Rebuild Local News

08/25/2026

A free press is more than a source of reliable coverage. It’s a life‑saving public good.

A new international study from UNESCO, the International Fund for Public Interest Media, and DW Akademie analyzed data from 152 countries and found a consistent pattern. Where press freedom is stronger, communities face lower risks of conflict, repression and human rights violations.

The findings reinforce that journalism:
🏛️ Strengthens government accountability
⚡ Pushes leaders to act
🆘 Helps people navigate crises
🔍 Cuts through the disinformation that puts communities at risk

The impact is measurable. An article from The New York Times on a disaster generated an additional $500K in official aid. A campaign by journalists at the Los Angeles Times led to new building codes that made California’s largest city more earthquake‑resilient. Good reporting drives faster, more effective government response in moments of emergency and disaster.

Learn more:

A single New York Times article on a disaster generated an additional $500,000 in official aid. That’s just one of the findings on the critical role a free press plays in saving lives, according to a new UN report released on Tuesday.

08/20/2026

The California Legislature is on the cusp of passing the Community NEWS Act (AB 2222), a bill that would create refundable journalist employment credits that help local news organizations sustain and grow essential coverage of schools, local government and other community affairs. It marks one of the most significant steps California has taken to strengthen local news.

On Aug. 13, AB 2222 passed out of the California Senate Appropriations Committee on a 5–2 vote and is set for a vote by the full Senate. It has already passed the California Assembly with bipartisan supermajority support. The legislation was introduced by Assemblymember Chris Ward, jointly authored by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks and sponsored by Rebuild Local News.

The bill provides:
✅ Job retention credits | $20,000 per journalist for up to five positions, plus $15,000 for each additional journalist.
✅ Part time credits | $7,500 for part time journalist roles.
✅ New hire credits | $15,000 for news organizations that expand journalist headcount, stackable with retention credits.
✅ Applies to commercial and nonprofit, print publications, digital only outlets, broadcast stations including public media, and sole proprietors.

The Community NEWS Act has already cultivated a historic coalition of supporters, including the Media Guild of the West, SAG AFTRA, Pacific Media Workers Guild of The NewsGuild CWA, California News Publishers Association, California Independent News Alliance, California Broadcasters Association, Latino Media Collaborative, American Community Media, Institute for Nonprofit News, Local Independent Online News Publishers, California Black Media, Asian American Journalists Association of Los Angeles, The LA Local, Lookout Local, Cityside Journalism Initiative, The Sacramento Observer, CalMatters, The Journalism Chairs of the Cal State University System, and News/Media Alliance.

The California legislative session ends on Aug. 31. We encourage newsroom leaders, journalism support organizations and advocacy groups to support AB 2222 for a future with more robust local news, informed communities and stronger democracy.

Learn more:

Historically broad coalition backs AB 2222, advancing refundable employment credits to support newsroom jobs and local reporting across California.

08/19/2026

Six states are directing an estimated $82 million into local newsrooms this year; a powerful sign of what’s possible when policymakers treat trusted information as essential civic infrastructure.

Across California, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York and Washington, state legislators have enacted public policies that strengthen the local news organizations that communities rely on for accountability, connection and civic participation.

And the momentum is building. Bipartisan, state‑level efforts to invest in local journalism are accelerating, with more proposals expected in the years ahead.

“The trend line is up — there’s more and more states that are taking action, considering action, discussing public policy,” said Steven Waldman, president of Rebuild Local News. “A few years ago there were hardly any.”

Read more at Pluribus News:

State lawmakers are attempting to help newspapers and other local news outlets as they struggle to survive a disrupted information ecosystem.

08/18/2026

Rebuild Local News is thrilled to be co-hosting News & Brews San Diego, a networking event that will bring together journalists, editors, technologists, funders, and media leaders from across the independent news world.

If you’re heading to the 2026 LION Publishers Independent News Sustainability Summit in San Diego, join us to swap ideas, spark new collaborations, and connect with California’s local‑news leaders. Space is limited, so register for this free event today.

