New Jersey lawmakers have responded to a crisis in local news coverage by dedicating public money to fund journalism in what is believed to be the first effort of its kind.
The Garden State is flush in Super Bowl bets. The big game is expected to attract $100 million in wagers for New Jersey’s sportsbooks in the first year that gamblers can legally place bets on games at casinos in the state, a gambling association said on Monday.
JOURNALISM
NJ Bill Slots $5M To Help Local Media
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) is approving a bill that dedicates $5 million to strengthen local media outlets in the state. The state legislature passed the “Civic Info Bill” late last month. The bill created the Civic Information Consortium — a unique nonprofit developed with five universities — to promote the spread of news and information throughout the state. The bill was conceived by the Free Press Action Fund, an advocacy group on media issues.
The bill, currently being debated in the New Jersey legislature, would make videos recorded by police body and dashboard cameras secret, and would exempt the audio and transcripts of 9-1-1 calls from public disclosure.
Research shows local TV is still the biggest driver of local news consumption. So what happens when your “local” news is coming from another state?
COMMENTARY BY CHUCK LOVEY
TV Is Cheating New Jersey Viewers
New Jersey’s news sources are disappearing. And there is little of substance coming to replace them. It is time for the rest of New Jersey and its elected officials to speak out. Let us demand that the FCC act to provide us with the news and public affairs programming we deserve.
Exclusives
DIGITAL DMA
Hyperlocal Hotbed Thrives In New Jersey
New Jersey has no broadcast stations to speak of, relying on New York and Philadelphia for its stations, and two newspaper groups that dominate the online scene — Advance Publications’ NJ.com and Gannett-owned MyCentralJersey.com — making the state fertile ground for a myriad of hyperlocals news sites to fill in the gaps in coverage.
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Beginning Jan. 1, New Jersey residents can no longer put televisions, computers or computer monitors out for trash. A new law requires that so-called “e-waste” be recycled. That means many residents will have to take the items to a dropoff point, such as a county or municipal recycling center or to […]
