Illinois lawmaker proposes bill for tax incentives to support local journalism amid decline since 2005.

Illinois lawmaker Steve Stadelman has proposed a bill to provide tax incentives to media companies to boost local journalism. The bill aims to reverse the decline in working journalists, with one-third of local outlets reportedly closing since 2005, leading to an 86% decline in newspaper jobs. This comes after the Illinois General Assembly formed a task force in 2022 to research the state of journalism in the state.