@stevenwaldman.bsky.social
Today @rebuildlocalnews.bsky.social and @muckrack.com released a major new study on the number of local journalists per 100,000 people. The local news crisis is more severe and widespread than we thought.
This report tracks and assesses where local journalists are active and where there are critical gaps. We created an interactive map so you can explore journalist presence by county and state.
Explore the map: localjournalistindex.com
Explore the map: localjournalistindex.com
July 10, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Today @rebuildlocalnews.bsky.social and @muckrack.com released a major new study on the number of local journalists per 100,000 people. The local news crisis is more severe and widespread than we thought.
Of the 15 Pulitzers just announced, not one was won by a news outlet owned by a hedge fund, a private equity firm, or a publicly-traded American company. Almost all went to privately held companies -- family owned or controlled -- or nonprofits. (The 1 publicly-traded company, Reuters, is Canadian)
May 6, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Of the 15 Pulitzers just announced, not one was won by a news outlet owned by a hedge fund, a private equity firm, or a publicly-traded American company. Almost all went to privately held companies -- family owned or controlled -- or nonprofits. (The 1 publicly-traded company, Reuters, is Canadian)
Yesterday we had a press conference in CA calling for hearings to strengthen the state's response to the local news collapse. Today: more layoffs at LA Times, presidential decree defunding public radio/TV (key source of local reporting). Time running out. www.rebuildlocalnews.org/california-p...
May 2, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Yesterday we had a press conference in CA calling for hearings to strengthen the state's response to the local news collapse. Today: more layoffs at LA Times, presidential decree defunding public radio/TV (key source of local reporting). Time running out. www.rebuildlocalnews.org/california-p...
.@rebuildlocal today released a plan to create a $125 million per year fund, financed in part by making Meta & Amazon help out (not just Google). Already endorsed by: California Broadcasters Association, CA Independent News Alliance and several others. www.rebuildlocalnews.org/addressing-t...
Addressing the Crisis in Community News in California
Our plan is to build on California’s original local news deal with Google, increasing the fund to $125 million per year by requiring Meta and Amazon to also support community news.
www.rebuildlocalnews.org
May 1, 2025 at 11:55 PM
.@rebuildlocal today released a plan to create a $125 million per year fund, financed in part by making Meta & Amazon help out (not just Google). Already endorsed by: California Broadcasters Association, CA Independent News Alliance and several others. www.rebuildlocalnews.org/addressing-t...
They propose that if Meta and Amazon dont contribute, the state should levy a fee. That would increase the size of the fund so it could include broadcasters (including public TV and radio) and actually help address the massive local news crisis hitting CA communities
The Latest: Senior Policy Advisor @mattdpearce.com and former CA Sen. Steve Glazer urge lawmakers to enshrine a law requiring tech platforms to fund community reporting, make state support permanent, and ensure fair distribution to local newsrooms.
Read more: www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-e...
Read more: www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-e...
Tech platforms have an obligation to save California’s local newsrooms | Opinion
“Tech platforms have captured the advertising profits that once sustained community newsrooms. Google was just found to have done so illegally.”
www.sacbee.com
April 22, 2025 at 4:51 PM
They propose that if Meta and Amazon dont contribute, the state should levy a fee. That would increase the size of the fund so it could include broadcasters (including public TV and radio) and actually help address the massive local news crisis hitting CA communities
Reposted
Jeff Bezos “could strengthen American journalism and democracy - and restore his reputation as one of the great newspaper owners - by becoming a nonowner.” This suggestion by @stevenwaldman.bsky.social of @rebuildlocalnews.bsky.social deserves fresh consideration. www.cjr.org/opinion/wald...
Jeff Bezos Should Donate the Washington Post to a Charity
His conflicts of interests are insurmountable. He can take a heroic path to strengthen journalism.
www.cjr.org
January 4, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Jeff Bezos “could strengthen American journalism and democracy - and restore his reputation as one of the great newspaper owners - by becoming a nonowner.” This suggestion by @stevenwaldman.bsky.social of @rebuildlocalnews.bsky.social deserves fresh consideration. www.cjr.org/opinion/wald...
