A full-page “open letter” from California’s newspaper trade group to Gov. Gavin Newsom signals the press is no longer merely an observer — it’s asking for its cut.
The California News Publishers Association (CNPA) ran a full-page advertisement in the Los Angeles Times last weekend, urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to direct ballot-measure advertising funds for Proposition 50 to California-based newspapers.
The ad, titled “An Open Letter to Governor Gavin Newsom,” described newspaper readers as “high-turnout voters who will determine the outcome of Proposition 50.” CNPA represents more than 400 news outlets statewide, including The Los Angeles Times, The Sacramento Bee, and The Press-Enterprise.
Joel Fox, former president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, wrote that the ad “confirms the worst fears of critics—that news outlets are not neutral observers but rather financial stakeholders in partisan outcomes.”
His remarks appeared in California Globe’s coverage of the campaign.
The ad comes as circulation among California newspapers continues to fall. According to a Los Angeles Times report, the state’s largest papers are facing steep subscription declines and an increasing reliance on subsidies following the passage of AB 886, a law designed to support struggling local outlets.
CNPA’s decision to publicly seek state-funded campaign advertising follows growing scrutiny over the relationship between California’s press and political leaders. Media scholars and transparency advocates have raised concerns that public funding mechanisms could compromise the independence of newsrooms.
The Governor’s Office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. CNPA has defended the advertisement as an effort to promote voter education through trusted local news sources.
Proposition 50, appearing on the Nov. 4, 2025, ballot, would allow lawmakers to gerrymander congressional districts ahead of the 2026 midterms—a proposal Republicans say undermines California’s independent redistricting commission.
