Q&A with Kira Lerner, democracy editor at the Guardian US, on trying to avoid stories that play on people's fears, focusing on service journalism, and more (Annie Aguiar/Poynter)

Mediagazer: Q&A with Kira Lerner, democracy editor at the Guardian US, on trying to avoid stories that play on people’s fears, focusing on service journalism, and more (Annie Aguiar/Poynter) Top News: Axios: The Atlantic and Vox Media sign multi-year licensing and product deals with OpenAI; The Atlantic plans an experimental Atlantic Labs with OpenAI tech— — The Atlantic has been publishing content since 1857. … — Both agreements also allow OpenAI to tap into the respective publishers’ current content … Discussion: Engadget, Vox Media, The Atlantic, @quillmatiq@threads.net, @edmundlee, The Hill, @tomwarren, The Drum, @kylie.robison@threads.net, @stephentotilo, @vox_union, VentureBeat, @dandock.bsky.social, @edmundlee, The Wrap, The Hollywood Reporter, The Information, @vox_union, @reckless1280@threads.net, Bloomberg, @WarnerCrocker@mastodon.social, @daveleebbg@threads.net, @jbillinson@threads.net, @jeffjarvis, @chrismvasq.bsky.social, @nxthompson, @xpangler, The Verge, @rafat, Variety, @attackerman.bsky.social, @dandock.bsky.social, @emilybell, @openai, @nkulw, @tsuvik and @pranavdixit, more at Techmeme » Discussion: Nathan Ingraham / Engadget: The Atlantic and Vox Media made their own deal with the AI Devil Damon Beres / The Atlantic: A Devil’s Bargain With OpenAI Anuj Ahooja / @quillmatiq@threads.net: The saddest thing about this is that it’ll be the smaller publishers that feel the deepest cut. News summarization will enforce further consolidation while also putting more distance between newsrooms and their audience. AI companies were going to vacuum up all this data anyway, but it’s unfortunate that big media companies are giving up without a longer fight. Edmund Lee / @edmundlee: .@theatlantic cut a deal with @openai, following other news orgs, but I have questions. https://www.theatlantic.com/ … Dominick Mastrangelo / The Hill: Vox Media, The Atlantic ink deals with OpenAI Tom Warren / @tomwarren: Vox Media just signed a deal with OpenAI that will include content from The Verge showing up in ChatGPT. OpenAI will “enhance its technology,” (sounds like train its models) on Vox Media’s archives, too Kylie Robison / @kylie.robison@threads.net: if fortune does a licensing deal that means every word ive ever written in my career is powering chatGPT to make it worse Stephen Totilo / @stephentotilo: The union for Polygon, The Verge and other publications has “serious concerns” about parent company’s new deal to train Open AI on its work @vox_union: A statement from the Vox Media Union, @thrillistunion and @thedodounion on the partnership between Vox Media and OpenAI. [image] Daniel Dockery / @dandock.bsky.social: You could just have people write all of this stuff! There are a ton of them out there who would! I promise! Edmund Lee / @edmundlee: What happens when they can’t agree on renewal terms? Does OpenAI re-train its system to NOT include their news content? Is that even possible? Or do news orgs lose out because they’re content becomes so baked into the LLM that OpenAI effectively owns it in perpetuity? Natalie Korach / The Wrap: Vox Media, The Atlantic Ink Licensing Partnerships With OpenAI Caitlin Huston / The Hollywood Reporter: Vox Media, The Atlantic Strike Deals With OpenAI Stephanie Palazzolo / The Information: OpenAI Strikes Licensing, Product Deals with Vox Media, the Atlantic @vox_union: A statement from the Vox Media Union, @thrillistunion and @thedodounion on the partnership between Vox Media and OpenAI. [image] Nilay Patel / @reckless1280@threads.net: I don’t have a lot to say about this — our newsroom is independent of the company’s business dealings as it’s always been. We’ll figure out some disclosure language and do a disclosure when it’s appropriate, we are pretty good at those ;) Jackie Davalos / Bloomberg: OpenAI Strikes Licensing Deals With The Atlantic and Vox Media Warner Crocker / @WarnerCrocker@mastodon.social: Déjà vu. — Every time I read a headline that says another media company has signed an agreement with OpenAI why do my eyes turn it into “pivot to video?” — Exclusive: The Atlantic, Vox Media cut deals with OpenAI https://www.axios.com/… [image] Dave Lee / @daveleebbg@threads.net: Big question here. After training a model on the Atlantic’s archive … does OpenAI ever need to do it again? Josh Billinson / @jbillinson@threads.net: Media companies actually have a lot of leverage to make sure their work is fairly compensated and supported in the next era of the web and all they have to do is work together and not just race to see