Los Angeles Times

• The Galaxy’s highly anticipated first match of the season against Inter Miami resulted in Express scanning more than 27,000 fans, marking an MLS regular season attendance record for the venue.
• “We are excited to formally announce this strategic new partnership between Dignity Health Sports Park and Evolv,” said Dignity Health Sports Park general manager Katie Pandolfo.
• “We are committed to providing the best-in-class fan experience at Dignity Health Sports Park and having Evolv Express helps ensure the ingress process is a seamless experience for our guests.
• “We’re thrilled to work with Dignity Health Sports Park to bring the Evolv experience to another Southern California venue with a very large and highly engaged sports and live entertainment fanbase,” said Jay Muelhoefer, chief commercial officer for Evolv Technology.

• Upon entering the Orange County cannabis boutique, shoppers will be transported on a sensory journey that engages touch, taste, sight, hearing, and smell.
• A virtual staff member welcomes and invites you to explore the boutique, starting with a showcase of several cannabis brands.
• Michael Moussalli, co-founder of High Seas, said, "Many shoppers in the Orange County and Costa Mesa communities are curious about the wellness and lifestyle benefits of cannabis.
• Rachel Xin, co-founder of High Seas, added, "The entire boutique is designed to welcome guests by engaging their senses and their imaginations.

• The show stars Nora, who first became globally recognized in 2007 as a musically gifted internet sensation after a YouTube video of her playing the piano went viral.
• Despite this loss, her memory endures through the music and joy she brought to her devoted global fanbase.
• "I did not adopt Nora the Piano Cat, she adopted me," says Nora's owner Betsy Alexander.
• This new series, produced in Nora's hometown of Philadelphia, aims to enrich global audiences by showcasing diverse music genres.

• Most spectacularly, the Los Angeles Times recently slashed more than 20% of its newsroom.
• Yet, as we’ve previously argued, relying on the benevolence of billionaire owners isn’t a viable long-term solution to journalism’s crises.
• In what we call the “oligarchy media model,” it often creates distinct hazards for democracy.

Systemic market failure

• Rather, it’s a systemic market failure with no signs of reversal.
• As print advertising continues to decline, Meta’s and Google’s dominance over digital advertising has deprived news publishers of a major online revenue source.
• The advertising-based news business model has collapsed and, to the extent it ever did, won’t adequately support the public service journalism that democracy requires.
• But they’re outliers; in the end, billionaire owners can’t change these inhospitable market dynamics.

The way forward

• That’s why we believe it’s urgently important to grow the number of outlets capable of independently resisting destructive market forces.
• Billionaire owners willing to release their media properties could help facilitate this process.
• Its nonprofit ownership model has enabled the Inquirer to invest in news at a time when so many others have cut to the bone.
• However, most struggle mightily to generate enough revenues to even pay themselves and a few reporters a living wage.

Donors can still play a role

• A 2023 Media Impact Funders report pointed out that foundation funders once primarily focused on providing a bridge to an ever-elusive new business model.
• The thinking went that they could provide seed money until the operation was up and running and then redirect their investments elsewhere.
• However, journalists are increasingly calling for long-term sustaining support as the extent of market failure has become clear.

The limits of private capital

Still, philanthropic support for journalism falls far short of what’s needed. Total revenues for newspapers have fallen from a historic high of $49.4 billion in 2005 to $9.8 billion in 2022.

• Philanthropy could help fill a portion of this deficit but, even with the recent increase in donations, nowhere near all of it.
• Nor, in our view, should it.

Public funds for local journalism

• A strong, accessible media system that serves the public interest will ultimately require significant public funding.
• Along with libraries, schools and research universities, journalism is an essential part of a democracy’s critical information infrastructure.
• It’s worth noting that U.S. investment in public media is a smaller percentage of GDP than in virtually any other major democracy in the world.
• Under these plans, news outlets prioritizing local journalism receive various kinds of public subsidies and grants.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.