Navigating Profitability in Digital Media Transformation

Steve Grove spent over a decade inside Big Tech before returning home to Minnesota to run the Star Tribune. In this episode, we talk about what it takes to rebuild a local newspaper into a modern civic institution. Grove discusses why he left Google, how he’s restructured the Star Tribune’s newsroom and business model, and why local relevance—not scale—is the bet. From rebranding the paper and redesigning its digital products to narrowing its editorial focus and launching new revenue streams, Grove is trying to prove there’s a path forward for legacy news.