By Julian Do
For millions of Californians, ethnic and community media are more than a patchwork of local news sources. These outlets are “trusted messengers,” part of an expansive information network connecting otherwise hard to reach communities across the state.
A new legislative proposal would, if approved, shift how California communicates with its residents leveraging these critical sources of news and information.
The Ethnic and Community Media Equity Act (SB 1358) is currently making its way through Sacramento. The bill represents a potential shift in how California handles state-led marketing and outreach.
From audience reach to community engagement
Authored by State Senator Susan Rubio (D – Los Angeles), SB 1358 moves California away from a topdown, volume-driven planning model prioritizing audience reach and toward one that embraces hyperlocal, in-language media rooted in community and prioritizing audience engagement.
With over 1,270 distinct ethnic groups represented in its population, California is among, if not the most, diverse states in the country.
AB 1511, signed by Governor Newsom in 2024, already requires state agencies to “develop a plan for increasing expenditures directed to ethnic and community media outlets.” SB 1358 goes further, requiring that agencies set aside 40% of their annual advertising and marketing budgets for ethnic and community media outlets.
“This bill is aligned with California values to engage our communities as much as possible and keep them informed,” said Rubio in a social media post.
The ‘ad drain’
Supporters argue the bill would help California more effectively reach diverse residents on critical issues ranging from health alerts to climate and disaster relief and potential employment opportunities, to name just a few. Messaging, moreover, would be culturally and linguistically relevant to the target audience.
They add the bill corrects what is known as the “ad-drain” — the tendency for state marketing dollars to flow toward global tech platforms rather than local businesses. Keeping those funds within the California economy, they maintain, would support local journalists, graphic designers, printers, and regional distributors.
Critics worry about potential government interference in the free market and the administrative red tape of verifying and managing hundreds of small contracts. SB 1358 attempts to address this by centralizing its media database and simplifying the bidding process for smaller awards.
There are an estimated 300 to 350 ethnic news outlets in California operating in print, broadcast and digital formats. These outlets serve communities including Latino, Black, Asian American, and Native American populations, among others. Many also reach so-called “news deserts,” regions with little to no local media coverage.
SB 1358 follows a broader trend of “buy local” journalism strategies — aimed at shoring up local news industries — being adopted by states including Vermont, New York, Wisconsin and Colorado.
Key provisions of the bill
State agencies will direct at least 40% of their annual advertising and marketing budgets to ethnic and community media outlets.
The Office of Community Partnerships and Strategic Communications (OCPSC) will maintain a verified list of eligible media organizations to help agencies find local outlets.
For contracts between $5,000 and $350,000, agencies can skip complex bidding processes and award funds directly to verified outlets after getting at least two price quotes.
Every state agency will be required to have a small business liaison — a designated employee responsible for helping small businesses navigate state contracts and regulatory requirements. This includes working with local community groups and organizations to identify additional ethnic and community media outlets to be included in the statewide database.
State agencies would be required to report their exact spending and the platforms they used to the Governor and Legislature every year until 2031.
A financial lifeline
While the bill has passed through initial committee hearings with bipartisan support, it comes as Gov. Newsom mulls cuts to state spending in order to shore up the economy ahead of his departure at the end of this year, making its passage less than certain.
It also comes as media large and small continue to confront ongoing financial headwinds stemming from the loss of major advertising revenue to digital platforms. SB 1358 would bring some measure of relief for the media through increased state spending.
“These outlets are struggling with financial stability,” noted Rubio. “This bill will provide much needed resources so they can not only survive but they can thrive in their communities.”
