10/31 Debate Primer: Subsidies For Local News

This week Political Union will be debating whether the federal government should subsidize local news.

To help prepare for the debate, here is a list of resources with some arguments for and against subsidizing news as well as descriptions of programs already in place:

• This short Medill report and Axios article offer snapshots of the decline in local journalism.

• Here, the New York Times describes the $1.7 billion in payroll subsidies for outlets that cover local news under the Build Back Better bill. Here, the WSJ editorial board argues against the subsidies.

• This piece from the Poynter Institute argues for a pooled government fund from which funds can be distributed in a credible way to newsrooms throughout the country. This Brookings report similarly details the issue and supports the usage of public funds to aid local news outlets.

• This interview from the Columbia Journalism Review features CUNY professor Jeff Jarvis sharing his concerns about government funding of journalism.

• This piece from the Foundation for Economic Education, a right-leaning org, argues against public funding of media. This opinion piece similarly opposes a specific government news-funding initiative in California.