MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:
So much of the local news business has been defined by dashed hopes and slashed jobs. Well, a former top CNN executive has splashy plans to revive The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. NPR's David Folkenflik went down to Atlanta to find out, could it work?
DAVID FOLKENFLIK, BYLINE: Andrew Morse says, enough with the gnashing of teeth.
ANDREW MORSE: I did not come here to manage decline.
FOLKENFLIK: Morse became the publisher and president of The Journal-Constitution in January 2023.
MORSE: We understand that the ad marketplace has been hollowed out by Google and Facebook. We know that news deserts have emerged throughout much of the country. Those realities are there. So instead of reading story after story about the futility of this, why don't we grasp onto notions of how do we build for the future?
FOLKENFLIK: Morse is also literally rebuilding. I spoke to him outside the site where a state-of-the-art newsroom is being constructed from scratch for reporters, podcasting, streaming shows and more. He is moving the paper to Midtown Atlanta from the northern burbs. Morse has won major runway from the paper's longtime owners, one of the richest families in the country, the Cox family. It's willing to invest up to $150 million.
The Journal-Constitution now says it is a bit north of 100,000 paying subscribers, a shadow of its historic highs. Morse is shooting for 500,000, almost five times its current paying audience, mostly in digital subscriptions.
MORSE: Our mission is to be the most essential and engaging source of news for the people of Atlanta, Georgia and the South.
FOLKENFLIK: Bold declaration. Then again, Morse is bold and buoyant and ebullient. He operates with a personal touch, showing up routinely at company softball games and civic events, meeting all 400 employees in small groups and dinners, writing front-page editorials and insisting on the need to change the culture.
MORSE: Before we get into it, we've got some breaking news this...
FOLKENFLIK: That's Morse leading today's daily news planning session.
MORSE: Any other thoughts on the story this morning? I know it's still developing.
FOLKENFLIK: Journal-Constitution Editor-in-Chief Leroy Chapman is a son of the South, and he's been at the paper for 13 years.
LEROY CHAPMAN: The responsibility at the top for transformational change is a commitment.
FOLKENFLIK: At most newspapers, the publisher's direct involvement in coordinating news coverage would be problematic, even a crisis. Chapman says the crisis is already here, and that Morse is helping The Journal-Constitution pull through it.
CHAPMAN: It can't necessarily be effectively done by emails and by things you write and putting people in town hall meetings and that kind of thing. Change and the commitment to change really does come from hands-on day to day, moment to moment.
FOLKENFLIK: Morse takes inspiration from the stunning success of the digital subscriptions of The New York Times, focusing on areas of proven passion and expertise for its audience. Start with this.
MORSE: Georgia is the center of the political universe.
FOLKENFLIK: The debate that knocked President Biden from the 2024 race? That was in Atlanta. Both the Trump and Harris campaigns see the state as vital. Former President Donald Trump is still on trial here.
MORSE: And if we cover Georgia politics exceptionally well, we'll pick up subscribers in Atlanta, Georgia, the South and beyond.
FOLKENFLIK: On his first day, standing alone in his office, Morse drew circles on a whiteboard to define readers' interests. Beyond politics, he drew circles around big-time regional sports, food culture and Black life. The paper's covering that under the heading Unapologetically ATL. As the No. 2 at CNN, Morse similarly built the streaming service CNN+ around passions, lifestyle, storytelling and CNN's expertise.
MORSE: At it's heart is great journalism, world-class journalism.
FOLKENFLIK: The playbook lasted just a month after launch, killed by a new CEO at CNN with the mandate to slash costs. In Atlanta, Morse has shed a few positions while adding a lot more. He's well-funded and undaunted.
MORSE: And we've set a vision to be able to transform The AJC from this storied 155-year-old organization into a modern media company. So when we wake up every day, we're thinking first and foremost of what's the most important news of the day and the most interesting news of the day.
FOLKENFLIK: I spoke to six industry executives with experience in local news about Morse's plans. I expected sharp pushback. Five said they thought Morse stood a pretty good chance of pulling this off. All six said they were rooting for him. David Folkenflik, NPR News, Atlanta. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
