Zack FurnessJan 25, 2023
Jay Rosen

The market has failed. Philanthropy can't do it. The public good that is local news needs another support system. Now there's an alliance calling for public policy solutions. Rebuild Local News it is called. Their ideas:

* A tax credit for consumers to subscribe to or donate to local news
* A tax credit for small businesses to advertise in local news
* A tax credit for local news organizations to hire and retain local journalists

https://www.cjr.org/opinion/how-public-policy-can-help-save-local-news.php

#journalism #localjournalism

How public policy can help save local news

<p>It’s understandable that the idea that government should help save local media makes many journalists’ skin crawl. How can reporters get support from one of the institutions we’re supposed to be holding accountable? In this case, journalists should rethink their concerns. Here’s why: The local news crisis is severe—and on a scale beyond the capacity […]</p>

Columbia Journalism Review
Jan 25, 2023 at 1:18amWeb
Show threadShoq 🌿Jan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu These nonpartisan incentives might work to stimulate journalism, which of course, is precisely why this GOP congress, or anything resembling it, would never support it. #Square1
Show threadGeneration ZenJan 25, 2023
@shoq @jayrosen_nyu ?
Show threaddavisshaverJan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu would love to see this dialed into smaller shops. Maybe unfair but seeing Alden or Gannett benefit from tax credits would not feel right to me.
Show threadDan KennedyJan 25, 2023
@davisshaver @jayrosen_nyu The tax credit to hire and retain journalists, at least, would reward chain owners only if they do the right thing. It was included in Build Back Better but President Manchin, in his wisdom, decided to reject it.
Show threaddavisshaverJan 25, 2023
@dankennedy_nu @jayrosen_nyu Policy isn’t my strong suit, so sorry if I’m conflating things here, but LION recommended against supporting JCPA - hopefully the concerns Chris raises here can be addressed in future iterations. https://www.lionpublishers.com/a-letter-to-lion-members-about-the-journalism-competition-preservation-act-and-the-online-news-act/
A letter to LION members about the Journalism Competition Preservation Act and the Online News Act - LION Publishers

Our Executive Director Chris Krewson explains why LION opposes these two legislative proposals in the U.S. and Canada.

LION Publishers
Show threadDan KennedyJan 25, 2023
@davisshaver @jayrosen_nyu I believe LION was in favor of the LJSA, or at least not opposed to it. The JCPA was very different and, yes, kind of dubious.
Show threaddavisshaverJan 25, 2023
@dankennedy_nu thank you for explaining, I need to educate myself more (by the way, I’m a regular reader & fan of your reporting, I will be watching for your take at some point!)
Show threadDan KennedyJan 25, 2023
@davisshaver Thank you! I appreciate it.
Show threadDan KennedyJan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu Well, God bless them, but this is the LJSA, which fell short and is now dead at least for two years. The Rebuild Local News Coalition has been around for several years, so I’m confused by today’s launch — a relaunch, I guess.
Show threadJohn FrancisJan 25, 2023

@jayrosen_nyu @ottaross the privilege of surviving on public subsidy has to come with HUGE and binding strings attached. I can think of a few, like pooling of resources & decentralization...controls on govt and corporate overreach, ethics compliance etc.

There are exactly ZERO media organizations in Canada today that deserve lifelines today. They must be allowed to burn down with their hedge fund investors and a better system built from their ashes.

Show threadRoss of OttawaJan 25, 2023
@johnefrancis @jayrosen_nyu indeed. The dysfunction has expunged the authentic, organic journalism of our places, and channeled everything into corporate, advert-driven organs of highly concentrated ownership.
Show threadDoc Edward Morbius ⭕​Jan 25, 2023

@jayrosen_nyu Any thoughts you'd have of news as a service that's compensated through broadband / mobile provider fees, indexed to wealth / income, on an all-yo-can-eat model?

My read is that all publishing could be made universally accessible for roughly $5.25/mo per person in the US (that's the average, again, adjusted by relative wealth).

