🧠 Five Revenue Nuggets for Local Media Publishers
If you want to increase revenue and keep your team focused on what works, here's your cheat sheet from my interview with Randi Stevenson, GM of Austin Monthly and Austin Home at Hearst:
Do a regular audit: “Be real with yourself about what is working and what is not—and kill your darlings or reinvent them.”
Spend your budget deliberately: Invest in custom photos where it matters, and use PR images when it doesn’t. Know what’s worth it.
Track what’s working—and double down: “Reader photos of weather events… the editor looks at the numbers and sees that those do well and seeks out those opportunities.”
Instagram is king for engagement: Especially when print is your core product, use Instagram (or whatever works for your market) to get rapid reader feedback.
Less but better: “Can we pull it back? Let’s do something really well instead of four things not well.”
Now let’s rewind and tell the story.
Randi’s Journey: From J-School to GM
Randi’s a data-driven connector with a print-loving heart. She started at Arizona State’s Cronkite School, landed her first gig in Omaha, then joined the Chicago Tribune. From audience development to content marketing to real estate editor, her path eventually led her to Hearst.
But what’s beautiful is that she never lost sight of how revenue powers journalism. “Even out of J-School, it’s like the advertisements in the printed newspaper are paying my salary… that has never been lost on me.”
Now she’s GM of Austin Monthly and Austin Home, overseeing editorial, revenue, marketing, events, audience—everything. She’s the castle-tender who knows what to feed and what to prune.
Her Superpowers: Castle-Tending and Data Grit
Let’s name it. She’s not trying to be the wild creative on the ship. She’s the one keeping the castle from burning down. “I’m a ‘do less better’ girl,” she said. “It’s okay to just enjoy a spreadsheet.”
Randi also dropped one of the hardest truths in media: “Use that time and those resources and that money for something that people are gonna read and that makes a difference.” That’s hard. But it’s honest.
Integrity Meets Strategy
Let’s be clear: She’s not advocating for clickbait or abandoning mission. “It doesn’t mean you stop covering City Hall… You can absolutely and should cover City Hall in a smart way that reaches readers and they’re willing to pay you for that coverage.”
This is essentialism at its finest—less but better. It's how lean teams create excellence without burnout.
Find Your Turd in the Punch Bowl
My favorite line from this convo: “Someone’s gotta be the turd in the punch bowl.”
That’s the person willing to say no when the team wants to chase four ideas and only has budget for one. And if you’re not that person? Find one. You don’t need to become a Randi. You just need a Randi.
So do the audit. Follow the numbers. Hold your integrity. And for the love of your newsroom—find your turd in the punch bowl.
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👋 If you're a local media leader trying to figure out what to double down on and what to let go of, come join the conversation at peopleofmedia.com.
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