News-media roundup: 2 Mich. weeklies die, but one revives; American Journalism Project may fund 4 news startups

Three Rivers, Michigan, has about 8,000 people. (Google map)

When the Traverse City Record-Eagle saw that the Three Rivers Commercial-News in southern Michigan was closing, it used it as an example of the value of news was not so community journalism in its appeal to readers for year-end donations. But today the Commercial-News is being revived by Michael Wilcox, owner of a small chain of papers in the region, the paper reports.

The news was not so good for the Straitsland Resorter of Indian River, Mich., which died because its owner wanted to retire and couldn't find a buyer after trying for three years, Rich Lamb, publisher of the Presque Isle Advance in the county to the east, writes in The Bulletin of the Michigan Press Association. "The Resorter is a money-making newspaper, so it seems odd to me there were no sale possibilities . . . Perhaps this will spark someone to pursue purchase."

The Kansas Press Association is offering its members an on-demand journalism training course aimed at address staffing issues, and some other state press associations are also offering it. “It’s really hard to convince a young kid that just graduated from a journalism school to move out to a little town of 900 people and work out there,” said Lindsey Young, a former high-school teacher who developed the course. She and her husband, Joey, own Kansas Publishing Ventures, which publishes four weeklies. The course has eight lessons and covers more than 30 topics. For more information, contact Joey Young at: joey@kspublishingventures.com.

The American Journalism Project, with support from the Google News Initiative, is launching a Local News Incubator to "seed and support new local news organizations led by exceptional talent, with the aim of advancing a new generation of impact-driven and innovative news organizations from conception through launch," AJP said in a press release. It will take applications through Feb. 15 from "founders with innovative ideas to advance local news. The incubator will support up to four startup ideas; each will receive $400,000 in seed funding, and personalized, hands-on support to complete a robust research and development process and fundraising campaign." In 2020, AJP helped establish Capital B and Mountain State Spotlight through a similar model. Since its launch in 2019, AJP has invested in 33 organizations. For more and the application, visit theajp.org/incubator. AJP and Google News Initiative are hosting an information session Jan. 12; register here.