#NNPA BlackPress

Rebuild Local News Wants to End ‘News Deserts’ and Revitalize Industry

A leading advocate for non-profit journalism says that to save U.S. democracy, local news organizations all over the country need a lot of government money, especially tax breaks. A recent attendee at the National Newspaper Publishers Association’s Midwinter Training Conference in Puerto Rico, Steven Waldman, a co-founder of Report for America, said a new initiative called Rebuild Local News aimed at revitalizing hundreds of local news outlets across America had been affected by changes in the industry, changes in advertising revenue structure, and, most recently, the pandemic.

Published

2 years ago

February 27, 2023

Oakland Post

According to The Guardian, the Rebuild Local News coalition is pushing for a comprehensive list of tax credits to keep local newsrooms afloat. This list includes a tax credit for small businesses that advertise in local news outlets, a tax refund for digital subscribers to local news, and payroll tax credits for hiring and keeping local reporters.

By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire

A leading advocate for non-profit journalism says that to save U.S. democracy, local news organizations all over the country need a lot of government money, especially tax breaks.

A recent attendee at the National Newspaper Publishers Association’s Midwinter Training Conference in Puerto Rico, Steven Waldman, a co-founder of Report for America, said a new initiative called Rebuild Local News aimed at revitalizing hundreds of local news outlets across America had been affected by changes in the industry, changes in advertising revenue structure, and, most recently, the pandemic.

According to The Guardian, the Rebuild Local News coalition is pushing for a comprehensive list of tax credits to keep local newsrooms afloat.

This list includes a tax credit for small businesses that advertise in local news outlets, a tax refund for digital subscribers to local news, and payroll tax credits for hiring and keeping local reporters.

Waldman and his coalition estimate that “philanthropy, businesses, consumers, and the government” will contribute $3.5 billion to the local news economy.

The original goal of Rebuild Local News was to get broad legislation to protect local journalism passed at the national level.

Still, Waldman says it is unlikely that the new Republican-majority Congress will agree to such a law.

Instead, the organization is refocusing its efforts on passing legislation in as many states as possible.

According to Waldman, the COVID-19 pandemic showed the need for more help for America’s local news media. Unfortunately, many news media in the United States have closed down, leaving people without local news.

“I just assumed this was going to be the apocalyptic event that wiped out local news,” Waldman said.

According to a 2022 report from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, the United States continues to lose newspapers “at a rate of two per week,” and the number of people reading newspapers is rising.

According to research, “news deserts” result in a less informed and engaged voter base.

According to a 2018 study from the University of North Carolina, 1,800 local newspapers have closed in the United States since 2004.

Financial firms and hedge funds, such as Alden Global Capital, have been criticized for not covering the news because they make a lot of money. This has led to news deserts.

Waldman also expressed his disappointment that COVID’s relief packages did not specifically address local media assistance, instead focusing on their corporate holding companies.

“I thought to myself, ‘OK, that’s probably a good thing.’ We should probably do that. But I also wondered, ‘Really, is that all we’ve got?

“Shouldn’t we be thinking more creatively about the future of local news?” he wondered.

Many U.S. news outlets rely heavily on revenue from print and digital advertising, but that market is getting smaller as Google and Facebook swallow up the advertising market.

Local news outlets in states like New York, California, Colorado, and Wisconsin are now working to protect their respective journalism businesses through legislation.

“Wisconsin is an interesting one because it has a very Republican Legislature. A conservative Republican legislator introduced a bill that received support from many business groups and the majority of the conservative leadership in the Legislature,” Waldman said.

“It’s a tax credit for small businesses that advertise in local newspapers. So, it’s indirect – It’s actually a tax credit for small businesses, not for the media.”

The language for such legislation was crafted before Waldman’s public policy project. And while the words of the bill, called the Local Journalism Sustainability Act, weren’t his, like any good editor, he and his team swiftly adopted it.

“[A bill] existed already, that a local newspaper chain guy in Arizona came up with. He called his local congresswoman, Anne Kirkpatrick, and they put together a bill. And it didn’t really go anywhere,” he stated.

“But when we were looking around back on the record, and we scoured the landscape for all the different public policy ideas, we saw this bill at the bottom of the pile that seemed much better than all the other approaches. So, we swarmed it, lifted it up, proofed it, and then the whole coalition got behind this idea.”

According to the Guardian, it has been a success on the state level in terms of getting support.

“Now there are 20 different bills in at least a dozen states, taking little bits and pieces of this [bill],” Waldman stated.

“At the end of the day, community journalism won’t survive unless the community supports it in some way.

“And we used to think of that as meaning the car dealer would have ties [through advertising], and now if we can’t rely on that, it must be community-supported in the sense of subscribing, donating, or getting the government to subsidize it.

“This is so important to the health of communities and democracy.”

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

7 Stars Implements Composting for Cannabis Waste

Don't Miss

Status Update on Bay Area Public Health Developments

Oakland Post

Click to comment

#NNPA BlackPress

Black Feminist Movement Mobilizes in Response to National Threats

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States.

