California's news industry is shrinking while misinformation spreads. Here's what the numbers tell us

As the world turned digital, people were quick to drop their Sunday papers and pick up their smartphones for news. Advertisers followed suit as digital platforms became more valuable real estate than print newspapers, leaving California news outlets desperate to find ways to stay profitable and relevant. News outlets must spend at least 70% of the received funds on their staff. A second bill being considered by California lawmakers, Senate Bill 1327, would charge Amazon, Meta and Google a "data extraction mitigation fee" for data they collect from users. The funds would go toward supporting local newsrooms.