It seems the Portland Press Herald is trying a new tactic to boost its appeal, a move that some see as less about groundbreaking journalism and more about sophisticated marketing. They’ve teamed up with the “Google News Initiative,” a program that’s designed to talk about covering the news, rather than actually doing it in the traditional sense. Google is chipping in a hefty $35,000 to the Maine Trust for Local News, earmarking it for what they call “innovative journalism.” But don’t expect hard-hitting investigative pieces; this initiative is all about finding new ways to engage readers and, hopefully, attract more subscribers. The underlying goal, it appears, is to understand and adapt to the modern news consumption landscape, where traditional newsrooms are grappling with declining readership and the need to stay relevant in a fast-paced digital world.
Three individuals are leading the charge on this “innovative journalism” front, each with their own project aimed at luring in new subscribers. One of them, Sean Sullivan, who proudly carries the title of “Innovation and Experiential Strategy Lead,” is pocketing a cool $15,000. His big idea is “The Main Dashboard,” a website that will not only aggregate local news but also feature data visualizations tracking key economic metrics. Sullivan believes this will offer an objective daily pulse on Maine’s economy, something he claims is missing in local news markets. He’s even talking about packaging it as a standalone newsletter for non-subscribers. While the concept sounds tech-savvy, critics are calling it a “word salad,” questioning whether a sophisticated data aggregation tool is truly what local news needs to thrive, or if it’s just another layer of complexity that distances readers from straightforward reporting.
Then there’s Claire Tighe, the Press Herald’s “deputy managing editor, digital strategy and transformation,” who’s receiving $10,000 for her project, “Skill Me.” This initiative is all about empowering the Maine Trust for Local News staff to create “social-first content,” like short-form videos, in mere minutes. Tighe’s vision includes hands-on learning modules, expert-led training, and mentorship, all designed to address the critical barriers of staff training and technology access. She emphasizes the necessity of delivering news through newsletters, social media, and app-based storytelling to reach younger audiences. While the idea of “upskilling” staff to adapt to new media formats is undeniably important in today’s digital age, the cynics are quick to label this as “Word Salad 2.0,” suggesting that $10,000 for a training program focused on creating bite-sized social media content might not be the most impactful way to invest in serious journalism.
Finally, we have Katherine Lee, the paper’s “news and culture editor,” who’s also getting $10,000 from Google’s coffers. Her brainchild is the “Portland Restaurant Chatbot,” an AI-powered quiz tool designed to learn users’ cuisine preferences, location, dietary needs, and occasions to deliver personalized restaurant recommendations in a fun, game-like experience. Lee believes this feature will “resurface evergreen food content and create subscriber conversion opportunities.” While the idea of a personalized dining guide sounds appealing, especially in a city known for its food scene, the mention of “subscriber conversion opportunities” coupled with “resurfacing evergreen food content” raises eyebrows. Critics wonder if this “innovative” project is genuinely about enhancing the news experience or simply a clever marketing gimmick to get more people to subscribe, potentially overshadowing the core mission of providing essential local news.
The CEO of the parent National Trust for Local News, Tom Wiley, weighed in on the Google Initiative, explaining to Editor & Publisher that “without intentional space for experimentation, organizations risk stagnation doing the same thing, and we know what the end game of that looks like.” Wiley’s sentiment highlights the very real pressure news organizations face to innovate or perish. He acknowledges the danger of sticking to outdated models in a rapidly changing media landscape. His words reflect a genuine concern within the industry about finding sustainable ways to deliver news and remain relevant in an era where information is abundant but attention is scarce. The Portland Press Herald’s venture into these projects can be seen as a desperate attempt to avoid becoming another casualty in the evolving world of local journalism.
However, the skepticism surrounding these projects isn’t entirely unfounded. While the Portland Press Herald is experimenting with these “innovative” approaches, direct competitor Maine Wire boasts 150,000 Facebook followers, significantly more than the Press Herald’s 93,000. This stark contrast in social media engagement suggests that perhaps directly engaging with the community through straightforward content, as the Maine Wire seems to be doing, might be more effective than elaborate data dashboards, social media training for staff, or AI-powered restaurant chatbots. The situation presents a fascinating dilemma for local news organizations: how to innovate and adapt without losing sight of the fundamental journalistic principles and community connection that once made them indispensable. The future of local news, it seems, will be a delicate balance between technological advancement and authentic storytelling.