Local Media Consortium Announces 2026 Executive Board Members

NEW YORK, February 25, 2026 – The Local Media Consortium (LMC), a strategic alliance of local media companies, today announced its newly elected 2026 Executive Board members: CJ Jacobs of MediaNews Group and Mat Costa of WEHCO Media. The LMC also re-elected Chris Fehrmann, vice president of digital products at TEGNA, as Board Chair, and re-appointed Larry Lee of the Observer Media Group.

Additional board updates include the appointment of Eddie Tyner, who will serve the remainder of McClatchy’s term, and the addition of Tim Ikeman, who will complete the Minnesota Star Tribune’s term.

One year into his term as Board Chair, Fehrmann reflected on the industry’s rapid adaptation to challenges such as shifting traffic patterns, subscription pressures and AI-driven search. “I’m proud of the work our board, committees and members have done to identify evolving needs, forge new partnerships and expand successful initiatives such as Digital On Demand Services (DODS) and NewsPassID,” said Fehrmann. “We’re pleased to welcome CJ, Eddie, Mat and Tim to our board as we continue leveraging the LMC’s collective strength to help members grow revenue and ensure long-term sustainability for local journalism.”

Meet the New Board Members

Chandra “CJ” Jacobs is Head of Product Development at MediaNews Group and brings two decades of experience leading high‑performing product, engineering and data teams. She specializes in transforming organizations into accountable, data‑informed, product‑led businesses, and excels at scaling teams and products through agile, people‑first leadership. At MediaNews Group and Tribune Publishing, CJ oversees global product and analytics initiatives, guiding digital transformation grounded in transparency, discipline, boldness and collaboration. She is honored to bring this perspective to the LMC Board.

Mat Costa has more than two decades of experience in newspaper operations and digital advertising. As Vice President of Agency Solutions at WEHCO Media, he works with teams across sales enablement, advertising operations and client strategy to develop scalable, effective advertising solutions, helping WEHCO Media transition from print to digital subscriber experiences and adopt data-driven advertising practices. He has also contributed to consumer revenue strategy, collaborating with product and technology teams on subscription models and audience engagement initiatives. As a long-time member and advocate of the LMC, Costa values the partnerships it builds and the opportunities it creates for media companies to grow together while serving their communities.

Eddie Tyner is Executive Vice President of GTM Strategy at McClatchy, bringing more than 25 years of experience leading organizations through digital transformation. He has held senior sales and advertising roles at Comcast, Gannett, Cox Automotive, Tribune Publishing and ForSaleByOwner.com, developing growth strategies across complex media environments. Eddie has a strong track record of building high‑performing national, regional and local teams and creating go‑to‑market approaches that maximize large product portfolios. His collaborative, solutions‑focused leadership aligns strongly with the LMC’s strategic direction.

Tim Ikeman is Head of Strategic Partnerships and New Ventures at the Minnesota Star Tribune, where he develops mission-aligned partnerships, explores new business opportunities and supports initiatives that drive sustainable revenue growth. He also serves as Executive Producer of the North Star Summit, overseeing its development and execution. With more than two decades of experience in media, Tim has led partnership, event, brand and marketing strategies that deepen community engagement and strengthen the Star Tribune’s relationship with readers and advertisers. His collaborative leadership and commitment to strong local journalism align closely with the LMC’s mission.

Returning board members include Mark Bullard, Michael Newman, Brody Wing and Carolynn Buser, along with board-appointed members Paris Brown and Rafael Cores.

The LMC Board sets strategic priorities that drive economic impact for more than 150 member companies representing more than 5,000 news outlets. The Executive Board includes nine elected and three appointed members from a broad mix of media organizations. Newly elected seat terms run through Dec. 31, 2028, with each elected board member serving a three-year term.

About the Local Media Consortium 

The Local Media Consortium delivers more than $60M in annual economic value through digital partnerships and strategic initiatives on behalf of more than 150 local media companies in top markets across the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico, and includes more than 5,000 newspaper, radio, TV and online-only news outlets. By harnessing the combined volume and scale of its members, the LMC reduces costs and increases revenue with technology and service providers like Google, Meta, AdCellerant, and others. The aggregated LMC audience footprint spans 200 million unique monthly visitors, and its member companies serve more than nine billion pageviews to consumers. More information is available at localmediaconsortium.com. 

Media Contact:

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