MyLocalPress.com launches platform for local news startups

MyLocalPress.com has launched a publishing platform aimed at helping independent journalists and community publishers restore local news coverage in small towns and underserved areas. The service is designed to cut startup costs, simplify distribution and give readers access to digital and printable local editions.

Why it matters: - MyLocalPress.com is targeting communities where newspapers have closed or coverage has thinned, leaving residents with fewer reliable sources for local information. - The launch comes as local news erosion continues across the U.S., a shift that can weaken accountability, civic engagement and day-to-day community awareness. - The platform is built to make local journalism easier to start and sustain by lowering overhead for reporters and small publishers.

What happened: - MyLocalPress.com officially launched on August 9, 2026, in Miami Beach, Florida. - The platform is aimed at independent journalists, community publishers, civic-minded entrepreneurs and local residents who want to start or revive a news operation. - The service lets publishers create and distribute local news from a smartphone or desktop computer. - The platform also supports a printable edition for subscribers who want a newspaper-style product.

The details: - MyLocalPress.com is designed as a low-overhead publishing system for small-town and underserved-market journalism. - The platform is intended to help users handle website publishing, subscriptions, print workflows, distribution planning and other administrative tasks without building everything from scratch. - The company says the service gives local reporters a direct path to publish online, grow readership and monetize trusted community news. - Northwestern University’s Medill Local News Initiative reported that the U.S. has lost more than one-third of its newspapers since 2005. - The same research cited 127 newspaper closures in a recent 12-month period and nearly 55 million Americans living with limited or no access to local news. - Co-founder Adam Smith said local and small-town news remains essential because communities still need coverage of city halls, schools, businesses, community events and neighbors’ lives.

Between the lines: - The launch reflects a broader effort to rebuild local news with newer technology instead of relying on the traditional newspaper model. - The platform appears aimed at people who already know their communities, including former newspaper staff, freelance reporters and civic leaders, rather than at large media organizations. - The printable-edition option signals that MyLocalPress.com is trying to bridge digital publishing with readers who still value a physical paper. - Smith said the idea grew from his experience watching the Troy Daily News close in Troy, Ohio, a memory that shaped the company’s mission.

What's next: - MyLocalPress.com is inviting local journalists, former newspaper professionals, chamber members, neighborhood advocates and entrepreneurs to sign up and explore the platform. - The company is positioning the service for coverage of public meetings, local elections, high school sports, public safety, obituaries, faith and nonprofit news, and neighborhood events. - Communities interested in launching or restoring local coverage can learn more at the company’s announcement.

The bottom line: - MyLocalPress.com is betting that local news can come back if the tools to launch it are cheaper, simpler and built for small communities.