Producer compensation might be any of a number of options, though something similar to mechanical royalties from music could work.. Possible other goals such as having a specific news-organisation-presence target within regional areas.

I've been kicking this around for a few years, ISPs seem the logical tollgate at this point, though a public-funded / tax basis might be another option.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27803591

I do agree that the market has most decidedly failed.

Media payment systems work best with a clear transactional boundary and gatekeep... | Hacker News

Show threadDoc Edward Morbius ⭕​Jan 25, 2023

@jayrosen_nyu Some quick thoughts on the piece itself:

The Postal Subsidy was a good policy where authoring was reasonably inexpensive and distribution expensive. We're now in precisely the opposite situation, and worse, cheap distribution is actual a major factor in killing much local coverage: compelling distractions (on the audience side) and audiences (on the advertiser side) drive minimum-viable-content of generic and common (in all the lowest senses) forms.

Vibrant news organisations require incubation and development over years and decades. "Citizen journalism" is proved not to work (though it's useful for gathering images and video from far-flung locations). In-depth investigation and local connections take time, and require institutions that drive this. Any solution which fails to cultivate those institutions is likely futile, and mere tax credits ... likely won't work.

There are many potential pitfalls of policy-based approaches, though I think that there's at least a general appreciation for these. Avoiding further monopolisation, news deserts, or cooption by perverted interests would be high up my own list. There's also the question of crazies, fools, and opportunists.

And underappreciated function of news orgs has been their legal defence capabilities. Publishers and libel-defence attorneys complement like milk and tea (or coffee). Neutered or weak publishing orgs would be prone to legal bullying (though over-large organisations may be excessively resistant to same, see Dominion's far-too-late defamation case).

Some attention to what makes institutions durable, and what institutions have played a positive role in journalism over the past decades and centuries might be appropriate.

Show threadParker MolloyJan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu Hmm. Interesting stuff
Show threadcostrikeJan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu
c @victorpickard
Show threadAaron Ross Powell ☸️Jan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu How do we decide what qualifies as “local news” for purposes of the tax credits? We should be very cautious about giving the state, via legislators or regulators, the power to draw that line, for the same reason that we don’t want the government deciding what “the press” is for purposes of free speech protection. But if the state’s not deciding, then can anyone who says “I’m a local news source” get money directed to them through this program?
Show threadDoc Edward Morbius ⭕​Jan 25, 2023

@arossp What counterveilling powers / interests against state/local government officials would you suggest?

@jayrosen_nyu

Show threadAaron Ross Powell ☸️Jan 25, 2023
@dredmorbius @jayrosen_nyu I don’t have a suggestion, because whatever we pick is going to run into the same problems of incentives and capture, analogous to what inevitably happens with occupational licensing boards, which is basically what this would demand. That’s why I think, as nice as it might be to funnel more money to local news, this kind of proposed program is entirely unworkable and in fact quite dangerous to a free press.
Show threadAaron Ross Powell ☸️Jan 25, 2023
@arossp @dredmorbius @jayrosen_nyu One big danger for example, is imagine you’re a local news organization and a significant portion of your operating budget comes through these tax credits. You want to break a story that will embarrass someone who has decision rights about your “local news” status. Do you run the story and risk the person retaliating by changing your status?
Show threadDoc Edward Morbius ⭕​Jan 25, 2023

@arossp My usual response to such concerns:

  • Is this markedly different from present risks? We have unfunded news organisations failing to cover anything at all. Something ... should ... be better than nothing. (See for example City of Industry, CA, and its utterly unaccountable government: https://calmatters.org/commentary/2021/09/california-corruption-city-of-industry/)

  • What other sources of funding might exist? I've long been a fan of The Economist's three-legged stool: subscriptions, advertising, and bespoke consulting services through the Economist Intelligence Unit. The three sources are diversified and reasonably independent. Taxpayer support, membership, patronage, events, advertising, and again, bespoke information products might be options.

