Last year, California and Google promised to invest $125 million to support struggling local newsrooms. Now the state is backing out before the first dollar has been delivered.

Governor Gavin Newsom is proposing to cut California’s first-year contribution from $30 million to just $10 million. Because Google agreed to match only what the state puts in, this puts the entire deal in jeopardy. If the state cuts its share, Google can reduce or cancel its part too.

This deal was made in exchange for lawmakers dropping two bills that would have required tech companies like Google and Meta to pay news outlets directly for using their content. One of those bills could have raised an estimated $500 million per year. Instead, the state opted for a voluntary agreement and now it is breaking its own word.

Meanwhile, California has lost one-third of its newspapers since 2005. Local newsrooms are closing, journalists are losing their jobs, and misinformation is filling the gap. This is not the time to pull back. It is the time to double down.

We are calling on Governor Newsom and the California Legislature to fully fund the first year of the journalism deal and hold Google to its commitment. Without full public investment, this fund will collapse and so will what is left of local news in communities across the state.

Sign the petition to demand that California keep its promise and protect the future of local journalism.