A new limited podcast series, The Map of Us, brings the findings of the LGBTQ+ Media Mapping Project to life, offering a nationwide look at the challenges and resilience of queer local journalism. 

Produced in partnership with This News is So Gay and News is Out, the seven-episode series explores where LGBTQ+ media exists, where it has disappeared, and what it takes to sustain it in an increasingly hostile and shifting media landscape. 

The podcast builds on a comprehensive national study that identified hundreds of LGBTQ+ outlets across the country, revealing widespread news deserts, financial instability, safety concerns for journalists, and growing audience demand for trusted local reporting. 

Across seven episodes, journalists and publishers from leading LGBTQ+ outlets share candid insights into the realities of the industry: 

• The opening episode features Alexander Rodriguez in conversation with project director Tracy Baim, examining what the data reveals and how today’s landscape connects to the long history of queer journalism. 

• Financial pressures take center stage as Michael K. Lavers, Kevin Naff, and Matt Simonette discuss shrinking ad revenue and the challenge of sustaining LGBTQ+ newsrooms. 

• Safety concerns are explored by Matthew Bajko and Cynthia Baird, who detail the impact of harassment, cyberattacks, and political pressure on reporting. 

• The absence of local coverage is highlighted in a conversation between Jeremy Rodriguez and Nicole Leahy, examining what it means to organize in communities without dedicated queer media. 

• Collaboration as a survival strategy is discussed by Sondra Morris and Leo Cusimano. 

• Leadership and representation are the focus of a panel featuring Jake Wittich, Anna DeShawn, Tamara Leigh, and Joseph Jafaari. 

• The series concludes with Tammye Nash, Jim Yarbrough, and Ken Schneck exploring philanthropy, reader support, and sustainable funding models beyond advertising. 

Hosted by Dana Piccoli, The Map of Us serves as a public-facing companion to the LGBTQ+ Media Mapping Project and documents the people working to keep queer communities informed, visible, and connected. 

The LGBTQ+ Media Mapping Project was led by Tracy Baim in partnership with Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York, with support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Local Media Association, and News is Out. 

All seven episodes can be wherever you listen to your podcasts as well as here.