US EditionCalifornia, Google cut pledged funds to support state’s newsrooms
- California and Google announced a partnership on May 21, 2025, to fund struggling news media through the California Civic Media Fund administered by the State Library.
- The partnership follows intense lobbying by Google and setbacks including Governor Newsom's budget cuts, which reduced the state's initial contribution from $30 million to $10 million.
- Google agreed to provide $10 million, down from the initial $15 million pledge, matching the state's reduced funding to support local news and an AI innovation accelerator.
- Assemblymember Buffy Wicks called the fund "seed funding" to attract philanthropy, while critics described the deal as a "1% solution" insufficient to reverse news industry decline.
- The agreement signals a shift from regulatory efforts toward public-private funding but leaves uncertainty about the fund’s long-term impact and the role of tech giants in sustaining journalism.
29 Articles
29 Articles
Google reduces donation to California newsrooms after Newsom budget plan cuts
Google announced Wednesday it has reduced its funding contribution for newsrooms across California, following the lead of Governor Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., who made a similar cut from his budget plan.
California and Google to make a media fund for the floundering news industry
An East Bay Democrat in the state Legislature announced the details on May 21 of a hard-fought partnership between California and Google to kick financial assistance toward the state's news media, an industry that shrunk dramatically in the digital age.
California, Google cut pledged funds to support state’s newsrooms
Google said Wednesday it would reduce its funding contribution for California newsrooms, following in the footsteps of state officials. The company has lowered its proposed $15 million donation to the California Civic Media Fund to $10 million instead. Google’s move comes a week after Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) cut the same amount from his budget…
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