who can get the biggest check from OpenAI first @jeffjarvis: On the news today: The Atlantic and Vox got OpenAI deals. Add Springer, News Corp, AP, FT. May I be blunt? OpenAI isn’t buying their content. It is buying their friendship. This is a lobbying and PR expense. The pity is that the rich (relatively speaking) get richer while the Christian Vasquez / @chrismvasq.bsky.social: am convinced journo execs don’t actually pay attention/read the stories their reporters publish. not sure what else explains falling for this again [embedded post] @nxthompson: I am delighted that @theatlantic now has a strategic content & product partnership with @openai. Our stories will be discoverable in their new products and we’ll be working with them to figure out new ways that AI can help serious, independent media : https://www.theatlantic.com/ … Todd Spangler / @xpangler: Vox Media’s editorial unions, in a statement about the OpenAl deal, said “we have serious concerns about this partnership, which we believe could adversely impact members of our union” https://variety.com/… Emilia David / The Verge: Vox Media and The Atlantic sign content deals with OpenAI Todd Spangler / Variety: OpenAI Inks Licensing Deals to Bring Vox Media, The Atlantic Content to ChatGPT Spencer Ackerman / @attackerman.bsky.social: Not 1 journalist who sold a story to a publication partnering with OpenAI consented to have their work used to train the engine of their obsolescence. This is a moment in journalism (and other industries, but this one is mine) when the unions we built over the last decade will have to fight hard. … Daniel Dockery / @dandock.bsky.social: I love knowing so many writers who either don’t have jobs right now or are severely underpaid and then seeing this [image] Emily Bell / @emilybell: Entering into a newsroom deal with OpenAI is materially different to say entering into the same with Google. Google does have a track record, known management, some level of accountability. OpenAI has nothing like this, and an emerging pattern of dishonesty Noah Kulwin / @nkulw: Lmfao the Atlantic executive who made this happen is leading the bake-off to replace Remnick at the New Yorker https://www.semafor.com/… Vikas SN / @tsuvik: Heh! Interesting timing. Atlantic-OpenAI deal announcement comes days after The Atlantic ran an op-ed from @Jessicalessin on why such licensing deals are bad for publishers RELATED: WAN-IFRA: WAN-IFRA and OpenAI partner to launch an accelerator program for 128 news publishers, aiming to help newsrooms fast-track their AI adoption and more Discussion: Dave Pell / @davepell@threads.net: How will media cover ChatGPT when they all have deals with ChatGPT. Damon Kiesow / @dkiesow@threads.net: Trying to decide if journalism taking what amounts to lobbying money from tech platforms is smart opportunism or craven collaboration? Alfred Hermida / @hermida: The deals between news publishers and AI companies are a double-edged sword via @trtworld. https://www.trtworld.com/… Carl Franzen / VentureBeat: OpenAI is devouring the media industry Vincent Peyrègne / Vincent Peyrègne on LinkedIn: WAN-IFRA partners with OpenAI to launch the Newsroom AI Catalyst, a global partnership to fast-track AI adoption in newsrooms for over 100 news publishers in Europe … CNBC: Source: Nelson Peltz has sold his full Disney stake; in April, Peltz’ Trian Partners lost a proxy battle after trying to elect Peltz and Jay Rasulo to the board— Activist investor Nelson Peltz has sold his entire stake in Disney, according to a person familiar with the matter. Discussion: New York Times, Deadline, Variety, Gizmodo and Reuters Discussion: Dade Hayes / Deadline: Mission Accomplished? Despite Losing Proxy Fight, Billionaire Nelson Peltz Reportedly Sells Entire Disney Stake For $1B In Profit Todd Spangler / Variety: Nelson Peltz Reportedly Sold All of His Disney Stock, Earning $1 Billion, After Losing Proxy Fight Sabina Graves / Gizmodo: Disney No Longer Has to Worry About Billionaire Nelson Peltz New York Times: A look at the future of TNT’s Inside the NBA, which started in 1989 and hired Charles Barkley in 2000, after WBD did not secure NBA rights beyond next season— Next season could be the last for TNT’s influential and beloved studio show, and Charles Barkley, for one, will not be going quietly. Discussion: New York Post, Fox News, The Hill, Ian Rapoport on LinkedIn, @taniaganguli, Barrett Media, Awful Announcing and USA Today Discussion: Erich Richter / New York Post: Ernie Johnson scolds reporter, Kenny Smith argues with Charles Barkley in behind-the-scenes drama at TNT Fox News: Charles Barkley won’t let corporate honchos silence him over NBA rights deal: ‘I can talk to who I want