In an age where digital media has become the norm, newspapers and local news organizations are diminishing. According to Medill School of Journalism, the United States has lost 2,900 newspaper publications and two-thirds of its journalists since 2005.
National Public Radio news reported Google’s annual advertising revenue topped $230 billion, dominating the advertising market and ultimately diverting funding away from local newspapers that often rely on these ads to fund their publications.
Google argued that publishers do make money from advertising when users are directed to their websites — but not nearly as much, since local publications are still disappearing. All I see is a loophole for Google to continue their monopolization.
To support local journalism, CA lawmakers have been negotiating with big tech companies like Google and Facebook to pass the California Journalism Preservation Act (CJPA). This bill would require these platforms to pay a fee or negotiate with news outlets to use their content.
Companies deemed the bill “unconstitutional,” and temporarily removed links to California news websites, while threatening to cease funding non-profit newsrooms.
And although the CJPA achieved lots of momentum and support, it was abandoned in August, and a new backroom deal between big tech and California was announced.
“Instead of Google and Meta being forced to negotiate usage fees with news outlets directly, Google would deposit $55 million over five years into a new fund … to be distributed to local newsrooms — and the state would provide $70 million over five years,” said Jeanne Kuang of CalMatters.
The new deal also funds a novel AI research program that said to “empower organizations with new technology … by creating new tools to help journalists access and analyze public information” according to Assemblymember Buffy Wicks.
While some publishers were pleased, many journalists were not. And why should they?
No one belonging to any news organization helped put the agreements together, and it seems California caved into Google’s requests.
So why now, after trying to get Google to share the $230 billion in ad revenue, are we settling for a $125 million-a-year deal and an AI research program? As it stands now, only $55 million of the $125 is being provided by Google, with the rest being from taxpayers.
Backroom deals have always made me weary, especially in light of recent events concerning our nation’s questionable character. As if we needed any new AI technology, we are now including AI in journalism.
As a journalist, I don’t mind using AI to help transcribe interviews or provide inspiration for headlines; however, I don’t see how funding an AI research program would help support local journalism, especially when distributed by a company that was reluctant to help.
Rich lawmakers and wealthy big tech owners share the same third places; I can’t help but wonder why a bill fighting for the press, changed drastically at the 11th hour. What’s in it for both parties?
How well AI could hold elected officials accountable? Could AI provide transparency with what’s going on in a community?
Journalists will continue to hold others accountable, and AI will continue to moderate and recommend content to steer users away from stories that expose their creator’s faults.
I urge the public to actively seek news both in your community and beyond. Watch news from other countries; see what is not being covered by Western media; visit your news websites directly, instead of trusting the search engine’s top results; And ultimately, question everything — especially information given to you by this nation’s established systems.