Hello there friend -
The other morning, I hiked to one of the highest peaks in Catskills with a friend.
As we huffed and puffed our way to the top (somewhere subconciously considering we could still be sleeping) we discussed my business approach of going deeper, opting to not franchise Catskill Crew after many offers, and staying close to home.
When I started, there were already dozens of local media companies (and I had zero experience in this industry). They covered news, food, reviews, events. The whole shabang. I knew I wasn’t gonna win by doing the same ol’ thing. So I did the opposite. I went narrower. I went deeper. I doubled down on being weirder. That strategy held the secret sauce to building a business I truly love and that tens of thousands of subscribers do as well.
So let’s take a minute to dig into why I believe narrow beats broad in local media and how to find your version of it - no matter what your market currently looks like.
Many local media companies out there often try to cover everything - the news, weather, food, real estate, events, community drama (aka local beef), the works. It’s the inherited model. It’s what the local paper has done for a hundred years. And it’s what newsletter operators often default to when they first start out.
The problem is that the model has already failed. Repeatedly. The local media industry has been collapsing for two decades, with 1/3 of all local papers lost and many on life support.
And yet, many founders starting out in local media opt to run the same exact playbook. Same prioritization on advertisers above subscribers. Same content (often upcycled and generic).
And they wonder why it is not working.
When I started Catskill Crew, I knew two things:
One - I was not reading any of the existing local publications. They were filled with click bait, lacked soul, and they all sounded the same.
Two - if I was not reading them, there were probably other folks like me who were not reading them either.
So I went the other direction. Narrower. Deeper. Weirder.
Catskill Crew is built around two core pillars: fun and community. That’s it. Everything we publish has to live inside that box. Articles about the hunt for the best burger in the Catskills, ski mountains lost in time, and black bears giving birth in our cold dark winters.
Now, you might say, “that’s all good Michael, but isn't it limiting?”
To which I would say to you, my friend, it’s actually the opposite. The niche is what gives the Catskill Crew the brand shape, the backbone. It is why people keep coming back to read (2.5 years later, tens of thousands of subscribers, and still 60%+ OR). The constraints are the strengths.
And brands can do things media companies cannot. Brands can charge higher ad rates. Brands can launch products. Brands can build community because they give people a reason to gather around. Brands are defensible in a world where AI can copy your content but cannot copy your trust.
I work with Local Media founders inside The Newsletter Club and see wins like this all day long:
You don’t have to start with the full picture. I didn’t. I started by aggregating events. Then I tried writing about local artists and it felt forced. Then I wrote about my own fly-fishing misadventures - losing a fish, freezing on the riverbank, the sun going down - and people loved it - most importantly, I enjoyed writing it. That was the moment I found the lane. Bushwhacking down a path at dusk with a machete until I figured out what this brand was all about. What felt right for me.
The traditional local media model was built on the largest audience size possible, CPMs, CPCs, shallow content and advertisers as far as the eye can see. The new local media model is built on community, quality, authenticity - and using the platform to build more and go further.
Today, the best opportunities can be found within the niches. Get started, be patient, find the ones that resonate and feel right. This cannot be rushed. Once you find what clicks, run with it. Nurture it. Protect it.
Steal This
How to find your niche if you’re starting or rethinking a local publication:
Look at the existing local media in your market. Read it. Notice what bores you. Take a sacred oath to stay far away from all of that.
Pick your pillars. I’d recommend 3 pillars to keep it predictable yet diverse. (i.e. events, food reviews, and human spotlights… get creative).
Use the pillars as your filter. If a story does not fit inside them, it does not go in - no matter how interesting.
Write a few pieces that test the lane. Pay attention to which ones feel alive to you and which ones land with readers. The overlap is where your voice lives. Don’t be afraid to F up a few times.
Define what your brand stands for and what it does not.
Remember: the goal is not to cover everything. It’s to be the one publication people in your market cannot replace.
P.S If you want to grow your local newsletter business with exclusive masterclasses, 1:1 calls with me, and a thriving community of local media founders, check this out.
If you are running or building a local publication, where are you right now with your niche?
NUGGETS
Because I’m old and my hangovers suck, I’m trying out a a new recommendation from one of my VC friends (no this isn’t an affiliate link, no I didn’t take capital from him) Zbiotics.
A wee bit of wisdom… In this life, when you create, you must be insanely patient while understanding you have no time.
I just booked my annual fly fishing trip out west for August — if you’re in Idaho or Montana reply and let me know. Let’s hang out.