to’ Dominick Mastrangelo / The Hill: Charles Barkley on speaking to press: ‘I can talk to who I want’ Ian Rapoport / Ian Rapoport on LinkedIn: A great piece by Tania Ganguli of The New York Times on “Inside the NBA,” one of T.V.’s best pre-game shows. — “It’s people’s lives. Not my life. … Tania Ganguli / @taniaganguli: Charles Barkley will not stop talking about Inside the NBA’s uncertain future, no matter who tries to stop him. Why? “It’s people’s lives,” he said. On the tension simmering as the beloved show awaits word on what happens next. https://www.nytimes.com/… New York Times: Researchers: an ex-Florida deputy sheriff who received asylum in Russia is behind a growing network of 160+ fake news sites mimicking US, UK, and French outlets— In 2016, Russia used an army of trolls to interfere in the U.S. presidential election. This year, an American given asylum … Discussion: BrianKrebs / @briankrebs@infosec.exchange: What a story: A former sheriff from Florida has received political asylum in Moscow, and is now a key player in Russia’s disinformation operations against the West, the NYT reports. — “Working from an apartment crowded with servers and other computer equipment … David Corn / @davidcorndc: Fascinating piece about a massive Russian disinformation campaign targeting the United States and run by an American who fled to Russia. By @stevenleemyers. https://www.nytimes.com/… Daniel Volker / Daniel Volker on LinkedIn: Any of these publishers sound familiar? — “The New York News Daily” — “The Miami Chronicle” — “The Boston Times” … Dr. Ellen Greaves / @ecgreaves: Once Sheriff’s Deputy in Florida, Now a Source of Disinformation ~ In 2016, Russia used an army of trolls to interfere in the U.S. presidential election. This year, an American given asylum in Moscow may be accomplishing much the same thing all by himself https://www.nytimes.com/… Warner Crocker / @WarnerCrocker@mastodon.social: Unreal but all too real. The guy defects to Russia to escape charges and continue his muck raking. — Once a Sheriff’s Deputy in Florida, Now a Source of Disinformation From Russia — #politics — https://www.nytimes.com/… [image] Sarah Brandt / Sarah Brandt on LinkedIn: Florida deputy sheriff ➡ Russian disinformation impresario 🟰 quite the career pivot. — My colleague McKenzie Sadeghi just published … @ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org: NY Times: Once a Sheriff’s Deputy in Florida, Now a Source of Disinformation From Russia https://www.nytimes.com/… #disinformation #ai #chatgpt #llms #AIpocalypse — [image] @spaceyg: “He [total batshitter] also appeared regularly on [Russian] state media, including with two former intelligence operatives, Maria Butina, who penetrated Republican political circles, and Anna Chapman, one of 10 spies who inspired […] ‘The Americans.’” 🇷🇺https://www.nytimes.c om/ … Paul M. Barrett / @authorpmbarrett: The @nytimes’ @stevenleemyers has a stranger-than-fiction dispatch about a former sheriff’s deputy in Florida who has turned up in Moscow spreading disinformation from Russia. A must-read: https://www.nytimes.com/… @recordedfuture: Reported today in @nytimes by @stevenleemyers, Former deputy sheriff John Mark Dougan has built a network of fake news sites using #AI tools. https://www.nytimes.com/… Recorded Future on LinkedIn: As featured in The New York Times, former sheriff’s deputy John Mark Dougan has become a key player in Russia’s disinformation operations … Deadline: Sources: writers at iHeart’s 100-member podcast unit prepare to strike if a contract deal isn’t reached by the end of May; they unionized 2+ years ago— EXCLUSIVE: More than two years after unionizing through the WGA East, the writers at iHeartPodcasts still don’t have their first deal with the network. Discussion: @iheartpodunion and Poynter: Q&A with Kira Lerner, democracy editor at the Guardian US, on trying to avoid stories that play on people’s fears, focusing on service journalism, and more— As the 2024 presidential election approaches, Poynter spoke with The Guardian US’s democracy editor about the beat Discussion: Poynter Institute on LinkedIn, @kira_lerner and Nieman Lab Discussion: Poynter Institute on LinkedIn: As the U.S. heads into its first presidential election since national newsrooms rolled out democracy beats, what does that coverage look like now? … Kira Lerner / @kira_lerner: Are the democracy beat reporters ok?? I sat down with @Poynter as the 2024 election approaches to answer that question and more https://www.poynter.org/… Andrew Donohue / Nieman Lab: The rise of the democracy beat Bloomberg: Sources: Sony is working with another investor to buy Queen’s music catalog, including merchandising and other