🗓️ When? Thursday, September 10 from 7–10 PM PT
📍 Where? Music Box, 1337 India St., San Diego, CA 92101
👉 How to Register? With this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSedNF2dN2SyFyff_zDPyI2VjhaGqsvAr408ib0Z_BnG5clS8w/viewform

The event is supported by the Institute for Nonprofit News, Report for America, Rebuild Local News, CatchLight, Reynolds Journalism Institute, Tiny News Collective, American Press Institute, California Local News Fellowship, Maynard Institute for Journalism Education, and others.

Join us for an evening of connection and conversation at this after-hours networking event. Who? All Independent News Sustainability Summit attendees are welcome. We'll also be joined by champions of local news in California. There is a capacity limit; please secure your free ticket as soon as possi...

08/13/2026

In 2025, Axios partnered with OpenAI to test a big question: Can emerging AI tools help make local news economically viable again? The deal funded the launch of 13 Axios Local newsletters, and in return, OpenAI gained access to Axios reporting to train its models.

Across the industry, the move sparked deeper concerns about what these arrangements mean for the future of the media ecosystem. Our policy director, Matt Pearce, pointed out a collective action problem in the industry. Newsrooms often take individual deals with tech platforms because acting together or pursuing legal action is far harder, even though those deals may carry unclear long-term risks.

“If you strike a direct partnership with an AI company, that benefits you but no one else,” Pearce said. “There’s a systemic problem, and you’re not really doing anything to address the systemic problem. If anything, you’re kind of benefiting from it.”

Read more at Columbia Journalism Review:

“At the end of the day, if someone’s going to pay you for content, you say: Well, how much are you going to pay me?” Jim VandeHei, the chief executive, said of his company’s deal with OpenAI. “If that payment feels like it’s a fair transaction price, you say yes.”

08/12/2026

"Last week, an AI newsroom beat mainstream journalists—including WIRED—to a story about OpenAI and hacking. It’s just the beginning."

Read more at WIRED:

Last week, an AI newsroom beat mainstream journalists—including WIRED—to a story about OpenAI and hacking. It’s just the beginning.

08/11/2026

"A massive analysis of every speech given on the floors of Congress between 1939 and 2023 finds that criticism of the news media is remarkably tied to specific partisan interests and historical moments."

Learn more at Nieman Journalism Lab:

A massive analysis of every speech given on the floors of Congress between 1939 and 2023 finds that criticism of the news media is remarkably tied to specific partisan interests and historical moments.

08/06/2026

𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦: We’re looking for an AI & Tech Policy Manager to help guide the future of how AI and local news coexist. If you bring experience in AI and tech policy, and want to work on legislation that strengthens the information ecosystem, this role sits at the center of that mission.

AI companies need healthy local newsrooms. Without them, AI systems rely on whatever content is available, whether it’s trustworthy or not. Strong policy can change that.

Learn more:

We are seeking a skilled policy manager with expertise in AI and tech policy to lead policy development and advocacy.

08/04/2026

Did you know the local news shortage is costing local governments and communities about $1.1 billion a year?

On Keep It Local, a podcast from the Local Media Foundation, our director of research, Matthew Baker, joined Ryan Welton to discuss the unexpected link between the decline of local news and the municipal bond market.

Listen to the Segment Now:

Communities that lose their local news source end up paying more to borrow money — an estimated $1.1 billion more a year, nationally, according to new research from Rebuild Local News. In this episode of Keep It Local, Matt Baker, director of research at Rebuild Local News, explains the unexpected...

08/03/2026

In the July 2026 issue of The Press Advocate, we spotlight:

🗣️ Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican, issuing a first‑in‑the‑nation executive order that prioritizes local news in state advertising.
📈 The Community News Fellowships Act, our new model law to help states place more reporters in newsrooms and expand community coverage.
🚨 New research indicating that declines in crime coverage are linked to fewer violent crimes being solved.

Read the full newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/rebuildlocalnews/vermont-governor-issues-historic-executive-order-supporting-local-news