RJI news
![Executive Director of the Columbia Missourian Elizabeth Stephens [left] and Innovation in Focus Editor Eden Dinneen [right] create the Missourian’s first ad campaigns together with Google Ad Grants.](https://rjionline.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/iif26081105.jpg)
Testing Google Ads Grant program to grow local audiences
Exploring how free search advertising may increase readership and newsletter subscriptions
Donations are becoming a lifeline for local newspapers, but not without tension
Some for-profit newsroom leaders believe reader support is a chance to keep pace with rising costs while keeping their publications available to the public.
How to build a kindness map for your community
A simple guide for newsrooms that want to map local help, volunteer opportunities and stories of kindness.
Collective action: We need a news marketplace
Demonstrating a publisher-centric network to easily share — and bill — AI agents and (others) for valuable content.
We are building a tool to help newsrooms listen to emergency scanners
The Public Safety Scanner Tool, or PSST, sends automated alerts of urgent scanner traffic in real time and will be free for newsrooms.
How newsrooms collaborating helps their local communities
Collaboration across newsrooms can help to serve communities in deeper, more impactful ways.
Vibecoding a pitch evaluator for opinion pieces
Tips and a free no-code tool to build an editorial Gem.
Introducing the Journalism Source of Safety (J-SOS) app
Building the journalist safety app I always needed.
How to build social-first data visualizations
Communicating key data and information to your audience through visuals.
How editing sessions with writers can strengthen your newsroom
Research-backed tutoring techniques you might already be using.