businesses, in a deal potentially worth ~$1B— — The talks are ongoing and may not result in a deal for songs — Sony Music in talks with another investor about the purchase Discussion: Billboard, Digital Music News, New York Post, @lucas_shaw, Lucas Shaw on LinkedIn and Music Business Worldwide Discussion: Chris Eggertsen / Billboard: Sony in Talks to Acquire Queen’s Music Catalog Dylan Smith / Digital Music News: Queen’s Catalog Might Sell After All — Sony Music Reportedly in Talks for $1 Billion Deal Alexandra Steigrad / New York Post: Sony reportedly in talks to buy Queen’s music catalog for staggering $1 billion Lucas Shaw / @lucas_shaw: Sony is in talks to buy most of Queen’s catalog in a deal that could be worth as much as $1 billion. https://www.bloomberg.com/… Lucas Shaw / Lucas Shaw on LinkedIn: The impact of a hit movie: — Queen’s catalog (and merch/licensing rights) could fetch up to $1 billion. Sony Music is in talks to buy the rights, though a deal is far from done. … The Guardian: News Corp Australia reorganizes its mastheads into free, subscription-based tabloids, and prestige titles, and lets go of news.com.au EIC Lisa Muxworthy— Staff told some people will ‘regrettably leave our business’ as media empire is reorganised into three divisions Discussion: Amanda Meade / @meadea: Updated: Rupert Murdoch’s Australian media empire has been reorganised into mastheads which are free, tabloids which are subscription-based and so-called prestige titles the Australian newspaper and Vogue magazine. https://www.theguardian.com/ … Marcus Kelson / @marcuskelson: An unnamed source said: “Replacing a digital media giant of Lisa’s exceptional talent with the guy who runs a newspaper fewer and fewer people read, with its shitty website no-one reads, tells you everything you need to know about News Corp. https://www.crikey.com.au/… Gina Rushton / @ginarush: “To dump an accomplished woman who’s better at her job than anyone else in this country… is disgusting.” News Corp sources not happy Lisa Muxworthy — editor in chief of the nation’s most read news site — is a casualty in restructure. https://www.crikey.com.au/… @crikey_news: “Disgusting”: Incensed News Corp staff have teed off after the company’s major restructure saw the departure of much-loved editorial leads. @daanysaeed reports. https://www.crikey.com.au/… Mark Di Stefano / @markdistef: Kim Williams is laughing somewhere. Malcolm Farr / @farrm51: From SMH on News Corp overhaul. In effect, Australia’s largest employer of journalists has adopted a national model, which it hopes will enable it to complete the transition from a print to a fully digital media company. John Buckley / @johnbuckley_: NEW: News Corp stalwart Nicholas Gray a winner in restructure as union awaits details of job cuts via @CapitalBrief https://www.capitalbrief.com/ … Eliza Spencer / @amelizajane: A lot of the journos we all love and respect got their start at NewsCorp publications, and a lot of great reporters continue to share impactful stories under NewsCorp mastheads. Lots of love and solidarity for all of ‘em. Sam Buckingham-Jones / Australian Financial Review: News Corp unveils major restructure, with editors shown the door Nathan Jolly / Mumbrella: ‘People will regrettably leave our business’: News Corp dumps editors, restructures publishing teams The Guardian: London Evening Standard plans to close its daily paper and launch a weekly, citing £84.5M losses in six years, driven by the Underground adding Wi-Fi and more— Chair Paul Kanareck says newspaper’s losses — £84.5m in the past six years — not sustainable Discussion: MediaPost, Simon Owens’s Media Newsletter, City A.M., @pressgazette, @nickw84, @crankynotions, @aubrey_writes, Deborah Watson on LinkedIn, @profdaveandress, @mrjamesob, @zoenora6, @youngvulgarian, @olifranklin, @chrismsutcliffe, @mattleys, @owenjones84, @mendelpol, Financial Times, @sdp, @danhancox, @nigelwuk, @nicolelampert, @anthonypainter, @thewritertype, @eduardosuarez, @jimwaterson, @hugorifkind, @benjaminbutter, @henrycooke, @chrismonk, @jamesrbuk, @josiahmortimer, @stephenpollard, @amarjourno, @sophiasleigh, @ianvisits, Mediaite, Harry Owen on LinkedIn, Bloomberg, WWD, Press Gazette and National Union of Journalists … Discussion: Simon Owens / Simon Owens’s Media Newsletter: The rise of the bookazine — Welcome! I’m Simon Owens and this is my media industry newsletter. @pressgazette: Updated with further details: The Evening Standard’s chair told staff today that going down to weekly was necessitated by “shorter commuting weeks, widespread Wi-Fi along our commuting routes and the desire for our readers to consume ever-richer content” https://pressgazette.co.uk/… Nick Walker / @nickw84: It