LAKE NORMAN – LKN Connect and the Lake Norman Citizen are pursuing a new collaboration designed to deepen community connection and strengthen local storytelling across the Lake Norman region. Rooted in a shared commitment to local engagement and trusted journalism, the collaboration brings together LKN Connect’s community-driven digital platforms with the Citizen’s long-standing role as a news-first organization.
Together, the two organizations aim to create a more connected, consistent presence in the daily life of Lake Norman for residents, businesses and community partners. At its core, the collaboration is guided by a simple idea: Where Lake Norman Comes Together.
“This partnership is about honoring the community we’ve served for decades while recognizing how people engage with local stories today,” said Doug Fitzgerald, Ph.D., founder of LKN Connect. “The Citizen has earned trust through its journalism, and LKN Connect has built meaningful connections across the community. Bringing those strengths together allows stories to live beyond the page and into the moments that matter.”
The collaboration will align content across print, digital and community platforms, allowing stories to move naturally from headlines to happenings, from reporting and features to events, interviews and local conversations that unfold throughout the week.
For Lake Norman businesses, this collaboration creates a clearer, more effective way to be seen and supported, combining the reach of trusted local journalism with high-engagement digital, video and community platforms. Instead of fragmented visibility across disconnected channels, businesses will have a more unified presence across where people read, watch, listen and participate, making it easier to get involved, stay visible and build recognition within the community.
For residents, it means local stories initiated in print carry forward into interviews, events, features and real-world moments, creating a more connected, relevant experience across the week.
David Beard, business advisor with LKN Connect, emphasized the community focus of the effort.
“This isn’t about changing what works. It’s about building on it,” he said. “We’ve always believed local stories deserve care and attention. This collaboration gives us a way to support that belief while meeting the community where it is.”
Importantly, the Lake Norman Citizen will continue to operate as a news-first organization, maintaining its editorial independence and commitment to local reporting.
The collaboration is intended to complement, not replace, that role by extending the reach and life of local stories through additional community touchpoints.
“Our mission has always been to serve Lake Norman with credible, reliable news,” said Kelly Fox, owner and publisher of the Lake Norman Citizen. “This collaboration allows us to preserve that mission while exploring thoughtful ways stories can be shared, discussed and experienced beyond print. It’s an evolution rooted in respect for our readers and our role in the community.”
As part of the collaboration, the organizations will begin aligning around shared content areas, including food and local flavor, community connections and events, creating a clearer rhythm and consistency for audiences. Over time, this approach will support ongoing community storytelling initiatives such as “Seen Here,” “This Is Lake Norman” and “The Week Covered.”
This collaboration strengthens how Lake Norman shows up for itself – informed, connected and active – and will roll out gradually in early 2026 with updates shared as new elements come online.
About LKN Connect
LKN Connect is a community-centered digital platform focused on connecting residents, small businesses and local stories across the Lake Norman region through curated content, events and community engagement.
About the Lake Norman Citizen
The Lake Norman Citizen is a locally owned, news-first publication serving the Lake Norman region with trusted journalism for more than 20 years. The Citizen publishes weekly in print and daily online, covering the people, places and issues that shape life at the lake.
Media Contact
Doug Fitzgerald, LKN Connect, dfitzgerald@lknconnect.com
704-275-8802
