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A new Knight Foundation report makes a case study of eight of the biggest local news startups across the U.S., including Voice of San Diego and The Bay Citizen in San Francisco, and concludes there are still a lot of unknowns on the path to survival. The report has data on how they are generating revenue, engaging users and cultivating donors, but concludes "none of the sites profiled has developed a clear business model yet." The report stressing these key ingredients to success, however:
1. A business development strategy and capacity to execute it.
2. A high level of audience focus and innovative approaches to build community engagement.
3. Technological capacity to support and track engagement.