Recommendations
Our findings are clear: New York State agencies are not transparent about their advertising spending and community media, a vital part of the state’s media ecosystem, is not receiving an equitable share of the state’s ad spending.
This report clarifies the valuable impact that a guaranteed fair allocation of state agency advertising dollars to community media will have on New York State, its citizens, and community media serving people throughout the state. It will help assure that vital state information will reach those communities most vulnerable to mis- and disinformation and most in need of services and opportunities. It will also help to sustain community media as a trusted source of information contributing to a diverse, informed, prosperous, and healthy citizenry.
CCM urges the New York State Legislature and Governor Hochul:
- to adopt the model set by New York City Local Law 83 of 2021, directing state agencies to spend at least 50% of advertising funds with community media outlets. This will ensure that residents stay informed about public programs concerning housing, health, work, education and other areas that improve the New Yorker’s well-being, security and prosperity.
- to lead the effort to bring in the much needed legal, policy, structural and administrative reforms that can bring more accountability, transparency and equity in state advertising distribution, and give community media their fair share of ad dollars.
We are confident that meaningful reforms at the state level can increase sustainability of the community media sector and nurture healthy and vibrant media ecosystems across the region. Community media can be the trusted artery to ensure that state agencies’ crucial messages reach New York’s underserved and underrepresented communities equitably.
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