Better Guardrails and More Funding Are Needed for California's Civic Media Program

SACRAMENTO — In a bill expected to be voted on by week’s end, state lawmakers have proposed a new framework for a California Civic Media Program. The initiative is aimed at bolstering access to critical civic information, stabilizing community-rooted digital outlets and strengthening public-interest local journalism — particularly in underserved and underrepresented communities.

The state is allocating $10 million in public funds to the program, with Google expected to contribute $10 million. This framework is the latest development in a deal struck last year between lawmakers and Google. In 2024, state leaders shelved two major bills designed to extract a percentage of revenues from tech platforms to support local journalism providers. In exchange, Google agreed to contribute to a new public-private fund.

In a last-minute move, just days before the close of the current legislative session, lawmakers have shifted the fund’s administration from the State Library to the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz). GO-Biz will now oversee the allocation of both public and private funds. A nine-member advisory board will provide input on the private contributions, though its role will remain strictly advisory.

Mike Rispoli, Free Press Action’s senior director of journalism and civic information, said:

“The establishment of the California Civic Media Program could represent an important step for a local-media system on the brink. Since 2004, California has lost 25 percent of its newspapers and total-news circulation has dropped by more than 50 percent. Amid the ongoing struggles of independent newsrooms, escalating attacks on press freedom and the destruction of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, it’s clear that states must create bold new infrastructure to meet community-information needs.

“But the details matter greatly. There are critical unanswered questions about this program; until those are resolved, the program’s ability to meet California’s urgent information needs remains in serious doubt. Placing the program in GO-Biz — an economic-development office that’s closely tied to the governor — heightens the need for transparency, strong firewalls to protect independent journalism and a grantmaking process that is insulated from political interference.

“Free Press Action has long championed the use of public grantmaking to support local news, and helped establish the nation’s first-of-its kind program with the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium. That experience made one thing crystal clear: Strong firewalls are essential to protect publicly funded journalism from political interference. It’s vital that GO-Biz officials build the most independent process possible, with robust safeguards for editorial freedom and real opportunities for community input. New Jersey offers a proven model: a politically insulated, community-driven process with enforceable firewalls and clear avenues for stakeholder and public accountability.

“Finally, if state officials can create a strong grantmaking process, California must treat the $10 million allotted as a down payment. This amount is far too little for a state as large and diverse as California. Future rounds of funding must be allocated strategically and evaluated rigorously to ensure resources reach the communities suffering most from the collapse of local news.”