Since its launch three years ago, The Baltimore Banner has emerged as a potent force on the local media landscape, earning a Pulitzer Prize for its reporting on the opioid epidemic.
With 90 journalists, the Banner is Maryland’s largest newsroom. In recent months, it has expanded its coverage area to communities adjacent to Baltimore, including the state’s largest county, Montgomery County.
Like all local news outlets, The Banner faces significant challenges attracting readers and advertisers. While the Banner is not yet profitable, it boasts a rapidly expanding subscriber base. The news organization reports growing from 55,000 subscribers in 2024 to around 69,000 this year.
Last month, a new editor-in-chief took the helm of the newsroom. Audrey Cooper is a seasoned journalist who comes to Baltimore from New York Public Radio, and before that, the San Francisco Chronicle.
Cooper and Banner CEO Bob Cohn joins Midday to discuss the newsroom's roles and responsibilities as the biggest fish in the evaporating pond of local journalism.
Plus, Baltimore Public Media President and General Manager Craig Swagler joins the conversation to discuss sustainable models of local journalism and the partnership between BPM and the Banner.
