Back to API, 15 Years Later — and Why It Matters Now
From a speaker’s podium to a leadership role, I’m returning to the American Press Institute at a moment when journalism faces both existential threats and unprecedented opportunities.
Fifteen years ago, I was in a conference room at the American Press Institute talking to an audience about digital content strategy at Philly.com.
Back then, “digital-first” was still a brand-new term, social media was in its infancy as a distribution channel for news, and although trust in traditional journalism was eroding, it hadn’t yet plummeted.
Next week, I’ll be back at API — not as a speaker, but as its new Vice President of Product Strategy, starting August 4.
It’s a little bit like closing a circle, but also feels very much like stepping into a brand-new one.
Context + Stakes
I won’t sugarcoat it: journalism is at one of the most crucial inflection points in our lifetimes.
Public media is in a fight for survival, with over 100 stations on the endangered list.
Trust in traditional media is at historic lows, fueling both polarization and disinformation.
Legacy revenue models that supported past generations of news are crumbling, forcing news organizations to reinvent themselves in real time.
And yet: I’ve never felt more optimistic about the possibility of this work.
Which is why I’m excited to join API — because at its best, it provides journalists and news organizations with the tools, research, and strategy they need not just to survive, but to lead.
My Role + Vision
Building on nearly 30 years of experience in public media and newsroom leadership, I’ll lead API’s efforts to expand and strengthen its core products, including Metrics for News and Source Matters, ensuring they deliver deeper impact and a better experience for the journalists and communities they serve.
The role is part product strategy, part research, part bridge-building across newsrooms, funders, and technology.
In other words: it’s exactly the kind of work I’ve been preparing for over the past 20 years.
Invitation to Readers
If you’ve been following Backstory & Strategy for a while, you know that I’ve been thinking (and sometimes worrying) a lot about the future of journalism.
Now I’ll have a chance to put some of those ideas into action on a national stage.
I’ll still be writing here, of course. In fact, I expect this space to get even richer with new insights and questions from me as I dive in.
And as always, I welcome your feedback, stories, and perspective.
If you’ve ever wondered how the “work behind the work” of journalism actually gets done, stick around. The next chapter is about to begin.
🎉 Quick Milestone Check-In
Hard to believe, but today’s post is number 80 since I kicked off Backstory & Strategy in mid-May. I promised myself I’d publish most weekdays — and somehow, I haven’t missed a single one yet. (Knock on wood. Or on the keyboard.)
This has been an energizing ride so far, and I hope you’ve been enjoying it as much as I have. Thanks for reading — and here’s to the next 80 (and beyond)!
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Congrats Yoni!