GOVERNMENT MEDIA: California Democrats Pass Legislation Funding Government-Overseen News Outlets

Think Pravda or Der Stürmer.

In an unprecedented move, the California legislature has passed a bill creating a news media subsidy program overseen by Gov. Gavin Newsom, which media experts say will discourage news organizations from holding the government accountable and reduce press independence

Democrats rushed the bill through in a week, Orwellian named “Civic Media Program.”

The program’s initial funding includes $10 million from the state this year and $10 million from Alphabet (Google), with future taxpayer funding contingent on matching private donations. The bill now goes to the governor’s desk for approval

In an unprecedented move, the California legislature has passed a bill creating a news media subsidy program overseen by Gov. Gavin Newsom, which media experts say will discourage news organizations from holding the government accountable and reduce press independence (1/4) pic.twitter.com/HZwVLZ8XAj

— Kenneth Schrupp (@kennethschrupp) September 18, 2025

CA lawmakers have proposed the California Civic Media Program to support local news through grants, but full discretionary grantmaking authority lies within the executive branch.

Read the bill analysis from our Policy Director @mattdpearce: https://t.co/3Bi27DjXDb

— Rebuild Local News (@Rebuild_News) September 10, 2025

An absolutely horrible idea and Newsom looks likely to sign it. Center Square: The California Legislature passed a bill to provide $10 million in state funding for a governor-overseen news media subsidy program that media leaders say will erode the incentive for news organizations to hold the government accountable for its actions. The bill now heads to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk for approval. “This new office undermines the very independence of local media,” said state Assemblymember David Tangipa, R-Fresno, in a statement to The Center Square. “Just like the Washington Post doesn’t run negative stories about Jeff Bezos — because he owns and funds it — Governor Newsom and the Legislature are creating the same conflict of interest with this new fund.” In an Assembly hearing on the bill, AB 155, Tangipa asked state staff about the program and its governance (Center Square). Kevin Schrupp: a coalition of 3,000+ newsrooms, warned against giving the governor’s office power to “pick winners and losers.” Yet the bill, rushed through in a week, seems to do exactly that under the “Civic Media Program” (Schrupp).