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Facebook Goes Local With $2 Million in Aid to California News Orgs: $100 Million More Up For Grabs

Published

5 years ago

April 16, 2020

Aldon Thomas Stiles, California Black Media

In an effort to help ensure a steady flow of credible and consistent coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Facebook Journalism Project (FJP), along with the Lenfest Institute for Journalism and the Local Media Association (LMA), extended their Community Network Grant Program to 400 local news organizations nationwide, totaling $2 million in aid.

Of that total, $160,000 went to 32 publications in California, including Black Voice, L.A. Focus Newspaper, San Diego Voice & Viewpoint, Westside Story Newspaper and California Black Media.

“We do something called the Community Network Grant Program several times a year,” said Josh Mabry, Facebook’s Local News Partnership Lead.

“As the COVID-19 situation started picking up speed and it became obvious that there was a traumatic impact on the economy broadly but also on local news providers, we thought we should open up the grant program as quickly as we can and get some money out to folks to address some of those critical needs,” Mabry said.

Lisa Collins, who is African American, is the publisher of the LA Focus newspaper and the producer of The First Ladies High Tea, an annual event held at the Beverly Hills Hilton that honors women.

Facebook awarded her publication a $5,000 grant.

“I’m so happy to have received the Local Media Foundation Grant,” Collins said.

“It has helped to support our ongoing attempts to keep the community informed about COVID-19 as we scramble to streamline our organization’s budget, reset priorities and adjust our strategy,” she added.

Not only does the grant financially assist local news outlets, it also intends to assuage some of the unexpected hardships of the current crisis.

“It may be something as simple as you don’t normally work from home and you’re working from home now but you don’t have a reliable connection. That’s some of the kinds of requests we’ve had coming in and that’s an unforeseen cost no one was thinking about,” Mabry said.

With businesses and other organizations suffering from sweeping financial losses, many companies have been asking for loans and grants to stay afloat. Before Facebook’s grant pool was doubled, more than 200 publications nationwide applied for the program in the first two days after the organization opens up the application process.

Very quickly it became obvious that the need was significant so we doubled our grant pool to $2 million,” said Mabry.

“We announced that there were 400 total grant recipients from the Community Network COVID-19 fund. We also announced last week that, in large part because of the interest in this program, that we’re making a larger investment to the tune of $100 million globally and $25 million in the US, specifically for local news.”

Some of this larger fund will also be going to fact-checking organizations worldwide as Mabry expressed concerns about misinformation surrounding this pandemic.

According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, African Americans in much of the country are dying at a disproportionately high rate from COVID-19

Jahmil Lacey, the founder of TrapMedicine in South Central Los Angeles, said in an interview with NPR that misinformation might play a large factor in the high African-American death toll.

“When the pandemic first started, there were a lot of rumblings around, like this being a hoax. I’ve heard stories about people believing that, you know, Black people were immune to coronavirus,” Lacey said.

The FJP takes credibility seriously and it is one of the main deciding factors in who received grants.

“We work with partners in the industry to review applicants as they come in and help us determine who are the credible sources of news and information and most importantly those local sources of news and information. That’s really who we’ve been trying to help with this funding,” Mabry said.

Mabry also detailed the selection process for applicants.

“We worked with the Lenfest Institute for Journalism and the LMA in our grant application selection process,” Mabry said. “Everyone had to submit what they would use the money for, the kinds of communities that they cover, how this funding was going to help extend their work or just maintain the work around COVID-19 with the goal of ensuring that local news organizations had access to resources to keep telling stories at the local level.”

And as for why Facebook is so adamant on helping support local news organizations during this crisis, Mabry stressed the importance of the proximity to relevant and accurate information.

“We all know what’s going on — on the national level, but when it comes to protecting your families and loved ones, your local communities are the first place to look,” Mabry said. “There is no other place to get information about your community than from the people in your community reporting on it.”

Aldon Thomas Stiles, California Black Media

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Related Topics:Facebook grant journalism grant pandemic covid-19

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Activism

‘Donald Trump Is Not a God:’ Rep. Bennie Thompson Blasts Trump’s Call to Jail Him

“Donald Trump is not a god,” U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., told The Grio during a recent interview, reacting to Trump’s unsupported claims that the congressman, along with other committee members like vice chair and former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, destroyed evidence throughout the investigation.

Published

10 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Congressman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss. Courtesy photo.

By Post Staff

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said he not intimidated by President-elect Donald Trump, who, during an interview on “Meet the Press,” called for the congressman to be jailed for his role as chairman of the special congressional committee investigating Trump’s role in the Jan. 6, 2021, mob attack on the U.S. Capitol.

“Donald Trump is not a god,” Thompson told The Grio during a recent interview, reacting to Trump’s unsupported claims that the congressman, along with other committee members like vice chair and former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, destroyed evidence throughout the investigation.

“He can’t prove it, nor has there been any other proof offered, which tells me that he really doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” said the 76-year-old lawmaker, who maintained that he and the bipartisan Jan. 6 Select Committee – which referred Trump for criminal prosecution – were exercising their constitutional and legislative duties.

“When someone disagrees with you, that doesn’t make it illegal; that doesn’t even make it wrong,” Thompson said, “The greatness of this country is that everyone can have their own opinion about any subject, and so for an incoming president who disagrees with the work of Congress to say ‘because I disagree, I want them jailed,’ is absolutely unbelievable.”

When asked by The Grio if he is concerned about his physical safety amid continued public ridicule from Trump, whose supporters have already proven to be violent, Thompson said, “I think every member of Congress here has to have some degree of concern, because you just never know.”

This story is based on a report from The Grio.

