Gavin Newsom Signs a Journalism Subsidy Bill As He Does Not Understand ‘Independent’ Journalism

 
Brad Slager
Opinion
Gavin Newsom signs journalism subsidy bill

Gavin Newsom signs journalism subsidy bill

Taking a break from spending his time anywhere but in the state that he runs, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) posted a video of himself signing a new bill into law. After stops in New Hampshire, the United Nations (for some reason), and fly fishing in Montana with Jake Tapper, Newsom boasted he has just saved news outlets in his state.

The bill, dubbed the Community Newsroom Employment and Workforce Sustainability Act, is a laboriously named piece of legislation that obscures what is actually in play – a media subsidy. Literally. Gavin Newsom will be making payouts to the press.

As it is written, the CNEWS Act is a payout to news outlets. The media sources will receive tax credits of $20,000 per journalist, up to the first five, and then $15,000 for any additional journos, and there are also credits for hiring new staff.

What is mirthful is listening to Newsom claim this is being done to support “independent journalism.” Well, Gavin, if a newsroom is beholden to the government for largesse to keep the lights on, then it cannot be said to be “independent”, can it?

As Gavin Newsom pontificates about the press holding the government accountable, he bypasses the problems created. His handout also introduces bias into the picture, because how willing will an outlet be to spout off about the very governing body that is cutting the checks? It also paves the way for leverage from the top, as those dollars flowing might be curtailed over unfavorable reporting.

Hard to see how the press is to be called independent, when you just made the news outlets dependents of the state.

Then we have more obliviousness arriving from the governor’s office. One of Gavin’s stunted social media minions pumped out a post lauding this “event”, and had the stones to also lay into President Trump.

While Izzy Gardon was blathering about “press freedom”, this became an error of both accuracy and timing. It can be proven that Gavin Newsom is not really all that jazzed about press freedom or allowing journalists to hold his state government accountable.

Just weeks ago, in August, the governor signed into law Assembly Bill 2624. This was the hastily written policy that was made to restrict investigative efforts looking into the rampant fraud being exposed in California. For that reason, it has been dubbed the “Stop Nick Shirley Act,” as it was directly crafted to put up roadblocks to the work Shirley had been conducting in California.

And yet today we have Gavin Newsom claiming he is the savior of the press and welcomes harsh accountability from that industry. In truth: He will squelch those voices exposing him in the media, and hand out checks to those outlets he approves.

Say, that’s a nice newsroom you got there; it’d be a shame to see the utilities cut when you all can’t pay your bills…

This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.

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