News & Updates

Cynthia DuBose begins her new role as executive director of the Georgia Trust for Local News on June 1. A long-time leader with deep experience in driving transformative digital growth for local and national news organizations, DuBose brings a focus on innovation and community engagement to the role. She also has a strong belief in the importance of thriving local journalism. In a recent interview, DuBose shared more about her path to journalism, why the mission of the Georgi

Cynthia DuBose, a seasoned journalist and media executive, will advance a growth model for journalism in Middle Georgia Cynthia DuBose, Executive Director, Georgia Trust for Local News The National Trust for Local News announced today that Cynthia DuBose, a veteran of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and McClatchy Media with extensive experience in driving transformative digital growth, will lead the Georgia Trust for Local News as its next executive director. DuBose takes

Jason Vorhees thought photography was his path to sports. It ended up becoming his path to Macon, Georgia, and a career in photojournalism. Vorhees is a native of Lancaster, Ohio. He didn’t pick up a camera until he was a freshman at Ohio University, after his father gave him a Canon AE1 for his high school graduation. Southwest senior CJ Howard (1) puts his head in his hands after the Patriots’ loss to Rabun County in the GHSA State Championship at the Macon Coliseum. Photo

To boost efforts to reach new audiences and increase social video production, the Georgia Trust for Local News (GTLN) recently partnered with Mercer University to offer a training session for GTLN reporters. Mercer University visual journalism professor Evey Wilson Wetherbee led the session, which focused on capturing, editing and distributing social video content. The interactive seminar, offered as part of a Google News Initiative and National Trust for Local News grant, i

Every March, two Georgia cities transform. Dublin goes green. Macon goes pink. And in both places, a local newspaper owned by the Georgia Trust for Local News is at the center of it. A St. Patrick's Parade float in Dublin, Ga. At The Courier Herald , that role stretches back decades. The paper has been involved in Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Festival since its first days , when a local radio host’s on-air Irish music and jokes grew into something bigger – a collaboration between t

At the National Trust, we renew civic life by rebuilding local news. Our 70-plus local news brands are cornerstones of the communities they serve. As a founding partner of the inaugural Local News Day – a nationwide effort to reconnect communities with trusted local news sources – we’re proud to celebrate the impact of local news and its foundational role in civic engagement and democracy across our state trusts : Maine In recognition of Local News Day, and as a thank-you t

When Kyle Dominy writes, the town seems to talk. He’s a journalist at his core, an observer. His most talked-about recent work, headlined “ Shopping Carts and Living at the End of Civilization ,” was a column on the absence of the decent act of returning carts to the corral after finishing at the grocery store. For Dominy, it was part of one day in a small town that he thought spoke to kindness and caring for your neighbor. “I'll take 30 seconds of my day and stretch it into

When a seat opened on the Macon-Bibb County Board of Commissioners, The Macon Melody didn't just cover the race. They created a space for the community to gather and learn about the candidates themselves. In February, The Melody hosted a public debate for the six candidates vying to fill the vacant District 5 commission seat – a district that Executive Editor Joshua Wilson describes as "vast" in its geography, history and population mix. The idea came from Senior Reporter L

Growing up in Middle Georgia, Rodney Manley remembers waiting every day as a child for his local newspaper to arrive. And when he finally got his hands on The Courier Herald , he went straight to the sports section. Rodney Manley, reporter, The Courier Herald Back then, he had no idea that he’d one day end up working for his hometown newspaper and uncovering the dire financial condition of the Dublin City School District. Manley has covered just about everything over a 35-yea

Joshua Wilson has spent nearly two decades telling stories about the Deep South. But when he relocated to Macon in 2025 to lead The Macon Melody, the Mississippi native noticed something remarkable: Everywhere he turned, he encountered the city's extraordinary contributions to music. "Macon's influence on American music is staggering," Wilson said. "The Allman Brothers, Little Richard, Otis Redding, Jason Aldean — this city shaped, and continues to shape, the music we cherish

As the National Trust for Local News works to transform community news assets to grow the reach and impact of local journalism, the nonprofit today announced the launch of its new digital marketing agency, Switchline Digital . Led by experienced executives at the National Trust, Switchline will provide human-led, AI-driven marketing strategies for businesses across every industry. “Switchline Digital represents one example of the National Trust for Local News’s enhanced focus

Laura Corley has been reporting in her hometown of Macon, Ga., for more than a dozen years. A veteran of multiple local news organizations who has worked nearly all the beats, from breaking news to business and education, she joined The Macon Melody shortly after its 2024 launch. Her work, focused on accountability journalism, is funded by a grant from the Peyton Anderson Foundation. In the course of her reporting, Corley started attending board meetings for local authoritie

We’re hiring: Executive Director / Publisher, Georgia Trust for Local News Position Summary The National Trust for Local News has an opening for one of the most exciting jobs in community journalism. We want a leader who’s eager to join us in building a new model for providing high-impact news to rural America. This work will have an immediate impact on more than a million Georgians while creating a national playbook for news organizations serving millions more. If you want

The Georgia Trust for Local News was created to prevent news deserts and stimulate creative solutions to build sustainable journalism in Middle Georgia. Those aims have been met, with the Georgia Trust now boasting a portfolio of 20 community titles, ranging from some of the state’s oldest newspapers to the startup The Macon Melody. The National Trust for Local News’s successful launch of the Georgia Trust wouldn’t have been possible without DuBose Porter, a 40-year veteran o

As the Macon Melody broadens its reach through expanded digital offerings, the startup newsroom recently launched The Riff , a weekday newsletter that reimagines how readers stay connected to their community. Melody Executive Editor Joshua Wilson and Sports Editor Micah Johnston designed the newsletter around a simple insight: People want to understand what's happening locally, but most weekday mornings don't allow time for deep reading. The Riff lands in readers’ inboxes wi

It’s not often now that the number of newspapers in America actually increases. But this week, one of the most vibrant cities in the South has a brand new community newspaper. Today our Georgia Trust for Local News is launching The Macon Melody in Macon, Georgia. The Melody is the vibrant newspaper that a place like Macon deserves – delivering relevant, engaging, and informative community news from a bustling newsroom in Macon. The launch of The Macon Melody is also an

National Trust for Local News subsidiary will sustain community newspapers in Georgia with support from Knight, Woodruff, and Casey...