The crisis facing local news is devastating civic life everywhere, including in Massachusetts, a parade of journalists told lawmakers Wednesday, as they called on the state government to take steps, including considering tax breaks, to support local newsrooms in difficulty.
“I sit here humbly seeking compassion, not as a journalist groping for a grant, because we’re past that, but more like a diabetic needing insulin,” said Chris Faraone, co-founder of the Institute for Nonprofit Journalism. Boston and editor-in-chief of the cannabis-focused Memo Talking Joints, testified Wednesday.
The comments came during a hearing hosted by the Legislature’s Joint Small Business and Community Development Committee to discuss reviving a journalism commission first established in 2021. Rep. Paul McMurtry, who chairs the committee, said his The goal is to appoint new commission members by the fall. , who will then develop recommendations for the Legislature before the end of the year.
“Much of the background to the comments in today’s testimony is that not only is this industry in crisis, but so is our democracy,” said McMurtry, a Democrat who represents Dedham, Walpole and Westwood.
Journalism and government have traditionally been separated like Church and State, while journalists fiercely protect their rights. independence to be able to hold officials accountable. But the news industry’s financial crisis brought on by the Internet has led some journalists to be more open to government support that still preserves their editorial independence.
Part of journalists’ argument for state support was that strong local news is vital to a healthy democracy.
“Numerous studies suggest that a lack of reliable news and information leads to a variety of social ills, including lower voter turnout, fewer people running for political office, and a greater degree of partisan polarization,” said Dan Kennedy, a Northeastern professor of journalism.
To that end, some states have taken steps. The governors of New York and Illinois signed laws this year that will provide $30 million and $25 millionrespectively, in tax credits to news organizations that hire and retain local journalists.
Local news advocates said they hope the commission will consider that recommendation for Massachusetts.
“We really don’t need a commission that will simply study the problem further; this evidence is already clear,” said Lara Salahi, a journalism Professor at Endicott College. He recommended that the commission be composed primarily of working journalists, especially those serving marginalized people. communities, and that the commission also consider funding initiatives such as having university students work as journalists in their local communities.
In Massachusetts, state and local governments have considered some proposals focused on local news, but have yet to pass any legislation. A bill introduced last year by Rep. Jeffrey Rosario Turco, a Democrat who represents Winthrop and part of Revere, would reimburse state residents who subscribe to local newspapers up to $250 in tax credits, and is still being considered. . And Cambridge City Council has floated a proposal to pay $100,000 a year to support local news.
Advocates say any help to sustain local journalism is welcome, although some critics question whether outlets that accept funding could be truly independent.
The effort to revamp the state journalism commission comes at an extremely difficult time for an industry that has long been reeling. This year alone, hundreds of journalists have been laid off across the country as media outlets continue to struggle to find viable business models in the digital age.
Local news has been hit hardest in recent years, with a third of American newspapers that existed in 2005 expected to have closed at the end of the year. Many local newspapers that still exist, especially those owned by the investment firm Alden Global Capital and the newspaper chain Gannett, are shells of their former selves and employ far fewer reporters than before.
In Massachusetts, newspapers such as the Alden-owned Boston Herald and the Gannett-owned The Patriot Ledger no longer have physical newsrooms and their staff sizes are a small fraction of what they were in their heyday. Public media organizations Both WBUR and GBH have laid off staff this year due to budget shortfalls. And smaller local outlets like Somerville Wire have closed.
There have been some success stories, advocates told the commission. The Boston Globe has said it is profitable and has seen success through digital subscriptions, although some speakers called it an exception in the industry due to its prominence and ownership by billionaire John Henry. And The Bay State Banner, a weekly newspaper focused on African Americans, recently celebrated one year under its new owners. Massachusetts is also home to a surge of new nonprofit outlets launched in recent years that aim to fill gaps in local coverage, including Brookline News, The Newton Beacon, Plymouth Independent and Marblehead Current.
But many of the new establishments are concentrated in Boston’s more affluent suburbs, advocates said, leaving underserved areas of the state without strong local coverage. And amid the growth of nonprofit news, smaller outlets They often have difficulty obtaining financing. They need donors. That reality only underscores the need for more support, advocates testified.
Jason Pramas, who helped spearhead the creation of the journalism commission in 2021 and founded the Nonprofit News Media Alliance last year, argued that the state has an obligation to preserve independent journalism.
“The journalism commission should focus on determining the best way for the state government to begin providing direct help to local independent media outlets on the ground in the coming years,” he said.
You can contact Aidan Ryan at Aidan.ryan@globe.com. FOLLOW IT @aidanfitzryan.
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