SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) is taking action to ensure local journalism survives in Illinois’ small towns and mid-sized cities.

“As a former journalist and news anchor, I know how important it is to have access to truly local news,” Stadelman said. “People deserve to know what’s happening in their communities, regardless of where they live.”

The measure would create the Local Journalism Task Force, which would be made up of 10 individuals representing print and broadcast media, journalism schools, and state and local government. They would be charged with conducting a study on communities underserved by local journalism and making recommendations on how to preserve and restore news coverage in these areas.

Declines in advertising revenue and circulation have meant that nearly half of the newsroom jobs at newspapers that existed in 2004 have since disappeared—and more than 2,000 papers around the country have closed over the past 15 years.

If signed into law, the task force would be required to submit the findings from its study to the governor’s office and the General Assembly no later than Jan. 1, 2023.

“Your address should not dictate the quality and type of information you have access to,” Stadelman said. “This measure is meant to start a conversation and provide new ideas to help address shrinking press coverage in our communities.”

Senate Bill 134 passed the Senate Commerce Committee without opposition and will now head to the Senate floor for further consideration.