Published

2 days ago

May 30, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States. The event, led by the organization Black Feminist Future, is headlined by activist and scholar Angela Y. Davis. Paris Hatcher, executive director of Black Feminist Future, joined Black Press USA’s Let It Be Known to outline the mission and urgency behind the gathering, titled “Get Free.” “This is not just a conference to dress up and have a good time,” Hatcher said. “We’re building power to address the conditions that are putting our lives at risk—whether that’s policing, reproductive injustice, or economic inequality.” Hatcher pointed to issues such as rising evictions among Black families, the rollback of bodily autonomy laws, and the high cost of living as key drivers of the event’s agenda. “Our communities are facing premature death,” she said.

Workshops and plenaries will focus on direct action, policy advocacy, and practical organizing skills. Attendees will participate in training sessions that include how to resist evictions, organize around immigration enforcement, and disrupt systemic policies contributing to poverty and incarceration. “This is about fighting back,” Hatcher said. “We’re not conceding anything.” Hatcher addressed the persistent misconceptions about Black feminism, including the idea that it is a movement against men or families. “Black feminism is not a rejection of men,” she said. “It’s a rejection of patriarchy. Black men must be part of this struggle because patriarchy harms them too.” She also responded to claims that organizing around Black women’s issues weakens broader coalitions. “We don’t live single-issue lives,” Hatcher said. “Our blueprint is one that lifts all Black people.”

The conference will not be streamed virtually, but recaps and updates will be posted daily on Black Feminist Future’s YouTube channel and Instagram account. The event includes performances by Tank and the Bangas and honors longtime activists including Billy Avery, Erica Huggins, and Alexis Pauline Gumbs. When asked how Black feminism helps families, Hatcher said the real threat to family stability is systemic oppression. “If we want to talk about strong Black families, we have to talk about mass incarceration, the income gap, and the systems that tear our families apart,” Hatcher said. “Black feminism gives us the tools to build and sustain healthy families—not just survive but thrive.”

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

#NNPA BlackPress

Hoover’s Commutation Divides Chicago as State Sentence Remains

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial.

Published

3 days ago

May 29, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The federal sentence for Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover has been commuted, but he remains incarcerated under a 200-year state sentence in Illinois. The decision by Donald Trump to reduce Hoover’s federal time has reignited longstanding debates over his legacy and whether rehabilitation or continued punishment is warranted. The commutation drew immediate public attention after music executive Jay Prince and artist Chance the Rapper publicly praised Trump’s decision. “I’m glad that Larry Hoover is home,” said Chance the Rapper. “He was a political prisoner set up by the federal government. He created Chicago Votes, mobilized our people, and was targeted for that.”

But Hoover, the founder of the Gangster Disciples, is not home—not yet. Now in federal custody at the Florence Supermax in Colorado, Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial. “There is a divide in the Black community here,” said Chicago journalist Jason Palmer during an appearance on the Let It Be Known morning program. “Some view Hoover as someone who brought structure and leadership. Others remember the violence that came with his organization.” Palmer explained that while Hoover’s gang originally formed for protection, it grew into a criminal network responsible for extensive harm in Chicago. He also noted that Hoover continued to run his organization from state prison using coded messages passed through visitors, prompting his transfer to federal custody.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who is widely considered a potential 2028 presidential contender, has not issued a statement. Palmer suggested that silence is strategic. “Releasing Hoover would create enormous political consequences,” Palmer said. “The governor’s in a difficult spot—he either resists pressure from supporters or risks national backlash if he acts.” According to Palmer, Hoover’s federal commutation does not make him a free man. “The federal sentence may be commuted, but he still has a 200-year state sentence,” he said. “And Illinois officials have already made it clear they don’t want to house him in state facilities again. They prefer he remains in federal custody, just somewhere outside of Colorado.”

Palmer also raised concerns about what Hoover’s case could signal for others. “When R. Kelly was convicted federally, state prosecutors in Illinois and Minnesota dropped their charges. If a president can commute federal sentences based on public pressure or celebrity support, others like R. Kelly or Sean Combs could be next,” Palmer said. “Meanwhile, there are thousands of incarcerated people without fame or access to public platforms who will never get that consideration.” “There are people who are not here today because of the violence connected to these organizations,” Palmer said. “That has to be part of this conversation.”

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

#NNPA BlackPress

WATCH: Five Years After George Floyd: Full Panel Discussion | Tracey’s Keepin’ It Real | Live Podcast Event

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

Published

4 days ago

May 28, 2025

admin

https://youtube.com/watch?v=OsNLWTz6jU0&feature=oembed

May 25, 2020. The world stopped and watched as a life was taken.

But what has happened since?

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

She shares reflections, insights, and the story of a community forever changed. What has a year truly meant, and where do we go from here?

This is more than just a date; it’s a moment in history. See what one leader in the Black press has to say about it.

Recorded live at UROC in Minneapolis, this powerful discussion features:

Panelists: