Lancaster’s Historic Paper Gifted to Nonprofit in Bid to Save Local News

LANCASTER, Pa. – December 01, 2025 – In a landmark move designed to secure the future of local journalism in Lancaster County, the region’s venerable news organization, LNP | LancasterOnline, is being gifted to a newly formed nonprofit. The historic agreement will see Pennon, a nonprofit public media organization, transfer the assets of the 230-year-old newspaper to "Always Lancaster," a new entity led by award-winning journalist and Lancaster native, David Greene.

The transition marks the first time in its more than two centuries of operation that LNP | LancasterOnline will operate as a nonprofit. This strategic pivot reflects a growing national trend aimed at creating a sustainable path forward for local news outlets facing immense economic pressures. Operations are expected to continue without interruption, with the transaction finalizing by year's end, heralding a new chapter for one of Pennsylvania's most storied community institutions.

A Potential Blueprint in a Struggling Industry

The decision to shift LNP | LancasterOnline to a nonprofit structure is not happening in a vacuum. It represents a hopeful response to a crisis that has hollowed out local news coverage across the United States. Since 2005, the country has lost nearly 2,900 newspapers, and it is on pace to lose one-third of all its papers by the end of next year. This decline has created vast "news deserts," with an estimated 204 counties having no local news outlet at all and another 1,500 served by only a single source.

Against this bleak backdrop, the nonprofit news model has emerged as a critical lifeline. The number of nonprofit newsrooms has more than doubled in the past five years, and according to the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN), local outlets now represent the majority (51%) of its 500+ members. These organizations are demonstrating remarkable resilience, with two-thirds reporting revenue growth and local outlets being the least likely to suffer revenue loss.

By embracing this model, LNP | LancasterOnline will diversify its financial foundation, moving beyond a dependence on advertising and subscriptions alone. The new structure enables it to rely on three distinct revenue streams: continued support from subscribers and advertisers, supplemented by tax-deductible charitable contributions from foundations and community members. This shift opens the door to philanthropic investment, a crucial component that has fueled the growth of nonprofit journalism nationwide. As Pennon’s Board Chair Leigh Horner noted, “This change will open the door for philanthropic support to LNP | LancasterOnline to ensure readers and subscribers continue to enjoy a strong local news presence, even as other local newsrooms nationwide are closing.”

A Homecoming Mission to Deepen Community Ties

At the heart of this transition is a deep-seated commitment to the Lancaster community, personified by the leadership of David Greene. A graduate of J.P. McCaskey High School, Greene began his journalism career at Lancaster’s Sunday News before going on to an acclaimed career that included co-hosting NPR’s Morning Edition and serving as the network’s Moscow bureau chief. His return to lead "Always Lancaster" is a homecoming with a clear mission.

“Growing up in Lancaster, I saw firsthand how vital a trusted local newspaper is to this community. Now I’m honored to build on LNP’s proud legacy,” Greene said in the announcement. He is a firm believer that the nonprofit structure is a proven model for helping local journalism thrive, citing successes in cities like Baltimore and Salt Lake City.

To ensure the news organization truly serves its community, the new leadership plans to establish a Community Advisory Panel. This panel will spearhead a series of listening sessions across the county, aiming to build trust and guarantee that LNP | LancasterOnline reflects the diverse perspectives of its readership. This initiative signals a move toward a more collaborative, citizen-driven form of journalism. “We are energized by this chance to hear more from our readers and double down on delivering the news that’s most important to their lives,” said Executive Editor Tom Murse, who will continue to lead the newsroom.

For the staff, the transition brings a measure of stability. The newly formed "Always Lancaster" will honor the recently ratified two-year contract with the NewsGuild of Philadelphia, which represents 53 of the news organization's journalists. This preserves crucial protections, including wage increases and affordable healthcare, ensuring that the people producing the news are supported through this period of change.

Pennon's Strategic Pivot to its Core Mission

For Pennon, the parent organization of public media station WITF, the decision to gift LNP | LancasterOnline was a strategic one. After receiving the newspaper as a gift from the Steinman family in 2023, the nonprofit found that running a daily for-profit newspaper, even as a public-benefit corporation, presented significant financial challenges. The move allows Pennon to divest an asset that was difficult to sustain and refocus its resources on its core mission: strengthening public media and educational services across its 19-county region.

This pivot aligns with Pennon's broader goals of fostering informed civic engagement through WITF and its educational initiatives. By entrusting the newspaper to a dedicated nonprofit, Pennon ensures that its own commitment to preserving local journalism in Central Pennsylvania is upheld, while allowing a specialized entity to tackle the unique challenges of the newspaper business. The gift was deemed the option with "the best chance of success" for the newspaper's long-term sustainability.

As LNP | LancasterOnline prepares for this new era, it carries the weight of its 230-year legacy and the hopes of a community that depends on it. The transition to a nonprofit is more than a change in tax status; it is a fundamental rethinking of what a local newspaper can be—an institution owned not by a distant corporation, but by the community it serves. The success of this venture in Lancaster could provide an invaluable roadmap for other towns across the nation fighting to keep their local stories alive. As Tom Murse affirmed, “Our commitment to local news is not changing. The goal is to grow and strengthen it by becoming a nonprofit.”