The Map of Us is a limited podcast series that brings the findings of the LGBTQ+ Media Mapping Project to life.
Based on a national study of queer local media, the series examines where LGBTQ+ journalism exists, where it has disappeared, and what it takes to sustain it in a hostile and shifting media landscape. The Mapping Project documented hundreds of outlets across the U.S., revealing deep news deserts, widespread financial strain, rising safety concerns, and growing audience demand for trustworthy local queer reporting.
Across seven episodes, publishers, editors, and journalists from LGBTQ+ newsrooms around the country talk candidly about the economics of queer media, reporting under threat, collaboration as a survival strategy, leadership and ownership gaps, and the role of philanthropy and reader support in building a future beyond advertising alone.
Hosted by Dana Piccoli, managing director of News is Out, The Map of Us serves as a public companion to the LGBTQ+ Media Mapping Project and a record of the people doing the work to keep queer communities informed, visible, and connected.
The LGBTQ+ Media Mapping Project was led by Tracy Baim in partnership with the 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 found here or wherever you listen to your podcasts.