State-Funded News: Google and CA Governor Gavin Newsom Strike Deal to Reshape Media

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In a move that’s raising eyebrows across California’s media landscape, tech giant Google has struck a deal with state lawmakers that could reshape the future of local journalism.

At first glance, it might seem like a win-win situation: Google agrees to fund local news outlets and an AI initiative, while lawmakers shelve a proposal that would have forced the company to pay for distributing news content.

But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find this arrangement treads dangerously close to state-controlled media.

The deal, which still needs legislative approval, would pump nearly $250 million into California’s journalism sector over five years.

Governor Gavin Newsom is calling the deal a “major breakthrough” that will ensure the survival of newsrooms without new taxes.

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But here’s where it gets tricky. A big chunk of this money – $55 million from Google and $70 million from the state – would go into a “News Transformation Fund.”

This fund, run by UC Berkeley’s School of Journalism, would dole out cash to news organizations based on how many journalists they employ.

Now, ask yourself: If you’re a news outlet struggling to stay afloat, and your funding depends on pleasing the folks at UC Berkeley (not exactly known for their conservative leanings), how might that influence your reporting?

It’s not hard to imagine a subtle – or not so subtle – shift towards even more left-wing oriented, pro-Democrat and anti-Republican coverage and commentary.

Google’s also throwing $62.5 million at a “National AI Innovation Accelerator.” This program aims to help various organizations, including news outlets, experiment with AI.

Consider the implications. Who’s deciding which AI projects get funded? And how might that shape the future of news delivery?

Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, a Democrat leading the charge on this deal, seems obviously quite thrilled. But not everyone’s on board. Some lawmakers and a journalists’ union are raising red flags. And they’re right to be concerned.

Think about it this way: If your paycheck came from a fund controlled by the government and a tech giant, would you feel completely free to criticize either of them?

It’s like having your boss looking over your shoulder while you write your performance review.

In fact a quick search of “X” shows that journalists in California are practically giddy about the whole thing.

The only resistance to this “deal” is coming from those who want even more cash and journalists worried about losing their jobs to AI.

Governor Gavin Newsom claims this deal will “bolster local journalism.” But at what cost? Outlets will be trading editorial independence for the mirage of financial stability.

Once outlets get hooked on this cash you can bet the state will start squeezing those who don’t toe the line.

And more importantly, will the average Californian even realize their news is being indirectly funded by Google and the state government?

This isn’t just about California.

If this model succeeds, it could spread to other states, gradually shifting the media landscape across the entire country.

Before we know it, we might find ourselves in a situation where the line between independent journalism and state-sponsored media becomes even more dangerously blurred.

As citizens, we need to be aware of these changes.

We need to question where our news comes from and who’s funding it.

Because once we lose truly independent journalism, which is inches away from being extinguished, we lose one of the key pillars of our democracy.

So next time you’re reading your local paper or watching the evening news, ask yourself: Who’s really pulling the strings behind the scenes?

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In California, it might just be Google and the state government. And that should concern all of us.