personalized recommendations and resources straight from the Beyond Print Toolkit 📊📰

Introducing the Beyond Print Diagnostic: A new tool to help your print-to-digital transition

A free online tool designed to help local newspapers navigate the complex process of transitioning from print to digital business models.

www.lenfestinstitute.org

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism @lenfestinstitute.org · Aug 29

Hiring for an AI role but not sure what to look for?

As part of the Lenfest AI Collaborative & Fellowship Program in partnership with OpenAI and Microsoft, we pulled together a practical guide to help local news organizations take the guesswork out of building AI capacity 🤖🤝💡

Recruiting and onboarding AI talent: Lessons from the Lenfest AI Collaborative and Fellowship Program

Strategies from the Lenfest AI Collaborative and Fellowship on how local news organizations can find the right AI talent.

www.lenfestinstitute.org

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism @lenfestinstitute.org · Aug 25

What happens when you bring together recent journalism graduates, local publishers in need of new talent, and a local funder with connections across the news ecosystem? In New Mexico, it led to the New Mexico Local News Fellowship and Internship Program, which launched in 2019.

How a New Mexico journalism fellowship increased investment in the local news ecosystem

How to increase community news coverage by tapping into local journalism grads in search of early career opportunities.

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The Lenfest Institute for Journalism @lenfestinstitute.org · Aug 22

“Supporting your local newsroom should feel no more complicated than checking out at your neighborhood store — tap your card, get your goods, walk away knowing you contributed to something essential.” How the Syndex team is developing tools with a human touch to encourage giving 👇

‘Give while you read:’ How conversations at the Lenfest News Philanthropy Summit inspired a new path for publisher sustainability at Syndex

Supporting your local newsroom should feel no more complicated than checking out at a local store. How can we streamline the giving process?

www.lenfestinstitute.org

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism @lenfestinstitute.org · Aug 21

“Supporting PJC’s involvement in the Economic Opportunity Lab will lift the voices and perspectives of Philadelphians in this national conversation on solutions to improving economic mobility,” said Shawn Mooring, The Lenfest Institute’s head of Philadelphia Programs

Philadelphia Journalism Collaborative Launches Economic Mobility Project

The Lenfest Institute is proud to support the Philadelphia Journalism Collaborative's new reporting initiative focused on economic mobility.

www.lenfestinstitute.org

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism @lenfestinstitute.org · Aug 21

The Philadelphia Journalism Collaborative, which is housed at the Center for Community-Engaged Media at ‪@tukleincollege.bsky.social‬, is launching the project as part of the 2025-2026 Economic Opportunity Lab, a national journalism effort led by the Local Media Association and Comcast.

Philadelphia Journalism Collaborative Launches Economic Mobility Project

The Lenfest Institute is proud to support the Philadelphia Journalism Collaborative's new reporting initiative focused on economic mobility.

www.lenfestinstitute.org

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism @lenfestinstitute.org · Aug 21

The Lenfest Institute is proud to support the Philadelphia Journalism Collaborative’s new economic mobility project, which will use solutions journalism to tell community-informed stories that highlight pathways to economic mobility and inform public policy in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia Journalism Collaborative Launches Economic Mobility Project

The Lenfest Institute is proud to support the Philadelphia Journalism Collaborative's new reporting initiative focused on economic mobility.

www.lenfestinstitute.org

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism @lenfestinstitute.org · Aug 20

“News outlets…benefit from the reach and reputation of established NPR affiliates, while the stations receive quality, local coverage that they often struggle to provide with fewer resources.” — Carolyn Jewell of NPR on the untapped potential of public media collaborations ⬇️

Lenfest News Philanthropy Summit: Lighten the load with help from your public media friends

Many publishers don't realize public media stations are also in their communities, doing the same work, and willing to collaborate.

www.lenfestinstitute.org

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism @lenfestinstitute.org · Aug 19

Want to better track and communicate the impact of your journalism? Join the Lenfest Communities of Practice this Thursday at 2 p.m. EDT / 11 a.m. PDT for a workshop on implementing a service framework to track how your news org’s reporting is affecting the community:

Workshop: tracking impact through service

How to implement service methods in your newsroom to provide audiences with valuable information that helps them navigate their lives.

www.lenfestinstitute.org

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism @lenfestinstitute.org · Aug 13

Want to hire for an AI role in your news organization, but don’t know where to begin?

The Lenfest AI Collaborative and Fellowship Program, in partnership with OpenAI and Microsoft, has you covered: The participating publishers shared candidate criteria, interview questions, and onboarding tips ⬇️

Recruiting and onboarding AI talent: Lessons from the Lenfest AI Collaborative and Fellowship Program

Strategies from the Lenfest AI Collaborative and Fellowship on how local news organizations can find the right AI talent.

www.lenfestinstitute.org

Reposted by The Lenfest Institute for Journalism

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism @lenfestinstitute.org · Jul 30

Want to level up your publication’s digital strategy? The Beyond Print Diagnostic has you covered.

Take the free survey to assess where you are in your digital transformation journey and receive personalized recommendations and resources straight from the Beyond Print Toolkit 👇

Introducing the Beyond Print Diagnostic: A new tool to help your print-to-digital transition

A free online tool designed to help local newspapers navigate the complex process of transitioning from print to digital business models.

www.lenfestinstitute.org

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism @lenfestinstitute.org · Jul 31

💡 Our Chief Advancement Officer Annie McCain Madonia will join philanthropy solutions firm CCS Fundraising on Aug. 5 at 1 p.m. EDT for #SignalStrengthCCS, a free webinar on philanthropy and the future of public media. Register now 👇

Signal Strength: Philanthropy and the Future of Public Media

hub.ccsfundraising.com