Meeting of the Minds in DC - 2024 DI Field Team Event

Last month, Direct Impact hosted our nationwide network of local public affairs and media relations partners in our D.C. office for an annual series of client strategy and planning meetings. As is the case each year, there were incredibly insightful discussions about how to effectively direct narratives and move policymakers in unique markets across the country.

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One of the most compelling conversations took place during a roundtable discussion on the evolving local media landscape and the 2024 elections. DI’s senior leadership team sat down with six of our local partners from key markets and a handful of leaders from our newly-formed Burson family. The discussion started with a focus on local media trends that our experts have noticed in their respective markets before expanding to how companies can reach specific communities while breaking through the “noise” in an election year. In fact, the discussion was so lively that we only scratched the surface of what we intended to cover during the meeting!

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To prepare for this conversation and others we held throughout the week, we leaned into our nationwide network by asking our local agency partners to share the challenges and opportunities they’ve encountered in today’s media environment. A common theme that emerged across the nearly 100 markets we surveyed is that underlying business models continue to change how newsrooms operate (for both the better and worse). We also learned how our clients and partners can break through one of the noisiest election years in memory.

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While it’s no secret that the media landscape is evolving, there were a handful of insights that really caught our attention. In California and across the Southwest, we learned how large companies without any media credentials are buying up local news outlets, making it difficult to publish stories critical of these institutions and their industries. As we discussed ways to effectively circumvent this trend, our panelists emphasized the importance of local connections, traditional grassroots and coalition building to help shape and amplify a specific narrative.

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Meanwhile, entrepreneurial reporters and editors turned off or turned out by investor-driven media are launching non-profit operations like the digital-only Baltimore Banner and Bridge Michigan. With a focus on richer storytelling, local experts collaboratively work with reporters on in-depth stories that explore multiple angles versus the snapshot pieces produced by many contemporary newsrooms.

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We also discussed engaging with outlets uniquely tailored to serve specific audiences. For instance, New Hampshire Public Radio has built out a Spanish language platform while the Des Moines-based Black Iowa News amplifies Black voices in the community. Our expert panelists were also quick to point out that some hyperlocal media outlets focus on covering news within a specific geographic area. For instance, there are borough-specific outlets in New York City like the Queens Courier and Bronx Times, and Northern Virginia’s ALXnow and FFXnow that provide laser-focused reporting within small geographic areas to deliver news at a neighborhood-level.

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The intel provided by our local experts during the roundtable underscored how valuable local knowledge is to better understand the variety of outlets within a given market, who they serve, and how to work with them to ensure our clients’ voices reach their target audiences.

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Amid one of the most contentious election cycles in U.S. history, these insights are critical to strategizing around the noise (or staying out of the headlines) in the months leading up to November. Along with understanding the local media landscape, our roundtable discussion also touched on the importance of knowing issues unique to each market. For instance, water-related issues are a key concern for voters in Arizona; affordable housing, while a nationwide concern, is particularly acute in Maine and Utah; and local news in “battleground” states such as Georgia and Michigan is likely to track with the national news steering the election cycle.

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The key takeaway from these conversations is that partners with deep understanding of local communities are key to effective advocacy – and ultimately achieving our clients’ objectives.

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To learn more about these conversations and insights from our annual event, reach out to DI President Amy Cloessner.