Opinion - We can’t wait on Big Tech to solve our local news crisis
The U.S. Department of Justice's latest antitrust case against Google has shined a spotlight on the tech giant's role in America's news ecosystem. Federal prosecutors argue that Google's dominance over digital advertising harms advertisers and publishers who pay the company a share of their revenue for brokering their website ads.
However, while the result of this case could financially benefit the predominantly large media companies that rely on this practice as a major source of income, the impact on small, independent outlets is less certain.
As publishers of local newspapers, we join our media colleagues who want to be fairly compensated for the use of content we produce. But local news cannot rely on Big Tech alone to solve our industry's ongoing financial crisis. It's time to pursue policies that don't rely exclusively on antitrust regulations to save local news.
Local news is a public good, as crucial to our democratic systems as utilities are to our homes and businesses. Reporters and editors who live in suburban and rural communities are far better prepared to cover those communities than national media outlets, who swoop in only when there's a major story that was usually discovered by (guess who) the local newspaper.
Truly local news outlets provide local jobs, ensure community values are prioritized in local coverage and tell stories that are relevant to folks' everyday lives. When these outlets disappear, the gap is often filled by the national, partisan media — a stark contrast to the local news outlets championing the stories that bridge partisan divides, like the church bake sale or the local high school football team's run to the state championship.
For years, tech giants have disrupted that crucial media landscape, siphoning away the advertising revenue that once sustained local newsrooms. In place of that revenue, they have offered grants and short-term initiatives to support journalism.
Building a business model on such a precarious foundation — whether the funders are philanthropies or Fortune 500 corporations — leaves local news organizations vulnerable to sudden funding cuts that could devastate entire newsrooms. These short-term solutions can pull the rug out from under local news, leaving entire communities without trusted sources of information.
To truly ensure the sustainability of local journalism, we need public policies that allow local news outlets to become and stay profitable without reliance on Big Tech's uncertain support. That's why recent legislative efforts in states like New York and Illinois are so important.
In New York, lawmakers passed the Broadcast and Newspaper Media Jobs program, a tax credit for local newspapers. The law provides eligible outlets a 50 percent refundable tax credit for the first $50,000 of each employee's salary, up to a maximum award of $300,000, offering direct financial assistance to prevent layoffs and closures in small newsrooms.
This policy — with objective and content-neutral eligibility requirements — allows local news outlets to remain financially stable and independent of outside influence. Illinois is pursuing a similar path, recognizing that without legislative support, the future of local news is at risk.
These legislative moves show how the government can play an essential role in safeguarding the future of local journalism by offering targeted support that enables newsrooms to stand on their own while preserving their journalistic integrity. Our nation's founders knew how important this was. That's why a free press is the only industry mentioned in our Constitution.
Policymakers across the country should follow the founders' intent. While federal antitrust cases like Google's monopoly trial may lead to some changes in the tech industry, it is unlikely to provide by itself the comprehensive solutions local journalism needs.
Democrats and Republicans alike have an interest in bolstering our local news ecosystem and supporting the news institutions that have covered America's small towns and cities for generations. Walk into the office of any elected official — Democrat or Republican, in D.C. or around the corner — and a story about them from the local newspaper is sure to be framed on the wall.
Our communities deserve independent, locally focused journalism that serves their interests. The stakes are too high to rely on short-term fixes from the very companies that disrupted our industry in the first place.
Without decisive action, the critical role of local news in holding power accountable and keeping our communities connected could disappear. We must act now to ensure that the future of local news is in the hands of the communities we serve.
This op-ed is part of The Hill's "How to Fix America" series exploring solutions to some of the country's most pressing problems.
Zachary Richner is a director at Richner Communications, Inc. Cameron Nutting Williams is the chief revenue officer of Ogden Newspapers and immediate-past president of the America's Newspapers board of directors. Jeremy Gulban is the CEO of CherryRoad Media.