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City of Oakland Celebrates Reopening of Main Library

“Libraries are such critical facilities for all Oaklanders, whether it’s children coming to story-time, adults reading the newspapers or borrowing the latest novels, and people engaging with a range of services and programs that the library hosts,” said Council President and District 2 Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas. “Such library services and programs are only possible when the facility’s electricity, heating, roof, and lighting are fixed and running efficiently. I’m proud to join this re-opening of our Main Public Library.”

Published

11 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Left to Right- Jamie Turbak, Director of Library Services, LaTonda Simmons, Assistant City Administrator, Nikki Bas, President Oakland City Council, Shen Thao, Mayor of Oakland, Carroll Fife, Oakland City Councilmember District 3, Harold Duffey, Assistant City Administrator, Sean Maher, Projects Coordinator. Photo by Kevin Hicks.

The branch had been closed since May for critical infrastructure upgrades

Special to the Post

The City of Oakland leadership and community partners gathered to celebrate the reopening of the Main Library after completion of critical infrastructure upgrades to enhance the library’s facilities and provide a better experience for patrons.

Renovations include new roof installation, skylight repair, critical electrical system upgrades, new boiler control system installation, auditorium heating and cooling system installation, and improvements to lighting, flooring and ceilings throughout the building.

“This is truly something to celebrate, the reopening of our wonderful Main Library! I congratulate the staff and our partners for this important project to make the Main Library a more comfortable place for everyone for years to come, said Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. “Thank you to Oakland voters and the California State Library for making these crucial improvements possible.”

“Public libraries are a wonderful resource for our residents, offering a safe space for learning and being,” said District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife. “It is critical to improve and modernize our libraries so more members of our community can utilize and enjoy them. I’m excited that the necessary renovations to the Main Library have been completed successfully and thank everyone involved, particularly the City team, who helped secured the necessary grant funds for this work.”

“I am proud of the City staff and project partners who kept this important project on schedule and under budget,” said Assistant City Administrator G. Harold Duffey. “The library is an incredibly important resource for our community members, and this project is an investment into the library’s future.”

“December 2nd was a momentous occasion for Oakland Public Library as we proudly reopened the doors of the Main Library following extensive infrastructure repairs,” said Director of Library Services Jamie Turbak. “Closing the Main Library for six months was no easy decision, as it serves as the central hub for our library system and is truly the heart of Oakland. Yet, this renovation was essential, representing more than just physical upgrades—it reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a safe, welcoming space for everyone.”

The City Administrator Jestin Johnson also attended the press conference and signalled his support for the completion of the record-setting completion of the renovations. Gay Plair Cobb, a newly appointed Library Commissioner said the Library represents the soul and brains of our community.

The Oakland Public Library secured funding for these crititcal repairs through a variety of sources. The California State Library’s Building Forward Library Facilities Improvement Program awarded the Main Branch $4.2 million. To comply with the grant terms, the City of Oakland provided matching funds through Measures KK, as approved by the Oakland City Council in October 2023.

The Main Library will host an Open House to celebrate the reopening on February 22, 2025, 10 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

About the Oakland Public Library

The Oakland Public Library is a part of the City of Oakland in California and has been in existence since 1878. Locations include 16 neighborhood branches, a Main Library, a Second Start Adult Literacy Program, the Oakland Tool Lending Library, and the African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO). The Oakland Public Library empowers all people to explore, connect, and grow. Oaklandlibrary.org

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Biden’s Legacy Secured with Record-Setting Black Judicial Appointments

His record surpasses previous efforts by his predecessors. President Jimmy Carter appointed 37 Black judges, including seven Black women. In stark contrast, Donald Trump’s first term resulted in only two Black women appointed out of 234 lifetime judicial nominations. The White House said Biden’s efforts show a broader commitment to racial equity and justice.

Published

11 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

iStockphoto.

By Stacy M. Brown
WI Senior Writer

President Joe Biden’s commitment to diversifying the federal judiciary has culminated in a historic achievement: appointing 40 Black women to lifetime judgeships, the most of any president in U.S. history.

Biden has appointed 62 Black judges, cementing his presidency as one focused on promoting equity and representation on the federal bench.

The White House said Biden’s efforts show a broader commitment to racial equity and justice.

Meanwhile, Trump has vowed to dismantle key civil rights protections, including the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

“Having the Black woman’s experience on the federal bench is extremely important because there is a different kind of voice that can come from the Black female from the bench,” Delores Jones-Brown, professor emeritus at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, told reporters.

Lena Zwarensteyn of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights told reporters that these district court judges are often the first and sometimes the final arbiters in cases affecting healthcare access, education equity, fair hiring practices, and voting rights.

“Those decisions are often the very final decisions because very few cases actually get heard by the U.S. Supreme Court,” Zwarensteyn explained.

Biden’s nomination of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court further reflects his commitment to judicial diversity. Jackson became the first Black woman to serve on the nation’s highest court.

Patrick McNeil, spokesperson for the Leadership Conference, pointed out that over half of Biden’s Black female judicial appointees have backgrounds as civil rights attorneys and public defenders, experience advocates consider essential for a balanced judiciary.

Meanwhile, Congress remains divided over the expansion of federal judgeships. Legislation to add 66 new judgeships—approved unanimously by the Senate in August—stalled in the GOP-controlled House until after the election. House Republicans proposed distributing the new judgeships over the next decade, giving three administrations a say in appointments. President Biden, however, signaled he would veto the bill if it reached his desk.

Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., argued the delay was a strategic move to benefit Trump’s potential return to office. “Donald Trump has made clear that he intends to expand the power of the presidency and giving him 25 new judges to appoint gives him one more tool at his disposal,” Nadler said.