To save community news, refine NYC’s bold but flawed local ad law
Over the past few months, New York City’s groundbreaking program to direct 50% of government advertising toward community news outlets has drawn fresh scrutiny. And in examining the policy’s strengths and weaknesses, two things are clear: First, the policy has succeeded as a lifeline to local news, directing more than $72 million to mostly small outlets that serve the city. Second, there are flaws that must be addressed.
A new independent report makes clear that since the policy went into effect, community and ethnic news outlets have benefited tremendously, in many cases improving coverage and staffing for the many communities that rely on non-English speaking outlets and hyperlocal community media for their news.
Related Knowledge Center: Local media
The hollowing out of the local news ecosystem has been well documented; in some communities, efforts are underway to reverse the growing news desert.
Related Knowledge Center: State of the business model
The traditional journalism business model has long since collapsed, and news organizations have shrunk or disappeared entirely. While a number of promising experiments are under way, the public has not shown a willingness to buy what news organizations are selling.