Nieman Reports interviews former journalist Steve Stadelman, now an Illinois state senator, about his two state Senate bills “that aim to keep local newspapers alive, put more reporters on the ground, and ultimately protect democracy.”
One measure would offer local news outlets tax incentives for hiring more journalists, among other provisions. The other would create ways to reimburse local news media when larger news companies use their material.
Noting that “the number of working journalists in Illinois and across the country has dropped dramatically over the last 10, 15 years,” Stadelman tells Nieman Reports: “People don’t have the information they need to make decisions, whether they’re voters or just knowing what’s going on in the community.”