"Going, going, gone. A high-stakes funding deal between Google and the California government meant to help the struggling local news industry survive has been effectively dismantled by Gov. Gavin Newsom, who eliminated state funding for the program in his proposed 2026-27 budget after helping pave the way for the agreement in the first place. The five-year deal created the California Civic Media Program, a first-of-its-kind partnership that state leaders billed as a lifeline for local journalism amid a historic collapse of the industry."
"California has lost more than 40% of its local newspapers since 2005, according to Northwestern University research. Newsom celebrated the agreement in 2024, saying it would help rebuild a robust and dynamic California press corps for years to come and bolster the vital role of journalism in our democracy. It seems shockingly short-sighted when it comes to supporting local journalism which by now we know has no commercial future, said Victor Pickard, a professor of media policy at the University of Pennsylvania."
Gov. Gavin Newsom removed state funding for the California Civic Media Program in his proposed 2026-27 budget, effectively dismantling a five-year, first-of-its-kind partnership with Google intended to support local journalism. The program had been presented as a lifeline amid a historic collapse of the industry; Northwestern University research shows California lost more than 40% of its local newspapers since 2005. The state finance department said last year's budget included $10 million for the program matched by Google but did not explain why the new $348.9 billion proposal eliminated the funding. Supporters expressed concern or did not respond, and critics called the decision short-sighted given the weak commercial prospects for local news after advertising shifted to dominant digital platforms.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]