just looks so non-urgent for a newspaper and has for ages. Seems like mismanagement to me [image] @crankynotions: It’s hard to believe, but the Standard was once a decent paper with excellent coverage of the arts and entertainment. The acerbic Brian Sewell featured there to his very end. My summers were often planned around the culture section. Osborne was no steward, and it got even worse. Elizabeth Aubrey / @aubrey_writes: I owe so much of my career to the Evening Standard and my initial work there, so this is sad news. They’ve always been great with freelancers over the years. Another v worrying development for journalism in a year full of worrying developments. Deborah Watson / Deborah Watson on LinkedIn: And so the media landscape takes another significant shift. — The Evening Standard is to stop its daily newspaper production. … David Andress / @profdaveandress: Useful reminder that “the press” is a dying concept, and yet “a newspaper” still seems to provide an agenda-setting national foghorn, heard uncritically by the rest of the media, for any billionaire who wants to buy one. James O’Brien / @mrjamesob: What a sad loss. Probably doomed from the moment they let a KGB spy buy it & put George Osborne in charge. But still… Zoë Crowther / @zoenora6: As someone who gets the Northern Line every morning: is the “shortage of commuters” in the room with us?? Marie Le Conte / @youngvulgarian: this sucks so bad! my favourite journalism job was at the Standard! they fucked up a perfectly good paper is what they did! Oli Franklin-Wallis / @olifranklin: Pretty devastating news for the UK newspaper industry. Will never forget being on work experience at the Standard, and receiving sage advice from my editor: ‘it isn’t a story unless you pick up the phone.’ Thoughts with all those affected. Chris Sutcliffe / @chrismsutcliffe: Question now is whether ES has done enough with its digital offering. It’s been diversifying (has done v good work with its flagship podcast) but will it be enough? Owen Jones / @owenjones84: The Evening Standard seems to have missed another reason for its failure. London became an ever more progressive and diverse city. The Standard remained a reactionary rag more suited to the Tory Shires which was completely out of touch with modern London. Jack Mendel / @mendelpol: I remember when it was a paid-for paper that went free… now it’s about to virtually vanish. What a shame.. https://x.com/… Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu / Financial Times: London’s Evening Standard to go weekly as it struggles with losses Sameer Padania / @sdp: The parlous state of media in London — with the Haringey Community Press ending its print edition, & now even the Standard daily edition can’t survive… A New Deal for (genuinely) local media is badly badly needed, even in London. Dan Hancox / @danhancox: Whatever you think about the Evening Standard’s politics, this is sad news — the demise of South Kensington’s only daily newspaper Nigel Whitfield / @nigelwuk: As a former hack, I hate to see anything go. But the Standard really didn’t appear to be in touch with most Londoners for over a decade. It felt like it imagined the whole city to be like some posh western suburb. Nicole Lampert / @nicolelampert: Another nail in the coffin of print media. Sad days for all of us who love print and would eagerly anticipate what the Standard splash would be on their way home from work. Anthony Painter / @anthonypainter: Or being completely out of touch with the politics of most of London…. https://x.com/… Paul Bassett Davies / @thewritertype: Your reminder that the Evening Standard is given away free and is still wildly overpriced. Eduardo Suárez / @eduardosuarez: Blaming the spread of wifi in 2024 is incredible as a talking point Jim Waterson / @jimwaterson: London Evening Standard has just told staff it’ll drop its daily print edition and become a weekly paper, blaming the spread of Wi-Fi on the tube, shortage of commuters due to work from home, and years of massive financial losses. Hugo Rifkind / @hugorifkind: This is grim. I wonder what proportion of print journalists today even remember how robust an industry this used to be. Back in the early 2000s a single decent freelance commission from ES magazine would pay my rent for a month. Benjamin Butterworth / @benjaminbutter: The sound of “Standard!” will be much missed across London. It has been a great paper at times. Henry Cooke / @henrycooke: this is a tragedy! wifi on the tube is still spotty and the standard is the exact right length to consume in like 10 minutes. huge loss. Chris Monk / @chrismonk: Never been a particular fan of the Standard, but kind of ridiculous to think that