DETROIT, MI -- Graham Media Group received a grant from the Google News Initiative’s North America Innovation Challenge on Oct. 25 to develop and build a membership program for local TV broadcasters.
GMG’s “Membership for Broadcast” project will demonstrate that local broadcasters can develop their relationships with audiences in order to diversify revenue and help secure the future of local journalism. It’s a crucial challenge for local broadcasters who need to act now while they still have the resources, audience and clout to build new businesses.
“Graham Media is committed to engaging audiences to diversify revenue, but more importantly, to better serve communities at a time when local media is facing real challenges,” said Catherine Badalamente, GMG’s vice president and chief innovation officer. “This grant will help us accelerate plans to truly put audience at the center of our editorial and business strategies, and hopefully show membership is a viable option for all local broadcasters.”
“Membership for Broadcast” was one of 34 projects across the U.S. and Canada to receive the competitive grant. GNI recipients were selected from 269 proposals across 44 states and provinces to share $5.8 million. Grant winners were selected based on four criteria: impact, feasibility, innovation and inspiration. GNI sought applicants focused on generating revenue and/or increasing audience engagement for local news.
GMG’s project, which intends to put membership at the center of television’s digital growth strategy, comes at a time when all local media are working through disruption and changing audience behaviors. Broadcasters are intent to build an audience-based revenue model through user funnels, which will allow them to maintain their leading role as the most trusted and preferred source for local news.
Frank Mungeam, Knight Professor of Practice, TV News Innovation at Arizona State University’s Cronkite School of Journalism, will advise on the membership project.
You can read the full list of the successful recipients on GNI’s website.