  • Policy-based funding is subject to governmental procedures, overview, and appeal. It should be less subject to the whim of any one individual, in general. Identify risks, strengthen those.

  • Cross-jurisdictional organisations should be less subject to any one jurisdiction going rogue. E.g., for regional orgs, aim for, say, tri-county regional coverage (or better), such that there would be state, multiple counties, and within those multiple municipalities whose funding and political structures would be involved.

  • In my earlier response to @jayrosen_nyu, amongst the institutional foundations which might be included could be local public and private educational institutions, again another barrier against raw political interest and meddling.

How's that sit with you?

California's 'corridor of corruption' yields new case

Southern California's "corridor of corruption" has yielded a new case of insider dealing in the City of Industry.

CalMatters
Show threadJay RosenJan 25, 2023

@arossp The people involved are aware of this problem. Which is not to say they have solved it. So far the answers they have are: Must disclose ownership, have at least one one full time local reporter, have media liability insurance, and can't be funded by PACs or 501c4s.

https://twitter.com/stevenwaldman/status/1618066001366745088

Steven Waldman on Twitter

“@asveenstra @jayrosen_nyu No. But the challenge was how to come up with objective criteria that would deal with that. We tried: must disclose ownership, have at least one 1 full time local reporter, have media liability insurance, and cant be funded by PACs or 501c4s. Other ideas welcome!”

Twitter
Show threadAaron Ross Powell ☸️Jan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu If Stormfront had a reporter on staff and was funded via donations from its readers, would it qualify for tax credits, then?
Show threadJay RosenJan 25, 2023

@arossp I don't know. But it might be harder than it looks to meet those conditions, especially media liability insurance. Would you insure Stormfront for the possibility it will libel someone?

I would add that the people involved are not naive and they are not idiots. They are aware of most, if not all of these problems, and they are trying to come up with creative solutions.

Show threadbobchauvinJan 25, 2023

@arossp @jayrosen_nyu If we can give tax exempt status to religious organizations, we should do the same for news organizations.

Amiright?

Show threadShannon ClarkJan 25, 2023

@arossp @jayrosen_nyu @billseitz perhaps the state can chat with their small business folks who track local publications that qualify as places for publishing stuff like public notices of doing business As and other legally mandated use of local media (my wife had to find one locally when she filled out her DBA paperwork a few years back)?

(This of course runs into the modern issue of online only publications but possibly this is a case where parts of government might work with each other?)

