The article highlights the detrimental impact of Google and other online platforms on local journalism, which increasingly face financial ruin while online companies profit from appropriating their content. With over 3,200 newspapers shut down in the last two decades and a significant loss of newsroom jobs, the need for reliable sources of news has never been greater amidst rising disinformation. The author calls for California lawmakers to enforce legislation requiring these platforms to compensate news organizations for their work, rather than continuing to receive negligible support, which fails to address the issue at hand.
The theft fattens Google's bottom line while leading to the financial destruction of desperately needed news outlets. At a time of national disinformation campaigns, reliable news sources are needed more than ever.
More than 60% of newsroom jobs have been eliminated, and California alone has lost over 100 newspapers in the last decade, critical for the survival of local democracy.
The answer is not a public handout. That's not what we're seeking. The answer is to make online platforms pay us for our work product that they use.
State legislators and a governor give lip service to saving journalism but are unwilling to stand up to Google's $11 million lobbying effort. The result has been crumbs thrown our way.
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