Independent journalism is in crisis as LWVWA’s study shows, and we can help! Journalists are key to keeping our democracy strong and responsive.
Please help get the journalism support bill, SB5400 a hearing! Email Senator Warnick and ask her to encourage Senator June Robinson (Ways & Means Committee Chair) to call for a public hearing of SB5400. This bill would include funding to rebuild and expand the Murrow Fellowship at Washington State University, which has provided fellows to help with staffing at a number of news outlets across the state. The Fellows in some 22 newsrooms across the state have produced some Cracker-Jack reporting that has been made available for news outlets to use for free. SB5400 is a good bill and it won’t cost the state, taxpayers or local businesses a cent, unless those businesses are search engines or social media platforms that gross more than $5 million annually.
Sample Email to Warnick:
I am an Ellensburg resident who strongly supports the League of Women Voters of Washington’s call for a public hearing in Ways & Means to put SB 5400 on a road to passage.
The bill calls for a small surcharge – 1.22 percent – on search engines and social media platforms that gross in excess of $5 million annually. It would not draw from the state General Fund, a critical concern in this second tough budget year.
SB 5400 would raise an estimated $20 million annually to benefit both nonprofit and for-profit publications and broadcasters, all of which are under duress as internet giants scrape their content and dominate advertising. Some are barely hanging on.
Proceeds would be distributed via grants and would, in turn, bolster civic engagement by letting people know what is going on in their communities. Local businesses are healthier when the communities where they operate are healthier and more robust, too.
I’m especially pleased that the bill would set aside a small part of the revenue it generates to help expand the Murrow News Fellowship at Washington State University by placing a Fellow in each of our 39 counties.
Please urge Chairperson Robinson to schedule a public hearing for this bill!
Sincerely,
Your name & Phone number