Since San Mateo County is giving away money to support local journalism, the temptation (ever-present for a lifelong smart aleck) is to volunteer for the next round. I promise, as the saying goes, to spend most of it on gambling, alcohol and companionship, and the rest I will spend foolishly.
But the Coastside News Group Inc., publisher of the Half Moon Bay Review and Pacifica Tribune, is a serious news organization and the recent granting of $40,000 in discretionary county funds to be split evenly between the two newspapers deserves serious consideration.
It is, as Editor and Publisher Clay Lambert said in an interview, a serious and even desperate time for newspapers. Across the country, some of the largest and most prominent newspapers are struggling to survive, having lost massive advertising revenue and readership to online resources. The problem is even more acute in local journalism, where scrutiny and accountability of government may be most crucial. Dozens of local papers like the Review and the Tribune have gone out of business.
Asked if the infusion of county funds signals that the CNGI newspapers are in trouble, Lambert said with a slight chuckle, “When is it that newspapers are not in trouble?”
A lot of businesses are in trouble, however, many of them for the same reasons. Why not bail them out?
Lambert said the grants, initiated by Supervisor Ray Mueller, recognize the unique positions of the Tribune and Review as the only dedicated coastside sources of local information, and not just about government. The CNGI online site often is the most useful resource in emergencies. The papers frequently waive their $66 annual paywall fee to send out timely updates about wildfires, flooding, crime and the seemingly ever-present road closures, he said.
“This is a particular place,” Lambert said. “We’re kind of on our own here.”
Lambert said government funding may be the only way to ensure the future of newspapers and local journalism specifically. He noted there have been efforts in Congress to provide financial support to local news, and there is a long history of newspaper finances being intertwined with government, whether it is free placement of news racks, legal advertising, direct funds for internships or, the newest proposal, tax credits.
Maybe a more comfortable answer would have been for the county to buy $40,000 worth of ads that can be used to inform about county programs and resources. Or the county could pay for a coastsidewide waiving of the papers’ paywall.
There is no question a direct grant of funds feels uncomfortable — the watchdog funded by the watched.
“I understand the concern,” Lambert said. “I’m not worried about it, personally. We already have conflicts of interests with advertisers,” and those do not color the news coverage.
The concern was raised obliquely by Supervisor Noelia Corzo, who abstained on the 3-1-1 vote to approve the money (Supervisor Warren Slocum voted no without explanation). She wondered “about unbiased reporting when a supervisor (Mueller) is funding media.”
It will have no effect, Lambert is saying, in essence.
I know what he means. All of us in the local news regularly put aside our own biases. It is far easier than you might imagine. Still, it is easier to avoid bias than it is to avoid the appearance of bias.
MAKING A RACE OF IT: Millbrae Councilmember Ann Schneider has taken out candidacy papers to run for the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors in District 1. This is the same seat, of course, being sought by former U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier and community volunteer Jorge Quezada Flores. Schneider could not be reached for comment about her possible candidacy.
Schneider is in her second term and final term on the Millbrae City Council. She raised her profile considerably during the recent fight in Millbrae over the county’s decision to buy a La Quinta Inn and convert it to long-term housing for formerly homeless families and seniors. Schneider’s vociferous opposition to the decision spilled into active hostility toward the county and Executive Officer Michael Callagy, whose contract is up for renewal next year.
Twice, Schneider’s colleagues have bypassed her in the annual mayoral rotation, asserting she was difficult to work with. She got a measure of payback in December, when she was elected mayor by a 3-2 vote that overrode the regular rotation.
SAFETY FIRST: I was at a Caltrain crossing the other day — the gates were down, the bells were clanging, red lights were flashing. As the sound of the approaching train grew louder, a guy on a bicycle cruised around the gate and through the crossing. He was wearing a mask, for his own protection, presumably.
Mark Simon is a veteran journalist, whose career included 15 years as an executive at SamTrans and Caltrain. He can be reached at marksimon@smdailyjournal.com.
(1) comment
Thanks for today’s column, Mr. Simon. Your reasons for funding the Coastside News Group Inc. (CNG) sound reasonable at first glance but if we ask a few questions… Why give CNG free money in the effort to pick winners and losers? Should Jon Mays and the folks at the Daily Journal, or other “discriminated papers” be penalized for running tighter ships than CNG? What’s to stop CNG from continuing their fiscally irresponsible ways? CNG is rewarded $40,000 this time. CNG may continue running at deficits, perhaps even more so, hoping for $100,000 next time.
Why not give CNG a loan and see if they’re willing to put skin in the game? Of course, to be fiscally responsible, make sure the loan contract places the county first in line should CNG opt for bankruptcy. Yes, Mr. Simon, it is easier to avoid bias than it is to avoid the appearance of bias. What’s worse is for the appearance of bias to become bias. Maybe I have it all wrong… Perhaps Mr. Lambert can tell us about what CNG has been doing to right their ship, if anything. Are they doing their best to operate without taxpayer handouts?
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.