Rebuild Local News Praises Connecticut Bill to Boost Local Journalism Through Government Ads
SB1230 requires agencies to prioritize ads in local news—newspapers, websites, and public media—over tech giants and national broadcasters, boosting community journalism without raising state spending
On February 7, 2025, President Steven Waldman testified before the Connecticut General Assembly’s Government Administration and Elections Committee in favor of Connecticut’s SB1230:
Local news has been collapsing around the United States. In Connecticut, we’ve seen a staggering 65 percent drop in newspaper employees since 2013, according to the State of Local News Reports from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern.
Nationally, on average, 2.5 newspapers close each week. Since 2000, there has been an 81% drop in newspaper advertising revenue. This disruption has resulted in the loss of journalism jobs and democratically vital news outlets across the country – more than 2,000 newspapers have closed since 2004, including here in Connecticut.
If Connecticut fails to reverse the alarming decline in local news organizations, we run the risk of countless consequences for Connecticut’s communities, including more corruption, higher taxes, decreased civic engagement, and increased political polarization.
This bill is creative. It would bring more resources to local news without increasing overall government spending. Instead, it says that government agencies should make a priority of advertising in local news outlets – rather than Facebook, Google, or national cable TV outlets.
It gives the state flexibility so that if this requirement would make it hard for an agency to meet its marketing goals, it can make the case and avoid the requirement. But it asks the agencies to put more effort into finding local news outlets to support.
These outlets include not only locally-owned newspapers and websites but also Connecticut’s excellent public media system, which operates with local licenses. Given the new war on public radio, this will be a welcome form of assistance.
This builds on a successful program in New York City, which has been a lifesaver for scores of community news outlets. We strongly endorse this legislation.
Steven Waldman is the chair of the Rebuild Local News Coalition, an alliance of 40 national and state associations, labor unions and foundations that together represent more than 3,000 newsrooms and thousands of journalists. The Coalition develops and advocates for public policies to strengthen community news.
Rebuild Local News is the leading nonpartisan, nonprofit coalition developing and advancing effective public policies designed to strengthen community news and information. Our broad-based organization brings together the largest alliance of local publishers and labor unions, civic organizations and newsrooms representing both rural and urban communities. Together, these 50 organizations represent over 3,000 newsrooms and 15,000 journalists working together to revive local news.
