Ken Doctor offers actionable ideas from Lookout Local’s success

Background: building a community newspaper that is more - and digital

The original Lookout Local site, Lookout Santa Cruz launched in November 2020.

Ken Doctor had been a consultant to the news industry for many years, and was getting to the point where he was itching to prove that it was possible to launch a digital only local news outlet, with the traditional newspaper's role of being a hub for the local community, while leveraging and benefiting from everything it means to be digital - including no legacy overheads, and being able to reach people in so many more ways, including through newsletters, multi-media, apps etc, while keeping a sharp focus on showing up in and for the local community.

​Thanks to the ground work done in Santa Cruz, including getting the tech stack up and running smoothly, the launch of the second site, Lookout Eugene-Springfield, on 10 April this year, has seen a ramp-up 3-5 times faster than for Santa Cruz. (Numbers in slide below)

The Lookout Local team plans to launch more sites by the end of 2026.

"The ability to move very quickly is one that I think is a critical differentiator for us. And having done consulting and still talking to a lot of people throughout the industry, I know the inability to move quickly has really hampered our industry across the world. We have a singular focus," - Ken Doctor

Context - the US local news industry

The genesis of Lookout Local should be seen in the context of what is going on in the US local news industry more broadly. It's well known that local newspapers in America have shut down at an alarming rate since the mid 00s.

Now, however there's a trend of new, and existing local news publishers expanding into underserved communities across the country. The Google News Initiative and the Knight Ridder Foundation both support many of these, as shown on the map below.

WAN-IFRA Members can watch (or re-watch) the webinar on our Knowledge Hub.

Actionable ideas from the webinar (but watch the video above for full details!)

1. Build multi-channel reach (apps + newsletters + social)

• Lookout Local found that readers engage 6-12x more via an app than on the browser, so they invest heavily in app development.

• They supplement this with general + neighbourhood newsletters (using AI to make them hyperlocal) and curated social media.

• The newsletters and social media act to fill the top of funnel, while the app is for paying members - a hybrid model.
  Action: Develop an app (even a lightweight one) and diversify distribution and fill the top of funnel through targeted newsletters and curated social, not just a website.

2. Deepen community engagement with in-person connections

• Lookout Local runs community forums on elections, housing, and local issues, livestreaming for broader reach.

• Reporters physically show up in communities, hold "Lookout Listens" feedback sessions, and keep offices downtown as accessible community hubs.
  Action: Host regular in-person forums and feedback sessions, and make the newsroom physically visible in the community.

​3. Expand access through schools & teachers

• The Lookout in the Classroom initiative provides free memberships for students, plus teacher-facing support (guides, visits, workshops).

• They fund this through foundations and donor support.
  Action: Partner with schools/teachers to embed local news into education and grow the next generation of readers.​

4. Use partnerships for brand growth & revenue

• Lookout Local runs a Civic Partner Program: nonprofits promote Lookout in their channels; in return, Lookout gives them visibility and ad support.

• They also raised $1M locally through grassroots donor organising, then matched it with national philanthropy.
  Action: Formalise reciprocal partnerships with nonprofits and local organisations, and mobilise community fundraising as part of launch/growth.​

5. Leverage AI for unique hyperlocal products

• Lookout Local uses AI to quickly assemble neighbourhood newsletters from public data (permits, roadwork, inspections, crime reports, weather, events).

• This gives them a distinctive product readers love (68% open rates), without replacing reporters.
  Action: Use AI to scale repetitive, data-heavy products (e.g., hyperlocal newsletters) while keeping human oversight for editorial quality.

This post originally appeared on our Innovate Local website.