Sunday, November 28, 2021

WILL REPUBLICANS TORPEDO MONEY TO IMPROVE LOCAL NEWS COVERAGE?

 $1.67 billion to help local news coverage and democracy

President Biden and Democrats understand the value of strong local newspapers even if they make life difficult for politicians by pursuing the truth.

 

 

If the $2.2 trillion House-passed social safety net and climate package makes it through the Senate, where it faces a stiff challenge, it will provide $1.67 billion over the next five years for newspapers, websites, radio and TV stations, and other outlets that primarily cover local news. If eligible, they could reap up to $25,000 for each locally focused journalist they employ in the first year and $15,000 in each of the next four.

There are now 200 U.S. counties without a newspaper, according to researchers at the University of North Carolina, and more than 2,100 papers have shut down since 2004. According to the Pew Research Center, the number of journalists at newspapers fell to 31,000 last year from 71,000 in 2008.

Media outlets funded by political action committees would not be eligible. The same holds true for news organizations that do not carry media liability insurance or fail to disclose their owners. News publishers with more than 1,500 employees at a single location also would not qualify, under the terms of the bill. 

Local News Outlets May Reap $1.7 Billion in Build Back Better Aid - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

 

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