LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Nov. 10 approved a motion by Board Chair and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis and Fourth District Supervisor Janice Hahn directing the county to develop a coordinated strategy for working with local, ethnic, community and hyperlocal media organizations.
The motion calls for a countywide framework to strengthen the role of diverse media in county communications, improve transparency in advertising expenditures, expand access to county contracts and establish more consistent engagement with news organizations serving communities across Los Angeles County.
“Local and ethnic media are often the primary source of news and public information for communities that larger news organizations do not adequately reach. They report in the languages residents speak, cover the neighborhoods they know and bring attention to issues that might otherwise go unreported,” said Los Angeles County Board Chair and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. “The County must take a closer look at how we distribute public information and advertising dollars and ensure these outlets have a meaningful opportunity to compete for County business. How we communicate with residents matters, and so does where we invest our public resources.”
The motion responds to longstanding gaps in the county’s approach to ethnic and hyperlocal media. A 2020 board directive found that although most county departments used these outlets for outreach, the county lacked comprehensive data on advertising expenditures and utilization. Without consistent reporting and coordination, the county cannot fully assess where its advertising dollars go or how effectively its communications reach diverse communities.
California has lost more than 12,000 local journalists since 2002, reducing coverage of local government, public health and neighborhood issues. Local and ethnic news organizations provide reporting in languages and communities that larger outlets often do not reach, making them important partners in ensuring residents can access timely, relevant information.
“When we’re trying to get the word out about County programs and services, we should be advertising with the local media outlets and small papers our residents already depend on and trust,” said Los Angeles County Fourth District Supervisor Janice Hahn. “It would help our departments better reach the communities that need them most – and the advertising dollars would be a lifeline for small newsrooms that are hanging by a thread. This would be a win for local journalism, a win for our communities, and a win for the County.”
The motion also draws on New York City’s approach to community media. After a 2013 study found that 82% of city advertising went to mainstream publications and only 18% to community media, New York established a goal of directing at least 50% of its advertising spending to ethnic and community outlets. Community media ultimately received 84% of print and digital advertising allocations, redirecting $72 million into the local media ecosystem over five years.
“An equitable distribution of public advertising dollars is not charity. It is smart public policy,” said Arturo Carmona, President of the Latino Media Collaborative. “Our outlets reach residents who rely on news in their own languages and through organizations they have trusted for generations.”
The Latino Media Collaborative, a coalition of local and ethnic news organizations, brought together publishers and editors to support the motion, including LA Public Press, LAist, San Fernando Valley Sun, Impulso, La Nueva Voz and California Black Media.
“Information is where progress begins. When we know better, we can do better,” said Regina Wilson, Executive Director of California Black Media. “For too long, local and ethnic media have been overlooked in public advertising decisions, despite their critical role in reaching California’s diverse communities. This motion is an important first step toward understanding where public dollars are going, identifying who is being left out, and making informed decisions that ensure public information reaches the communities it is intended to serve.”
“LA County is home to an extraordinary network of local, independent, and community newsrooms that connect residents to information they cannot find anywhere else. I applaud the Board of Supervisors for taking this important first step toward ensuring local news media have a fair opportunity to compete for public-sector advertising dollars in Los Angeles County,” said Matt Tinoco, CEO & Founder of LA Public Press. “It builds on recent policy accomplishments in Sacramento intended to help stabilize a news industry that has long faced persistent contraction in recent decades. There is no simple solution to the circumstances that have led to the profound erosion of local journalism in this country. But this motion is a huge opportunity for Los Angeles County to lead in an important developing arena of public policy. I am excited to work with the board on this issue for as long as it takes to ensure a robust financial foundation for journalistic institutions in my beloved Los Angeles.”
Under the motion, the county’s chief executive officer, in consultation with the internal services department, the Anti-Racism, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative, the Office of Immigrant Affairs and other relevant departments, will report back within 120 days on four areas of work: the feasibility of establishing a countywide framework, including a potential set-aside of departmental advertising budgets; identifying philanthropic and academic partners to support an independent assessment of county advertising and marketing expenditures; incorporating the county’s ARDI assessment tools into communications, advertising and media procurement practices; and engaging local, ethnic, community, public and hyperlocal media organizations to inform the county’s recommendations.
The effort aims to make county communications more inclusive, strengthen partnerships with the media organizations that serve its diverse communities and ensure public resources are used effectively to reach residents with information they need.
Details: Watch the press conference: here.