News Revenue Hub launches national ad network connecting brands with trusted local journalism

New sponsored newsletter program will reach more than 1.6 million readers across 100+ newsletters from 40+ independent news outlets

In a strategic move to bridge national advertisers with mission-driven local news outlets, the News Revenue Hub has launched the News Revenue Ad Network. This first-to-market initiative enables brands to engage with more than 1.6 million subscribers through 100+ newsletters from 42 independent, nonprofit newsrooms nationwide.

Designed to support and revitalize advertising for local publishers in the face of economic challenges, the network’s inaugural sponsored content campaigns will launch in participating newsletters in June 2025. The program supports advertisers aiming to align with credible journalism and connect meaningfully with engaged, loyal, values-driven communities. 

“There are great companies with advertising budgets that want to market to engaged news consumers — brands that care about their communities and key issues,” said Sarah Bishop Woods, the Hub’s chief strategy officer. “There needs to be a better pipeline connecting those brands with news organizations that share those values. That’s exactly why we’re doing this.”

The network’s debut product — sponsored newsletter content — provides advertisers with scalable access to diverse communities across urban and rural America, including newsrooms from the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN), which represents 500 nonprofit newsrooms, including many that serve rural areas. 

What the National Ad Network offers advertisers:

• Mission-aligned advertising: Connects advertisers with highly engaged audiences who trust the integrity and community focus of their local newsrooms and publishers.
  
• Centralized sales & execution: The Hub manages end-to-end campaign logistics, supporting advertisers with turnkey, quick-to-execute opportunities while allowing publishers to focus their efforts on content and community.
  
• Diverse, engaged national reach: Brands gain access to loyal audiences in urban, suburban and rural areas through hyper-local newsletters that boast higher engagement and interaction rates than on-site or social media advertising. 
• Brand safety: Every partner newsroom is vetted, and sponsored content is produced for clients who fund and approve the content, in compliance with The Trust Project standards and disclosures.

The launch comes at a pivotal time for the news industry, as ad dollars going to news publishers have dropped dramatically due to a fractured media landscape, rising complexity in ad tech and economic uncertainty. 

“Advertisers are looking for real, trustworthy environments to tell their story. This network offers just that,” said Mary Ornstein, National Sales Lead at News Revenue Hub. “For brands and newsrooms, it’s a win-win.”

Brands interested in sponsored newsletter placement or expanded offerings can connect to get started now, as infrastructure is already in development to support future expansion, including website placements and programmatic opportunities.

Interested in reaching these powerful audiences? Contact Mary Ornstein, national sales lead at the News Revenue Hub: [email protected]

About the News Revenue Hub: The News Revenue Hub is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that equips newsrooms with infrastructure and strategies for sustainable revenue, without paywalls. Since 2016, the Hub has helped over 100 organizations raise more than $106 million in reader revenue. Read the News Revenue Hub’s Ad Network announcement to newsrooms here.