Our Local News Initiative is a cornerstone of our mission to revitalize and support local, nonprofit, and independent journalism. At Rolli, we believe that sustainable and representative local news is critical for democratic societies and therefore we support various local newsrooms by providing them with complimentary access to all of Rolli’s tools, resources, and trainings. This includes making disinformation detection tools and resources widely available to BIPOC journalists reporting in minority communities, as they are disproportionately affected by disinformation.

This initiative has already received support and funding through the Press Forward Initiative, which is committing $500 million to reinvigorate local news over the next 5 years. American Public Media Group’s Glen Nelson Center made this early-stage investment in Rolli aimed at supporting and expanding the work we are doing revitalizing local news, especially focusing on BIPOC newsrooms and communities.

Key Partnerships to Further our Local News Initiative

Institute for Nonprofit News (INN): Rolli collaborates with INN to support nonprofit news organizations. This partnership enhances the capacity of these organizations to deliver high-quality journalism by providing them with access to Rolli's resources and expert database.
Public Media Journalist Association (PMJA): Through our partnership with PMJA, Rolli supports public media journalists by offering tools and resources that improve the efficiency and accuracy of their reporting. This collaboration ensures that public media journalists can maintain high standards of journalism even with limited resources.
National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ): NAHJ and Rolli share a commitment to enhancing the quality of journalism among Hispanic communities and ensuring their fair representation in the media.
Other Collaborations: Rolli also partners with various nonprofit and public media organizations, such the International Center for Journalists, along with press clubs throughout the country.

Goals and Impact

Combating Disinformation: Rolli is dedicated to addressing the pervasive issue of disinformation on social media. The platform's AI-driven tools help detect and analyze disinformation campaigns, thereby aiding local journalists and newsrooms in ensuring factual reporting and maintaining public trust.
Supporting Journalistic Integrity: By providing local journalists with the tools and resources needed to produce accurate and impactful news, Rolli aims to support the integrity of journalism in communities across the country, which is a pillar of democratic societies.
Economic Sustainability: Rolli's model is designed to be profitable and sustainable, ensuring that the platform can continue to offer free memberships to journalists while generating revenue from expert subscriptions.

Future Vision

Scalability: Rolli plans to expand its impact by continuously enhancing its platform's capabilities and extending its reach to more journalists and experts globally. This includes adapting to different languages and cultural contexts to effectively combat disinformation, and promote truth, worldwide.
Community Engagement: Rolli's initiative also emphasizes community engagement and feedback, ensuring that the platform evolves in response to the needs of its users and the changing media landscape.

Rolli's local news initiative is a pivotal effort to restore and enhance local journalism by leveraging cutting-edge technology and fostering equitable access to accurate information. Through active engagement with local communities and building collaborative relationships with NGOs, government entities, other businesses, and consortiums, we are dedicated to supporting journalists and upholding the integrity of news in the digital age. By working closely with these diverse stakeholders, we ensure that the Rolli platform addresses the unique needs of each community, promotes inclusivity, and strengthens the overall ecosystem of local news.

Read the press release here.