Since we started LINK in 2021, I’ve been thinking about community ownership. The example I always come back to is the Green Bay Packers.
By every measure, Green Bay shouldn’t have an NFL team. It’s too small a market, the economics don’t make sense, and yet they’ve built one of the most loyal, successful franchises in professional sports.
How?
Because the people of Green Bay literally own the team. They bought shares, they took pride in it, and they made sure the Packers would always belong to them.
Northern Kentucky isn’t trying to field a football team, but we face a similar challenge. We don’t have the size, the corporate money, or the deep philanthropic pockets that makes sustaining local journalism easy.
By the usual rules, a region like ours wouldn’t be expected to have a thriving, independent newsroom. But I believe—just like Green Bay proved—that when a community takes ownership, the impossible becomes possible.
That’s the heart of LINK nky’s new Community Ownership program. For the first time, you can literally own a piece of your local newsroom. Not in the abstract sense of being a supporter or donor, but in the concrete way of being a shareholder.
Click here to buy your share of LINK nky
For a one-time purchase of $250, you join a group of neighbors, business owners, and community leaders who believe Northern Kentucky deserves independent, trusted journalism—and are willing to put their name on it.
It’s simple to participate. You purchase your share at linknky.com/ownthenews, and you’ll receive official documentation recognizing your ownership. From that point on, you’re not just a reader—you’re an owner. There are no annual fees, no complicated rules, no hidden obligations. Just a one-time investment that secures your place in LINK nky’s story.
Now, I want to be clear about what that ownership means.
It doesn’t mean you’ll get a vote on how LINK nky is managed—that responsibility still belongs to our managing board and leadership team. It also doesn’t mean you’ll share in profits, because if we ever do turn a profit, it will be reinvested directly back into the newsroom to strengthen our reporting and expand our reach.
What it does mean is that you’ll be part of the fabric of LINK nky in a meaningful way. Shareholders will receive quarterly updates so you can see exactly how your investment is making an impact. You’ll also be invited to attend an annual shareholder meeting, where we’ll share more about our progress, our challenges, and our plans for the year ahead.
Every share strengthens our ability to report with transparency, to stay accountable to the community, and to keep coverage free and accessible for all. When you buy a share, you’re helping ensure that a parent in Boone County can read about what’s happening in their child’s school district. You’re making it possible for a small business owner in Campbell County to understand how a new policy might affect their livelihood. You’re giving a voice to neighborhoods that might otherwise be overlooked. And maybe most importantly, you’re helping secure the future of local news for generations to come.
I’ve worked in and around local news long enough to know how rare this is. Most places don’t get the chance to own their local newsroom. They watch it disappear, or morph into something unrecognizable, and wonder what happened.
Here, we have the chance to do something different. To lock arms as a community and say, “We’re keeping this.” Personally, I find that exciting. I love the idea that when someone asks who owns LINK nky, I can point to hundreds—someday thousands—of people across Northern Kentucky and say, “They do.” That feels right.
Here’s the truth: Local journalism can’t survive on goodwill alone. It needs people who are willing to stand up and say, “I own this. I believe in this.” That’s what Community Ownership is about. It’s not charity. It’s not a donation. It’s a statement of commitment.
So I’m inviting you to join us. Buy your share. Put your name among the people who believe Northern Kentucky deserves strong, independent news coverage. Help us keep telling the stories that matter most. Because when you own the news, you’re not just reading about your community. You’re shaping its future.
Lacy Starling is LINK nky’s president and CEO. Click here to read more Inside LINK columns from Lacy and Executive Editor Meghan Goth.