a city of 8 million people will no longer have a daily newspaper James Ball / @jamesrbuk: Feels like there was a missed opportunity to get ahead of some of this during the pandemic — perhaps not helped by the constant boardroom shuffling (and shuffling of editors). Josiah Mortimer / @josiahmortimer: Deeply depressing news. The Standard has been driven into the ground. An endless cycle of cuts, alongside the failed attempts to be a ‘national’ rather than a local newspaper, while being completely out of touch with Londoners on politics and WFH Stephen Pollard / @stephenpollard: Sad news. My first job in journalism was on the Standard as a leader writer under Max Hastings. It was as close to a dream job as exists. I learned so much and was so proud to be working for such a brilliant paper alongside stellar (and so friendly) colleagues. I really feel for Amar Singh / @amarjourno: A sad but inevitable development. I still remember the thrill of seeing my byline in the Standard for the first time. It was the paper my Dad would bring home from his daily commute when I was a child. Newspapers are in decline but proper journalism has never been so important. Sophia Sleigh / @sophiasleigh: Devastating news. Thinking of all the brilliant journalists today. The Evening Standard was a journalistic giant for a long time, setting the agenda for London and often the country. Gutting. @ianvisits: In its heyday, there were three editions of the Evening Standard published through the day as the news was updated. Now, it’s going to be one per week. David Gilmour / Mediaite: London’s Evening Standard Newspaper Goes Weekly Amid Losses Harry Owen / Harry Owen on LinkedIn: As many in our industry will feel, it’s disappointing to hear the news of the Evening Standard moving to become a weekly publication. … Tianwei Zhang / WWD: The Evening Standard Plans to Scrap Daily Print Edition Due to Substantial Losses Bloomberg: Apple is seeking a senior engineer to help build a TV and sports app for Android, a sign the company is bringing its TV+ service to the rival platform— — Company is seeking Android engineer to help build new app — It’s rare for Apple to develop software for rival platform Discussion: 9to5Google, The Information, AppleInsider, BGR, The Verge, Digital Trends, @anni_sen and 9to5Mac, more at Techmeme » Discussion: Cory Weinberg / The Information: What CoreWeave’s IPO Plans Say About IPO Market Wesley Hilliard / AppleInsider: Job listing suggests Apple is moving forward with plans for Apple TV on Android Jacob Siegal / BGR: Apple is finally looking to bring its Apple TV app to Android Sandy Writtenhouse / Digital Trends: The best antivirus tools for Android Anni / @anni_sen: $AAPL Apple TV on Android is a smart play. Beyond subscriptions this opens up ad revenue and viewership data on the worlds largest mobile OS. Benjamin Mayo / 9to5Mac: Report: Apple working on bringing Apple TV app to Android phones Wall Street Journal: Netflix is developing new music-competition shows similar to The Voice as it expands the breadth of its programming with brand-safe, family-friendly content— Netflix is ready to jam. The streaming giant is developing new music-competition shows in the image of long-running broadcast hits like … Discussion: Jessica Toonkel on LinkedIn and @theonlyjdb.bsky.social Rebuild Local News: Illinois legislators included in their budget new tax credits for newsrooms that hire or retain local reporters, allocating $25M over five years, and more— The State Legislature’s budget provisions support local news through employment tax credits, a 120-day delay on selling local newspapers … Discussion: John O’Connor / Associated Press: Illinois General Assembly OKs $53.1B state budget, but it takes all night Steven Waldman / @stevenwaldman: Finally, this includes a scholarship for journalists who go to Illinois schools and work in Illinois newsrooms. Another first. All 3 ideas are 1A friendly; no gov’t board choosing winners & losers. Comes on the heels of the NY breakthrough (also employment credit) @rebuild_news: We applaud Illinois for its landmark legislation supporting local news with an employment tax credit for current reporters and new hires. The state is committing $25 million over 5 years to for-profit and nonprofit newsrooms! Learn more: https://www.rebuildlocalnews.org/ … Alexa Jurado / @alexajurado6: home state W Steven Waldman / @stevenwaldman: And a separate bill (also awaiting gov signature) requires a newspaper to provide workers and community 120-day notice before selling to an out-of-state company, to give communities time to organize a bid to keep local news in local hands. First ever “replanting” provision in law Steven Waldman /