FRESNO, Calif. — During this legislative session in Sacramento, two proposed bills would have forced tech companies to pay media outlets for using news stories. Those bills now look dead in the water after Google reached an agreement last week with state lawmakers. Google is promising $172 million to help fund local newsrooms across California.
"The deal really was kind of a surprise," said Joe Kieta, Executive Editor with the Central Valley Journalism Collaborative (CVJC).
The CVJC is a non-profit based in the Central Valley, working to expand local newsrooms across the region. This year, it launched The Merced Focus to cover news in and around Merced County. CVJC is also a financial supporter of KVPR.
Kieta also said the proposal would involve money from Google and a significant amount from California taxpayers. Although many news outlets across the state are struggling to maintain financial sustainability, Kieta said many in the journalism world are not pleased with the deal.
"Basically, no one is happy with this deal," said Kieta. "Because it leaves a lot out what could be a lasting solution, and it's kind of a drop in the bucket in terms of the amount of money needed to help solve this crisis."
Kieta and CVJC Executive Director Alma Martinez joined KVPR's Elizabeth Arakelian to share their reactions to the news and what might happen next.
Listen to the interview in the player on this page.
