Examining the strategies employed by Hawaiʻi’s nonprofit and digital, small-scale for- profit media organizations to stay financially viable

Abstract

While technological advancements empowered people by making information widely accessible, they have transformed news consumption behaviors, leading to the decline of local newsrooms. In Hawai‘i, local media organizations are also facing challenges and opportunities as these trends reshape the local media ecosystem. This study explores the strategies that local nonprofit and digital, small-scale for-profit media organizations in Hawai‘i employ to establish financial stability. In-depth qualitative interviews with representatives of local nonprofit and digital, small-scale for-profit media organizations identified three main themes for securing revenue sources: funding sources, stakeholder outreach, and digital strategies and online engagement. Additionally, three subthemes emerged from funding sources: Government-regulated funding, individual donations, and underwriting. Stakeholder outreach also included four subthemes: high-level donor outreach, outreach events for the general public, and formal and informal collaborations with other media outlets. This study further discusses the struggles and opportunities identified from the interviews. Implications highlight practices applicable to other local newsrooms facing financial struggles due to the transformation of the media landscape.