![]() The specific amount of money paid out to each publication would be determined through an arbitration process, with a calculation based on the ad revenue generated by the platforms and individual news outlets’ online reach. The revenue from those fees would then be apportioned out to “eligible digital journalism providers,” with a requirement that at least 70% of proceeds go directly to supporting newsroom journalists “and maintaining or enhancing the production and distribution of news or information.” Loosening Big Tech’s ‘vise grip’ĪB 886, dubbed the California Journalism Preservation Act, would charge a “journalism usage fee” to large platforms that make news content available on their sites. And while those platforms can facilitate great access to readers, they’ve also siphoned off billions in ad revenue that newspapers and other outlets rely on.īut a new state bill aims to give ailing news outlets in California a shot of adrenaline, though some organizations worry it could make things worse. There’s no single cause for the sorry state of local news, but we do know that major tech platforms, especially Google and Meta (which owns Facebook) play a major role in how the public accesses and engages with local journalism. Without local news outlets keeping tabs on the dealings of people and institutions in power, that power tends to get abused, and residents - often marginalized to begin with - are the ones who pay the price. Having worked in small, local newspaper newsrooms for the early phase of my career, I’ve experienced the struggles firsthand: the buyouts, the layoffs, the uncertainty and the hard choice between staying for public service or leaving for a more sustainable paycheck.Īnd as research has shown, a lack of local news opens the door to more government corruption. To survive, newspapers big and small had to adapt to a rapidly evolving digital world, mastering social media and becoming search engine tacticians to increase the likelihood Google users would see their stories at or near the top of search results - all in hope of getting news stories in front of the eyes of readers flush with competing “content” (one of my least favorite words). Employment in newspaper newsrooms plummeted 57% between 20. Nationally, newspaper circulation and revenue both plunged by more than 50% from 2002 to 2020. ![]() When my students share their perspectives and concerns about the field, some gingerly assert that the newspaper industry is spiraling toward death. In my classroom at Cal State Northridge, where I teach journalism, I often discuss the state of the industry in California and the rest of the U.S. Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. ![]()
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