Why Taxpayers Should Pay for Local News
Neither Wealthy Companies nor Philanthropists Have Communities’ Interests at Heart
Whose job it is to revive local journalism in California?
Our state’s elites have a clear, if dubious, answer to that question: themselves.
These days, wealthy people and companies consider restoring a public-spirited local media to be a worthy cause. Last year, Google announced it was putting $300 million into supporting local news. A few weeks ago, Facebook announced its own $300 million local news initiative. Philanthropists and foundations have invested in news nonprofits, like the Voice of San Diego. And in Southern California, billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong has purchased the Los …
