Overview

• Over 115 journalists were laid off from the Los Angeles Times last week, prompting a national outcry and a letter from 10 members of Congress.
• Two bills aimed at saving journalism jobs and ensuring fair compensation from tech giants are currently held up in Washington, D.C.
• Local newspapers are closing at an alarming rate, with more than 40,000 newsroom jobs lost over the last two decades and roughly a third of the country's newspapers gone.
• Several states are considering or have passed policies to help local journalism, but a federal solution is needed to ensure citizens nationwide are informed.
• Proposed solutions include tax credits for newsroom jobs, tax credits for small businesses that advertise in local news, and a local news coupon system.