Should states fund local journalism?
I’m not holding my breath in Iowa
The state legislature in New York just committed $90 million to help fund local journalism over the next three years. Yes, journalism is in crisis but is state funding the path back to profitability?
I think it poses all kinds of potential ethical problems. But I doubt we’ll ever have to worry about it in Iowa, or any other red state. Republican leaders in Iowa have demonstrated repeatedly their antipathy to the mainstream media. From banning reporters from the Iowa Senate floor, to ignoring requests for comment, to dragging their feet on FOI requests, to at one time considering doing away with public notices in local newspapers – a significant source of revenue for the papers – it seems GOP leaders in Iowa would be a lot happier if more news outlets died.
But in New York – a blue state – legislators are trying to help local news sources survive. According to the Columbia Journalism Review, eligible print and broadcast news outlets can apply to receive a refundable tax credit up to $25,000 per year covering the first $50,000 in employee salaries. There’s also a $5,000 subsidy for new hires. The three-year cap for each company is $300,000. Outlets owned by publicly traded companies, like the New York Times, can’t take part unless their circulation has dipped by more than 20% over the last five years.
If this ever came to pass in Iowa, money like that would mean a lot to a small paper like the Storm Lake Times-Pilot. But one hole in the New York plan is that online outlets are not allowed to participate. In Iowa, that would mean Axios or Iowa Capital Dispatch – which are both strong outlets with small staffs – would get no financial help.
The first domino
The New York bill was spearheaded by the Empire State Local News Coalition, a group of 150 small papers. The group’s leader, Zachary Richner, told CJR, “I hope that this is the first domino to fall, that it will allow other states to move forward with legislation that supports local news.”
None of us should be holding our breath about this ever happening in Iowa. The state eliminated funding for public radio two years ago. Iowa Capital Dispatch reported Republican legislators eliminated $345,000 in state funding to public radio. The Republican-dominated Iowa Board of Regents had previously eliminated $875,000 in funding to Iowa Public Radio.
The state of Iowa provides substantial support to Iowa PBS. The public television network currently receives nearly $8 million in the current fiscal year, an amount that has largely remained consistent in recent years. State leaders should be applauded for, with rare exception, keeping their hands off Iowa PBS and allowing it to be editorially independent.
A bad idea
Of all the possible solutions to the funding crisis for the news media, I personally think government funding is the worst idea imaginable.
This is where the capital-J emblazoned on my chest comes out. Journalists are supposed to do tough stories on those in power. They’re supposed to ask annoying questions and hold responsible those government leaders who aren’t serving the public who pays their salary. The idea of journalists on the one hand doing tough stories on the legislature while the other hand is held out for a subsidy just doesn’t work.
If I’m at a small newspaper and my local legislator supports money for my newsroom, do I go easy on him? Do I get accused of going easy on him whether I do or not? If my legislator opposes money for local journalism, do I rip her on the editorial page? Do I get accused of being tough on her whether I am or not?
Does the Governor expect her glowing news releases to get covered on my state-supported radio station, whether they’re newsworthy or not? Do I at least worry about it?
The ethical dilemmas are nearly endless.
The current economic situation for journalism is not sustainable, particularly for print. Jobs are being lost. Stories aren’t being covered because there’s not enough reporters. Taxpayers are poorly served when the watchdogs don’t exist anymore.
Some innovative solutions must be found. But government funding is one idea that if I had the power, which I don’t, I would veto in a heartbeat.
Members of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative cover the state geographically and with a wide variety of viewpoints. Pick out a few to financially support. It means a lot and keeps this experiment going. Thanks!
I agree, Dave. I would never accept government funding for my small news operation. Nonprofits and individual donors are better models.
They already have Fox News, Sinclair, and Lee Enterprises to support the GOP they don’t need anymore. It’s similar to Tass and Pravda in the old Soviet Union.