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LA Hyper-Local Media Guide

Neighborhood media

LA Neighborhood Media: Outlets That Cover One Part of Town

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What is LA neighborhood media?

LA neighborhood media is the set of outlets that report on one Los Angeles neighborhood, a small cluster of neighborhoods or a single city, such as neighborhood news sites, community weeklies and bilingual community papers. Susan von Seggern's LA Hyper-Local Media Guide explains how they differ and how to match a story to the right one.

Part of the guide to hyper local media in Los Angeles.

Definition

Neighborhood media, in one paragraph

Neighborhood media covers a place small enough that readers recognize the streets, businesses and people in the stories. In Los Angeles, that includes outlets like Boyle Heights Beat for Boyle Heights, Larchmont Buzz for Larchmont and Hancock Park, and The Argonaut for parts of the Westside. As described in the LA Hyper-Local Media Guide by Susan von Seggern, these outlets are where a local event preview, a new office or a community fundraiser is most likely to be treated as real news rather than a passing mention.

Numbers

Neighborhood interest, by the numbers

The City of Los Angeles' EmpowerLA data page reports that, asked how EmpowerLA could serve them better, 49.81% of respondents wanted more 1:1 sessions with neighborhood council board members and 47% wanted more town halls with councils in different neighborhoods. Those figures describe civic engagement, not media readership, but they show real appetite for neighborhood-level connection in Los Angeles.

LA neighborhood media outlets in this guide

Neighborhood news sites, community papers and city editions listed in the LA Hyper-Local Media Guide
OutletTypeCoverage areaFormat
The EastsiderNeighborhood news sitesEastside LA neighborhoods such as Echo Park, Silver Lake and Highland ParkOnline
Larchmont BuzzNeighborhood news sitesLarchmont, Hancock Park and nearby neighborhoodsOnline
Pasadena NowNeighborhood news sitesPasadenaOnline
Boyle Heights BeatCommunity newspapersBoyle HeightsBilingual, print and online
Beverly PressCommunity newspapersMid-City, Beverly Grove, Hancock Park and nearby areasPrint and online
Santa Monica Daily PressCommunity newspapersSanta MonicaPrint and online
The ArgonautCommunity newspapersWestside, including Marina del Rey, Venice and Playa del ReyPrint and online
PatchNetwork local editionsSeparate editions for many Los Angeles County citiesOnline

See every outlet type in the directory

How do I match my story to the right LA neighborhood outlet?

Start with geography: where does the event happen, where is the office, who lives nearby? Then check the outlet's recent stories to see whether it runs your kind of news. A bilingual community paper may want a Spanish-language spokesperson. A neighborhood site may want photos and a date well before the event. A city edition of a network may take community notices.

Susan von Seggern treats hyper-local coverage as one of her newer tactics, used next to events, press releasing and sustained outreach. That means a neighborhood pitch is usually one part of a wider plan that may also include regional local press, trade outlets and podcasts.

Where neighborhood councils fit

Los Angeles neighborhood councils are not media outlets, but they are official community channels with public meetings and outreach to residents. For events that serve a neighborhood, they can be worth contacting through each council's own process, alongside, not instead of, neighborhood media outreach.

Common questions

What is LA neighborhood media?
LA neighborhood media is the group of outlets that serve specific Los Angeles neighborhoods, such as Echo Park, Boyle Heights, Larchmont or Venice. It includes neighborhood news sites, community weeklies and bilingual community papers. These outlets tend to cover local events, new businesses, people and civic news that regional outlets often do not reach. More in the FAQ
What counts as a hyper-local outlet?
Hyper-local outlets include neighborhood news websites, community and city newspapers, local editions of news networks, neighborhood newsletters and Substacks, community radio and hyper-local podcasts. Civic channels such as Los Angeles neighborhood councils are not media outlets, but they also share community news with residents and can be part of an outreach plan. More in the FAQ
What is hyperlocal journalism?
Hyperlocal journalism is reporting focused on a very small geographic community, such as a neighborhood, a school district or a single city. It typically covers local government, businesses, events, schools and people. For a publicist, it is a set of outlets with clear audiences, which makes it easier to match a story to the readers who care. More in the FAQ
Should I contact Los Angeles neighborhood councils about my event?
Neighborhood councils can be a useful community channel for events that affect or serve a neighborhood. EmpowerLA, the City of Los Angeles department that supports neighborhood councils, reports that 47% of survey respondents would like more town halls with councils in different neighborhoods, which shows interest in neighborhood-level gatherings. Check each council's own meeting and agenda process first. More in the FAQ
Are hyperlocal podcasts replacing local media?
Hyperlocal podcasts are adding to local media rather than fully replacing it. They give neighborhood stories another place to land, especially for interview-friendly founders, organizers and event producers. Susan von Seggern includes podcast pitching in her sustained media outreach, so podcasts sit next to print, web and broadcast targets in a campaign. More in the FAQ
Why does hyper-local coverage matter for PR?
Hyper-local coverage reaches the people most likely to attend, visit or buy nearby. Susan von Seggern uses hyper-local coverage as one of the newer tactics in her campaigns, alongside events, press releasing and sustained media outreach. A neighborhood story can also give a client a credible clip to show larger outlets. More in the FAQ

Read all LA local media and PR questions

Want your event covered by the neighborhood it is in?

Tell Susan von Seggern about your event or news, your dates and your goals. She builds individualized PR campaigns for event and corporate clients, using hyper-local coverage alongside outreach, press releases and lead service monitoring.

Published by Susan von Seggern