State Policy Playbook 2026: How Newsrooms Can Advocate for Local News

Rebuild Local News and the Online News Association co‑hosted the “2026 State Policy Playbook for Newsrooms” webinar as part of the inaugural Local News Day. The virtual session brought together newsroom leaders, journalists and media advocates to explore the fast‑moving state policy landscape and share practical strategies for engaging lawmakers at a moment when momentum for strengthening local news is accelerating.

As the crisis deepens, more legislators, philanthropic partners and community leaders are stepping forward to support smart, effective, First‑Amendment‑friendly solutions.

Speakers included:

• Matt Pearce, Director of Policy, Rebuild Local News
• Susan Patterson Plank, Director of Government Affairs and Partnerships, Rebuild Local News

Emerging Policy Models

The speakers outlined four policy approaches gaining traction across the country, each designed to strengthen local newsrooms and expand access to trustworthy community news and information.

• Local Journalist Employment Subsidies: Refundable tax credits that help newsrooms retain and hire reporters. Enacted in Illinois, New York and New Mexico.
• Small Business Advertising Incentives: Tax relief for small businesses that advertise with local outlets. Under debate in New Hampshire, Illinois and Kansas.
• State Journalism Fellowships: State‑funded, university‑administered programs placing early‑career journalists in local newsrooms for one to two years. Enacted in New Mexico, Washington and California.
• Government Advertising Set‑Asides: Requirements that public agencies direct a portion of their ad budgets to local media. Adopted in New York City, California, San Francisco and Chicago.

Explore other legislative initiatives on Rebuild Local News’ Policy Menu.

State Policy Overview 2026

The policy landscape is evolving quickly, with states across the country testing bold, creative approaches to supporting journalism. The recap below highlights where the most promising activity is emerging and the models now shaping the next generation of local news legislation.

• New Mexico: A major investment enacted of $20 million over five years in refundable employment tax credits to help newsrooms hire and retain reporters.
• Utah: First‑in‑the‑nation tax on targeted Big Tech advertising, with revenue supporting teen mental health, literacy and “civic information programs.”
• California: New journalist employment tax credit bill introduced; advocates pushing to renew funding for the California Local News Fellowship and Civic Media Program, alongside a proposed $70 million stabilization fund for public broadcasters.
• New Jersey: Bills introduced that would direct 30 percent of discretionary state advertising to local media and add transparency requirements for tracking spending.
• Maryland: Legislation introduced that would direct 50 percent of state advertising to local outlets.
• Connecticut: Three bills under consideration: government ad-spend reporting, a small‑business advertising tax credit, and a journalism internship/fellowship program.
• Minnesota: Proposed $500,000 workforce development investment to build a local news talent pipeline through paid internships.
• New York: Applications opened for $30 million in refundable tax credits for commercial newsrooms; new legislation introduced to expand support for nonprofit news outlets.
• Wisconsin: Bills proposing a civic information consortium, subscription tax credit and journalism fellowship program were introduced but did not advance.
• Pennsylvania: Civic information consortium and journalism fellowship bills stalled without a scheduled vote.

Watch the recording of the session for more detail, or explore Rebuild Local News’ State Activity Tracker for the latest updates.

Advocacy Guidance

The second half of the session focused on practical, accessible steps to engage policymakers, whether they’re seasoned advocates or approaching this work for the first time. Speakers emphasized that effective advocacy is grounded in clarity, preparation and a strong connection to community impact.

Legislators Are Real People, Too.

Participants were reminded that lawmakers care deeply about their communities and respond best to clear stories and local examples that show real impact. Building relationships is essential: a single meeting rarely moves a bill. Off‑session conversations, district visits, and invitations to your newsroom all create space for deeper, more grounded discussions and help legislators understand the realities your staff and community face.

Before You Engage

Teams should clarify who’s willing to advocate, who brings political experience, who benefits from proposed policies and how to navigate internal disagreements.

Is It Okay for Journalists to Advocate?

