NYC Policy Directs $72 Million to Community Media Over Five Years, New Report Finds

CRAIG NEWMARK GRADUATE SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM — A new report by the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism spotlights the transformative impact of New York City’s groundbreaking legislation supporting community media outlets, and the role of the school’s Advertising Boost Initiative in bridging implementation gaps. It also recommends significant changes to bring more transparency to government spending and ensure editorial independence.

The report finds that since the legislation’s inception five years ago, more than $72 million has been infused into the local community media ecosystem. This funding has bolstered trusted sources of news in dozens of languages and ensured critical government information reaches New Yorkers where they are. It has also brought greater transparency to the city’s advertising procurement process, once dominated by a handful of traditional outlets.

“Community media provide essential information to communities that are often underserved by mainstream media,” said Graciela Mochkofsky, Dean of the Newmark J-School. “They are a critical public good. And while public funding should never be the sole source of revenue for community media, it ought to be a key pillar of support.”

Read the full announcement here.