California’s news industry is shrinking while misinformation spreads. Here’s what the numbers tell us
Two bills being considered by California lawmakers – Senate Bill 1327 and Assembly Bill 886 – will give the news gathering industry a greatly needed boost by requiring online platforms like Google to pay news outlets when linking to their content and charge a “data extraction mitigation fee” to companies like Amazon, Meta and Google for data they collect from users. The funds from both would go toward supporting local newsrooms.
Los Angeles Times
As the world turned digital, people were quick to drop their Sunday papers and pick up their smartphones for news. Advertisers followed suit as digital platforms became more valuable real estate than print newspapers, leaving California news outlets desperate to find ways to stay profitable and relevant.
Supporters — including the California News Publishers Association and the Media Guild of the West which represents journalists at the Los Angeles Times — believe Assembly Bill 886, will give the industry a greatly needed boost by requiring online platforms like Google to pay news outlets when linking to their content. News outlets must spend at least 70% of the received funds on their staff.
A second bill being considered by California lawmakers, Senate Bill 1327, would charge Amazon, Meta and Google a “data extraction mitigation fee” for data they collect from users. The funds would go toward supporting local newsrooms.
California has lost one-third of its newspapers since 2005, according to a 2023 Northwestern Medill School of Journalism report. The number of journalists in the state has dropped 68% since then, and despite shifting efforts to digital, news outlets are struggling to attract readers and subscribers.
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