Yes! Supporting local news is fundamentally about supporting communities. Studies have shown that the loss of local reporting leads to less civic engagement, higher costs for local government, more misinformation and more polarization.

All discussed policies are First‑Amendment‑friendly, meaning they safeguard editorial independence.

Do Your Homework

Know the legislator’s committees, priorities and voting history. Treat staffers with the same respect as elected officials as they often carry deep policy knowledge and play a major role in shaping recommendations. Stay focused on the single issue at hand and work to find common ground: Journalists and legislators both care deeply about their communities.

Inside the Meeting

With meetings often limited to 15–20 minutes, focus is everything. Start with quick introductions then move directly into a clear, grounded story about how the bill affects your newsroom or community, using local examples or data when possible.

Close with a direct ask, whether you’re seeking support, co‑authorship or a yes vote, and leave behind a concise one‑pager to reinforce your points. If multiple people are speaking, rehearse the flow so handoffs feel natural and everyone knows their role.

Making the Case

Use clear, verifiable data to illustrate the scale of the crisis and why policy solutions matter. Data helps ground your story in facts and gives legislators a concrete sense of what’s at stake. For example:

“According to the Local Journalist Index, the number of local journalists has dropped by more than 75 percent since 2002.”

No single source captures every outlet or nuance, so use data as an anchor rather than the entire argument. Additional resources include the 2025 Medill State of Local News Report and the Local News Impact Consortium’s news studies database.

Words & Phrases That Resonate

Speakers noted that effective advocacy often comes down to using language that feels familiar, neutral and community‑focused. Drawing from Press Forward’s Words That Work toolkit, the session highlighted terms like local information, trustworthy, independent, fair, and transparency, which tend to land well with broad audiences.

Phrases such as “local news is a public good” and “news as a community connection” also perform strongly. Using this kind of language helps frame local news as a practical, community‑serving resource rather than a partisan or abstract issue.

Tailoring Your Message

When shaping your pitch, frame local news in ways that connect to priorities legislators already understand. Effective angles include:

• A small‑business issue: Newsrooms operate like any other hometown employers: they hire locally, buy locally and contribute to the economic and cultural fabric of the community.
• A jobs issue: Policy support helps protect existing reporting jobs and creates conditions for new ones, making the impact concrete and measurable.
• A community infrastructure issue: Local news functions like other essential services, giving residents the information they need to navigate schools, safety, public spending and local decisions.
• A shared‑values issue, not a partisan one: Focus on trust, fairness, accountability and community well‑being to keep the conversation grounded and widely resonant.

Other Ways to Advocate

• Guest Columns or Op‑Eds: Bring community voices into the conversation by inviting local leaders or subject‑matter experts to explain why strong local news, and specific bills, matter to residents.
• Events: Host panels, newsroom conversations or small community gatherings that highlight the local news crisis and create space to discuss policy solutions.
• Coverage: When legislation is introduced, cover it clearly and factually so readers understand what the bill does, who it affects and why it matters locally.
• Relationships: Build rapport before you need it, even a simple coffee or check‑in helps establish trust long before a bill comes up.

Advocacy takes persistence, but every step matters. As the speakers noted, “Passing a bill can feel like pushing a boulder uphill – progress only happens because someone starts the push.” Even if you’re not in a position to advocate directly, educating lawmakers about the problem is one of the most valuable contributions you can make.

About Us

Rebuild Local News is the leading nonpartisan, nonprofit coalition developing and advancing effective public policies designed to strengthen community news and information. Our broad-based organization brings together the largest alliance of local publishers, labor unions, civic organizations and newsrooms representing both rural and urban communities. Together, these 55 organizations represent over 3,000 newsrooms and 15,000 journalists working together to revive local news.

The Online News Association (ONA) is a nonprofit membership organization and the essential hub for adaptive leadership in journalism. We convene and equip changemakers in journalism with the insights, training and connections they need to shape the future of the industry. ONA offers virtual and in-person programs throughout the year, hosts an annual conference and administers the Online Journalism Awards.