Local communities are the actual drivers of the nation’s economy. Local media is the source of information vital to their communities, and where consumers discover, through advertising, local shops and businesses that cater to their wants and needs. Despite the many economic challenges local communities face today, local media and advertisers must remain optimistic. Pessimism only creates more uncertainty.
Predicting next year’s macroeconomics and microeconomic climate is always challenging. As in most years, there will be improvements and setbacks; however, the uncertainties that prevailed during most of 2025 are likely to persist throughout 2026. Local media ad managers and sales reps will have to be even more strategic and nimble to attract consumers, who are reducing their spending.
Much of E&P’s success is attributable to our marketing partners, who support our mission. They also offer local media the products, services and insights they need to boost their optimism, overcome troubling economic trends, improve customer relationships and maximize their revenues.
For the December issue, we’ve asked our marketing partners to share their predictions for 2026, along with actionable tips and other information to help local media and their advertisers navigate what is sure to be a turbulent year.
Prediction:
Let’s start with the obvious: The next year will see more local newsrooms experimenting with AI tools to boost efficiency, along with a few embarrassing scandals when they do it wrong. Behind the AI hype, however, the real story will be about pragmatism. Publishers are learning which revenue streams actually work and doubling down on them. That means continuing to grow digital subscriptions while outsourcing proven revenue-driving content such as seniors, healthcare, holiday and home-related sections. The most innovative publishers will use AI and vendor partnerships to free time, not replace people, and invest those hours back into what local journalism has always done best — building trust through human storytelling.
Actionable Tip:
For ad sales managers, this is the time to be strategic, not scattershot. Use your data to pinpoint which topics perform best in your market, then design products according to those categories. Clever use of ready-to-publish content can keep revenue flowing while giving reporters the breathing room to focus on meaningful local journalism.
Supporting statistic:
According to The Associated Press’ Generative AI in Journalism survey (April 2024), 73.8% of newsroom professionals said they or their organizations had already used generative AI in some capacity. However, only 42.3% said their newsroom had clear policies governing its use.
Prediction:
Local publishers can finally play to their true strength — community.
Automation has allowed local publishers to match big tech on operational costs and activation time. With tools like Mediaferry closing the gap between the sale and publication of an ad, media can now focus on their real edge: local presence, context and personal relationships. The creation of trusted local news already sets them apart from the uncertainties of social media, and now technology has arrived to let them monetize that trust at scale.
Actionable Tip:
Invest the time saved by automation into strengthening advertiser relationships. You have a unique understanding of local businesses’ goals, which will yield more loyal, higher-value clients.
Supporting statistic:
Publishers using Mediaferry AI have produced more compelling ads with ad turnaround times reduced by as much as 90%, freeing sales teams to focus on client strategy rather than production bottlenecks.
Prediction:
Digital out-of-home (DOOH) is becoming an increasingly important part of local media strategies, with the global market projected to reach $33.3 billion by 2026. While it’s widely recognized as a highly scalable, impactful and measurable channel, many local markets haven’t fully tapped its potential. Over the next 1–2 years, we expect more local advertisers to integrate DOOH into their omnichannel strategies to better connect brand and performance marketing initiatives.
With programmatic capabilities, you can target the same audiences you would across your other campaigns. This allows you to create a consistent brand experience at every touchpoint, creating seamless, connected moments from digital interactions to real-world engagement.
Prediction:
Payment recovery will be the unsung hero of local journalism’s revival. Publishers are rediscovering that great content alone can’t sustain growth. It is equally important to have reliable payment recovery. Every declined or expired card represents more than a lost transaction. Sometimes it is also a lost reader relationship. In 2026, publishers that prioritize payment data integrity and recovery automation will quietly strengthen their revenue foundation. By keeping subscriber data up to date and using tools such as tokenization, network updates and intelligent retries, publishers can recover payments that would have otherwise been written off.
Actionable Tip:
Treat payment recovery as part of audience retention. Automate updates to expired cards and analyze decline codes monthly. Even minor adjustments can boost recovery rates and reduce involuntary churn.
In payments, success isn’t about processing more transactions; it’s about making every transaction count. When payments fail, customers can complete the purchase and be charged later. Not only does this reduce decline rates and payment failures, but it can also increase revenue by as much as 15%.
