California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development announces Civic Media Program advisory board, bolstering efforts to support local journalism across California

SACRAMENTO – The California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) today announced the nine members of its Civic Media Program advisory board made up of news industry leaders from across the state.

The Civic Media Program is a $20 million public-private partnership comprised of equal initial funding from the State of California and Google to support the essential work of California’s journalists and strengthen community engagement across the state.

“An informed public is the foundation of a healthy democracy. By bringing together distinguished leaders from across the state who care deeply about supporting local journalism, expanding access to trusted information and improving newsroom sustainability, the Civic Media Program will help Californians stay connected to the issues that shape their lives and strengthen their communities.”

– Dee Dee Myers, Senior Advisor to Governor Newsom and Director of GO-Biz

A diverse coalition of industry leaders

The advisory board includes statutorily designated representatives from organizations with an impressive track record of supporting California’s news ecosystem and bolstering local reporting across the state, including:

• Arturo Carmona, President of the Latino Media Collaborative
• Chuck Corra, Associate Director of Policy and Advocacy at Local Independent Online News Publishers
• Erik Cushman, Publisher at Monterey County Weekly
• Julian Do, Co-Director of American Community Media
• Sean Emery, President of the Media Guild of the West and Journalist at Southern California News Group
• Jeff Glasser, General Counsel at the Los Angeles Times
• Marian Kaanon, President and CEO of the Stanislaus Community Foundation
• Julie Patel Liss, Chair of the California State University, Los Angeles, Department of Television, Film & Media Studies
• Regina Wilson, Executive Director of California Black Media

The advisory board will hold public meetings throughout the year to provide recommendations to GO-Biz on the program’s overarching design and implementation. Meetings will be noticed on the Civic Media Program webpage.

GO-Biz remains committed to broad industry engagement and will continue to consult with an array of journalists, publishers, advocates, and news industry leaders.

Looking ahead

To ensure strict editorial independence, GO-Biz has selected the James B. McClatchy Foundation as the third-party administrator for the state funds following a thorough RFP process. The Foundation is an experienced California-based nonprofit with a track record of administering multimillion-dollar journalism and newsroom grant programs. 

The Foundation will be responsible for crafting overarching program guidelines in conjunction with GO-Biz and the advisory board but will independently process and score all grant applications ahead of final awards.

“Local journalism is essential civic infrastructure, and this program recognizes that communities across California need trusted, facts-based and timely information to fully participate in public life. Through long-standing regional partnerships in the Inland Empire and Silicon Valley, and statewide collaboration with community foundations across California, we’re prepared to help ensure this program reaches newsrooms where they are, while fully protecting editorial independence and honoring the leadership of journalists, publishers, and non-profit newsrooms who know their communities best.”

– Priscilla Enriquez, President and CEO of the James B. McClatchy Foundation

GO-Biz will release detailed program guidelines and qualifications for funding this spring. The program’s application window will open this summer, with awardees announced in the fall. 

For any questions, please reach out to CivicMedia@gobiz.ca.gov.