• by Ray Schultz , April 10, 2024

Publishers seeking passage of the New York Local Journalism Sustainability Act, a bill that would provide tax credits for news outlets hiring local reporters, have received a boost from a national group. 

“America’s Newspapers, the largest trade association of local newspapers in the U.S. with over 1,700 member publications, endorses the New York Local Journalism Sustainability Act,” the group said in a statement. “We applaud the New York State Senate for including this important tax credit for local news organizations in its one-house budget, and we call on NY Governor Hochul, the NY Senate, and the NY Assembly, to include the NY Local Journalism Sustainability Act in the state’s FY'25 budget.”

Dean Ridings, CEO of America’s Newspapers, says the Act would be the first legislation of its type in the nation. 

But he adds that “a federal version of the New York legislation, the Community News and Small Business Support Act, has over 40 co-sponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives, with an equal number of Republicans and Democrats signing on to the federal bill.”

The bill is also supported by the Empire State Local News Coalition, a group that seeks to foster local journalism in New York State. It now has more than 150 members.