The Star-News offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
I’m cautiously hopeful the bill signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom this week will make a positive difference in workplaces and communities.
AB-2222 provides tax credits to news organizations— print, online and TV—that retain and hire journalists. Tax credits of $20,000 for retaining up to five full-time journalists, $15,000 for journalists after that, and additional tax credits for hiring more full or part-time positions.
If you’re a small outlet, as is the company that owns The Star-News, that bit of money can go a long way. Currently there are two full time journalists and the occasional freelancer covering sports and news for three distinct weekly newspapers in the county. It’s a frayed shoestring staff doing its best with available resources. However, there is no denying the meat and potatoes of coverage, the city council and school board meetings, the public safety and policy coverage, as well as the investigative stories have been lacking.
Larger outlets such as The Union-Tribune can benefit from the same Golden State largesse, as can news outlets that dangerously flirt with propaganda.
The bill is not perfect. It does potentially subsidize entities that do not need financial aid because their goal is to strip the news business down so that its profits are maximized. Other owners gobble up news outlets so they can control the message and the messengers via news monopolies.
In California more than 10,000 journalism jobs have vanished over the past decade or so. A dwindling news corps is not good for the public.
With fewer people working to keep communities informed of events that shape their lives and well being, those communities are left at the mercy of those whose interest is selfish and profit driven rather than the public good.
But, does the public care?
Poll after poll demonstrates their attitude toward news media is negative. Having a president of the United States who calls the media the enemy of the people and social media influencers who pass off opinions or misinformation as facts is detrimentral to credibility and trust.
Given all the negative press and messaging about media I don’t know that the public cares whether it is lied to or taken advantage of.
AB-2222, as flawed as it is, may be too little, too late. I desperately hope not.