Show threadGollyJan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu I think philanthropy can do it but public policy should also do it. 10K more local journalists through whatever means available
Show threadStormcrowJan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu #FairnessDoctrine
Show threadRichard KepplerJan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu I like the idea, but to me local news is at once too trivial, and editorially to simplistic and right wing.
I need to know what’s at the symphony and the art house and the museum. I’m not in the market for editorial writers telling me I need to split the differences with fascists.
My local paper did the Turkey/Kurdish conflict as a he-said she-said using quotes from local restaurant owners.
Show threadGJan 25, 2023
@RichardKeppler @jayrosen_nyu I'm so sorry that's been your experience with local news. Look for your nearest Association of Alternative Newsmedia affiliated outlet; hopefully you'll find what you're looking for.
Show threadbettybarcode (she/her) 🚲Jan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu
Could the public radio/TV model work?
Show threadMerelyAHutJan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu after I quit Twitter, I subscribed to the Boulder Daily Camera. I already had a subscription to the independent Colorado Sun. I found that I am now relying more on my local media for information.
Show threadEva ChandaJan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu News orgs need to be nonprofit to get tax breaks. No corporate welfare!!
Show threadGJan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu lol this model reminds me of what I've long argued regarding driving volunteerism: that people should be able to itemize hours worked volunteering (at their local minimum wage) in the same way as itemizing charitable donations is allowed. Itemizing donations is (like so many things) a tax incentive for the wealthy only. We have to reward the behavior we want to see in order to advance an engaged society.
Show threadShadow HeartJan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu until news agencies operate as nonprofit organizations there will always be the sense moneyed interests censoring the news to suit their narrative.
Show threadCykonotJan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu I believe cooperative structures and funding mechanisms would lead to better reporting, less beholden to private interests
Show threadKailaJan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu I already get a tax credit for subscribing to local news - In my case, it's my local non-profit public radio station.
Show threadLex Starwalker has moved.Jan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu Which "market" are you referring to? I watch quite a few markets, and none of them have failed.
Show threadGurtbeef RobeJan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu @wh0sthatd0g love the idea but there needs to be some strings attached saying that the local stations must stay publicly owned & funded or they will be bought up the second they show any promise by companies like Sinclair and Koch’s. Bezos will fight tooth & mail to prevent any more serious competition
Show threadK. HansenJan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu The market has indeed failed. The cost to subscribe to our local news publication became more than we can afford and so we stopped our subscription. We now rely on an abbreviated digital subscription with only a small section devoted to local news. We are left with social media and all its faults and shortcomings to find out what is happening in our community. I applaud the exploration of ways we can support and keep viable our news sources.
Show threadGurtbeef RobeJan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu @wh0sthatd0g
We have a defense budget approaching $1 trillion and isn’t subject to audit, only an honor system 🤦🏻‍♂️ We can (and should) throw billions at Ukraine without batting an eye. We gave cops a $500 million raise after they killed over 1,000 people last year. And we gave millionaires and billionaires a massive tax cut while letting almost $200 billion annually go untaxed. We can afford anything we really want. We will always find a way
Show threadLindaNYC2VT Ⓥ 🌊🐖🐄🐓🦃🐬🐝🦋🦇Jan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu @SomeOldLady You do see what country you live in, right?
Show threadWilliamJan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu it seems to me all these solutions miss the obvious: increasing taxes on corporations and the wealthy back to pre-1960s levels. Conversely there is a case for UBI here. But eventually we must stop whipping the dead horse of capitalism and end subsidizies for the wealthy and their corporations.
Show threadmichiJan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu Tax credits sound good but seriously asking who will get paid after June.
Show threadGeneration ZenJan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu rather than tax credits gov. Could just spend the money???
Show threadMoving PicturesJan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu I spent 20 years in journalism.... the corporate control of media - and the resulting advertiser-calls-the-shots editorial "policy" has made it such that only public-funded media can be trusted.
Show threadDr. Brad Rosenheim has moved!Jan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu I brought the Sunday paper to my son's soccer tournament this past weekend. I figured it would be nice to read while they warmed up. So many other parents were shocked that newspapers were still printed. I was dismayed.
Show threadBrian HawthorneJan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu Might want to mention that this is a USA effort, though I suspect the dynamics are similar around the globe.
Show threadMary M. RedouteyJan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu It would be nice if it would actually help local newspapers and local media especially small media which were not part of media monopolies and that actually cared about local communities and provided local news.
I don't want to support media monopolies especially not ones that provide right wing slanted news opinion instead of fair and accurate news reporting.
Show threadQuanah SchlesselmanJan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu I like that.
Show threadHenry Edward HardyJan 25, 2023

The market is centralizing wealth and power in the hands of a few.

The market is functioning as intended.

@jayrosen_nyu

Show threadBob GilbertJan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu So many questions. Here are two of them:
What are some of the qualities that would allow an entity to participate?
Does this essentially become a government “licensing” system?
Show threadBeachwoodReportJan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu What's failed is the decades-long looting of newsrooms by corporate vultures combined with a total lack of knowledge, imagination and understanding of their own industry by the newsrooms getting looted. Many successful "models" working for a long time in digital journalism, newsrooms and funders refuse to see.
Show threadWe Can Be GyrosJan 25, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu everything is so easily corrupted. I fear this will be the same. Especially in New York.
Show threadTim WindsorJan 26, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu @dsilverman This being 2023, my mind immediately drifts to Congressional hearings a year after implementation and the constant drumbeat about how this calls for regulation of the press, but at first glance this is at least a novel approach to saving local news