Customer example:
A customer realized a 12% decrease in attrition and assumed there was something wrong, as this far exceeded normal parameters. The customer had recently made acquisitions, including the addition of numerous merchant accounts. A three-month analysis showed that the decrease in attrition was attributable to the new-to-them merchant tokens. They had never been processed through an account updater. Now that the payment data was clean, there were fewer declines and a reduced need for re-tries — all of which generated additional revenue.
Prediction:
We expect local media deal activity to remain strong in 2026, driven by a diverse mix of buyers. Large public companies will stay on the sidelines, creating space for entrepreneurial, independent and community-based operators. The mid-term elections will amplify demand for credible, local information, and legacy and digital newcomers will continue to refine their models. We expect continued regional consolidation and the acceleration of early LLM licensing agreements. For operators who combine strong journalism with modern strategy, the year ahead offers a meaningful opportunity.
Prediction:
Looking at the industry from a macro perspective, large and small publishers will make hard decisions to remove technology and/or vendor roadblocks from their existing enterprise roadmaps. They will demand the ability to adopt widely new AI and non-AI, self-supporting innovations within their newsroom and their legacy technology systems.
Many publishers will adopt the latest CMS/paywall technology stacks to drive new expansion and generate revenue. New and enhanced revenue will enable their enterprises to increase agility and focus on delivering best-in-class integrity in reporting, which will drive even greater consumer engagement, trust and loyalty.
Actionable tip:
Now is later! Don't freeze: Experiment, Enhance and Evolve.
Supporting statistic:
The Medill survey 2025 studied the public’s interest in and reliance on local news in the Chicago area. Of all the findings, the one that troubled both Franklin and Edgerly the most was the public’s declining willingness to pay for local news. Just 15% of survey respondents said they would pay for local coverage — a decrease of 19% from last year’s Medill survey.
“That was one of the most troubling numbers I saw,” Franklin admitted. “But we also don’t really have mass media anymore. The goal for a lot of news organizations now is to have a smaller, dedicated, loyal audience that's willing to pay — people who make you part of their daily lives.”
Franklin pointed to successful models like The Baltimore Banner and The Daily Memphian, as well as smaller startups like The Johnson County Post in Kansas. “It doesn’t mean paywalls don’t work,” he said. “They just aren’t for everyone. Publishers need to know their audience and build a relationship, not just a transaction.”
Prediction:
As I look ahead to 2026, the printing industry still revolves around three familiar pillars — quality, service and price — but with a new balance. Quality is no longer a selling point; it’s the entry ticket. The real differentiators are speed and service. What once took ten days now takes three — and sometimes just twenty-four hours. Customers demand fast delivery, clear communication and consistency every time.
Price remains the most complex challenge. In today’s market, clients often set the rate: if their budget is a dollar, you'd better find a way to make it for ninety-eight cents. Increasing paper costs will only add pressure. With newsprint production declining, I expect at least two price increases, possibly as much as 10%, by 2026. That shift will accelerate the move toward glossy, color-rich products and tighter digital integration. Publishers who act now — by diversifying their paper options and pairing print with strong digital storytelling — will be the ones who stay ahead.
Prediction:
In 2026, the local media winners won’t just sell attention; they’ll operate the revenue loop for their advertisers.
Publishers who offer their advertisers an always-on lead inbox, instant notifications and embedded sales tools will cut short-term churn and unlock sticky, recurring SaaS revenue.
Why now? Most advertisers already trust media partners and expect quick ROI, but leads don’t easily convert to money in the bank. The next wave is lead-to-cash enablement: consolidate inquiries from ads/social/web into a single pane, nudge for rapid responses, and let advertisers sell, invoice and collect on the spot. Add AI to the mix, and media brands become daily-use infrastructure, not campaign vendors.
Supporting statistic:
According to The 2025 SMB Marketing Report for Publishers, 72% of SMBs want to buy more digital tools from a single trusted provider, and 64% would prefer those tools come directly from their marketing partner.
Several leaders of major media companies expect ad revenue growth during 2026. The mid-term elections will undoubtedly inject billions more into next year's ad spending. The insights of E&P marketing partners in this article recommend several strategies for local media to ensure they receive a fair share of ad dollars, and their advertisers can improve their sales revenues.
Bob Sillick has held many senior positions and served a myriad of clients during his 47 years in marketing and advertising. He has been a freelance/contract content researcher, writer, editor and manager since 2010. He can be reached at bobsillick@gmail.com.
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