Table Stakes
Mastering the new essentials of
sustainable journalism
The program taught modern change management skills to develop new leaders and business models for local news
Key Questions
What is the Table Stakes Local News Transformation Program?
Local news organizations assembled cross-departmental teams to take on a major challenge core to their businesses. They received support from expert coaches who teach pragmatic concepts of strategy, innovation, organizational change, and personal leadership. The program ran from 2015 to 2023.
Who was the program for?
The Table Stakes program was designed for news organizations of any size that were ready to tackle ambitious challenges and manage continuous change.
How did organizations benefit?
News organizations grew subscriptions, improved trust, expanded to new platforms, reorganized the company and more.
What are the
“table stakes”?
The term table stakes refers to a set of critical skills and capabilities that modern news organizations must master to survive.
How do we participate?
The core Table Stakes programs have concluded. Various iterations of the program were hosted at schools and institutes, each with its own specialties.
“Table Stakes is preparing news leaders to create a vibrant, diverse future for local journalism.”
The Table Stakes programs are underwritten by The Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund and the John S. Knight and James L. Knight Foundation. The program began in 2015 and was principally designed by Douglas K. Smith.
The American Press Institute manages the core activities of the program and the major market version. For more information or to contact us: