Our upcoming case webinars. Great ideas presented by the people who put them into action.
Welcome to Innovate Local 2026!
Feature webinar: March 18
When a global story happens in your local community: Steering The Minnesota Star Tribune through unprecedented times
The new year saw Minnesota and Minneapolis catapulted into not just the national, but the international spotlight. We’re all familiar with the story. 3000 ICE agents were deployed to the city, carrying out brutal raids and fatally shooting two people in the street. The response by the local community has been brave, steadfast and peaceful protest in the face of the violence.
But what has it been like experiencing and covering the story as a local newsroom? In this webinar Steve Grove, CEO & Publisher of The Minnesota Star Tribune will share how the newsroom covers this fast-moving, potentially dangerous and often chaotic story. How does a local news company navigate multiple challenges at once? How are individual journalists supported? How does the Tribune’s journalism stand out in a news flow that’s also fed through thousands of social media accounts? And what are the most important lessons learned so far from living through and covering the story of the winter of 2026 in Minneapolis?
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Presented by: Steve Grove, CEO & Publisher, The Minnesota Star Tribune, USA
Time: 15.00 CET | 10.00 EST​​
April 22
Service Journalism that Actually Pays Off – Lessons from Village Media
Many publishers talk about service journalism. Village Media has built its entire growth model around it. In this session, CEO Jeff Elgie explains how practical, everyday journalism—housing guides, school updates, local government coverage that people can use—has become a direct driver of reader revenue, stronger habits, and higher advertiser relevance. You will hear how they use AI to monitor local councils without losing editorial control, how their community platform increases engagement around specific topics, and why they now describe themselves as a “community impact organization” rather than just a media company. For publishers looking for concrete, replicable ways to turn utility into sustainable business results, this is a case worth studying closely.
Presented by Jeff Elgie, CEO, Village Media, Canada
Time: 15.00 CET | 9.00 EST​​