FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 10, 2026
Media Contact:
Stephanie Reyes, 909.682.5764, stephanie@latinomedia.orgL.A. County Supervisors Unanimously Approve Motion to Track Public Advertising Dollars to Local and Ethnic News Outlets
LOS ANGELES, CA (November 10, 2026) — The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors today unanimously passed a motion that asks a basic question: when the County pays to reach residents, is that information getting to them? Introduced by Supervisors Hilda L. Solis and Janice Hahn, the motion calls for a countywide framework to strengthen the role of diverse media in County communications, bring transparency to advertising expenditures, expand access to County contracts, and establish consistent engagement with the news organizations serving communities across Los Angeles County.
The Latino Media Collaborative (LMC) — a non-profit news media organization that leverages the power of Latino and community news media to impact policy, change narratives, and promote civic engagement — brought together a coalition of local and ethnic news organizations, including California Black Media, LA Public Press, LAist, San Fernando Valley Sun, Impulso, and La Nueva Voz, to advance the motion.
"Today, L.A. County took a meaningful step toward making sure public information actually reaches the people it is meant for," said Arturo Carmona, President of the Latino Media Collaborative. "This isn't charity for newsrooms, it's smart government. Our outlets reach the grandmother who reads only in Spanish and the construction worker listening to the radio before sunrise."
The need is urgent. Local news is shrinking fast: California has lost more than 12,000 local journalists since 2002, leaving fewer reporters to cover school boards, city halls, and public health. In 2024, the Los Angeles Times cut about 115 newsroom jobs, including deep cuts to its coverage of Latino Los Angeles. As professional coverage contracts, ethnic and community outlets — often the first and only trusted source of information in their neighborhoods — are being asked to do more with less.
The motion is modeled on efforts in New York City, where a 2013 study found that 82 percent of city advertising went to mainstream outlets. The city then set a goal of directing at least half of its advertising to community and ethnic media; in the first year, agencies directed 84 percent of print and digital ads to those outlets.
"Information is where progress begins. When we know better, we can do better," said Regina Wilson, Executive Director of California Black Media. "For too long, local and ethnic media have been overlooked in public advertising decisions, despite their critical role in reaching California's diverse communities. This motion is an important first step toward understanding where public dollars are going, identifying who is being left out, and making informed decisions that ensure public information reaches the communities it is intended to serve."
Under the motion, the County Chief Executive Officer will work with the Internal Services Department, the Anti-Racism, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative, and the Office of Immigrant Affairs to:
Report back within 120 days on creating a County office modeled on New York City's Mayor's Office of Ethnic and Community Media;
Seek philanthropic or academic partners to fund an independent audit of County advertising across departments, contractors, and media vendors;
Apply the County's ARDI Diversity Assessment Tools to future media contracts so smaller publishers can compete; and
Work directly with local and ethnic news leaders so their perspectives shape County policy.
LMC thanks Supervisors Solis and Hahn for their leadership and looks forward to working with the County to ensure every resident — in every language, in every community — can access the information they need to participate fully in civic life.
About the Latino Media Collaborative
Latino Media Collaborative (LMC) supports the advancement of the news sector through capacity building, research, and advocacy. LMC envisions a future where Latino media thrives across the Southwest, challenges the dominant narrative using a Latino lens, and provides high quality, culturally responsive content that promotes civic engagement.
LMC's flagship, in-house newsroom — CALÓ News — provides daily local news and highlights from across the region and state to advance learning and engagement in democracy. Led by a team of award-winning and recognized Latina journalists as well as emerging reporters, CALÓ News reaches the growing Latino population that prefers to read its news in English.
Media Contact:
Stephanie Reyes, 909.682.5764, stephanie@latinomedia.org
