"In this critical moment where resources are scarce and journalists are desperate to offer deeper, more impactful content, 2026 must be the defining year for strategic mergers and radical resource sharing. This is not merely an option; it is the only viable strategy to better serve audiences and ensure organizational survival. We must operate with the conviction that the sum is greater than the parts, or else risk diluting our impact into irrelevance."
"To be clear, I am not advocating for the type of consolidation that strips communities of their voice. We have all seen the damage done when conglomerates like Sinclair buy up local stations, homogenize the output, and cut local coverage in favor of national talking points. That is consolidation for profit, not for public service. The strategy for 2026 must be different. It is about mission-driven mergers that cut administrative bloat to raise the quality of coverage."
Newsrooms face severe resource constraints, with nearly 136 U.S. newsrooms closing or merging in 2025 and the loss of roughly $150 million in annual journalism support after USAID's closure. A White House "Media Offenders" tracker now targets reporters and stories. Strategic, mission-driven mergers and radical resource sharing in 2026 are presented as necessary to sustain journalism, improve coverage quality, and serve audiences. Consolidation must avoid profit-driven homogenization that erases local voices. Barriers include institutional ego, guarded data, and fear of identity loss. When executed innovatively, shared resources and partnerships can cut administrative bloat and enable ambitious, higher-quality reporting.
Read at Nieman Lab
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