| Hi there,
This week we have 5 million reasons to be hopeful.
In the Trump era we spend most of our time fighting an onslaught of terrible policies — from the destruction of Net Neutrality to mega-telecom mergers to assaults on press freedom. But that’s not all we’ve been up to.
We’ve also been working in New Jersey on innovative solutions to the growing local news crisis, which has left communities throughout the state with little to no local news coverage. And after an 18-month-long campaign, this week Gov. Phil Murphy approved $5 million in the FY 2019 budget for the Civic Info Bill1.
We won’t stop fighting to build the world we want to live in — but we can’t do it without you. Chip in $5 (or whatever you can) today.
The Civic Info Bill2, which now awaits Gov. Murphy’s signature, will establish the Civic Info Consortium. The consortium will fund projects to improve the quantity and quality of news and information in New Jersey communities, which will benefit longstanding and startup news outlets alike while also launching media-literacy and civic-engagement programs. It will also provide grants to support the information needs of New Jersey’s low-income communities and communities of color.
Free Press Action Fund conceived and wrote the Civic Info Bill. This legislation — and the nonprofit it will create — are the first of their kind in the nation.
This victory is huge for the state of New Jersey, but it also provides a playbook for what’s possible in other states that are suffering from a lack of local news coverage.
When we launched this effort, this legislation was labeled a pipe dream, an impossible task, a hopeless campaign. But even in these trying times, not all is lost. Donate $5 today to help us build a fair and just media system.
Thanks for all that you do—
Heather, Mike, James and the rest of the Free Press Action Fund team
newsvoices.org
P.S. This victory wouldn’t have been possible without you. Pitch in $5 (or whatever you can) to support the future of community-centered journalism.
1. “Victory: New Jersey Dedicates Millions to Strengthen Local News Coverage,” Free Press Action Fund, July 2, 2018: https://act.freepress.net/go/24149?t=8&akid=9779%2E10296224%2E3edTRf
2.“Why the Civic Info Bill Is Such a Huge Deal,” Free Press Action Fund, July 2, 2018: https://act.freepress.net/go/24150?t=10&akid=9779%2E10296224%2E3edTRf |
