The fall of once-mighty McClatchy newspapers underscores California's news crisis

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Set us as preferred Dan Walters describes working for the Sacramento Bee several decades ago as “like living in Sweden.”The newspaper had a bustling office in California’s capital replete with a cafeteria, a gas station, a credit union, and a medical clinic, where staff could get their vaccinations and seek care for typing-related hand injuries, recalls the longtime columnist, who worked for the newspaper some 33 years.But the last two decades have been filled with challenges for McClatchy, whose chain of newspapers across the Central Valley and beyond was once known for its energetic journalism and independent streak.Last week, McClatchy newsrooms were cut severely, leaving fewer journalists than ever to cover the fast-growing hubs of the Central Valley.News organizations large and small are being squeezed like never before.

Print editions are losing readers fast.But digital has become a huge challenge, too.

Changes in Google’s search results have brought big drops in visitors to many news sites.The rise of AI and social video platforms is squeezing them further.Assembly Bill 2222 would create refundable tax credits for California local news organizations based on the number of journalists they employ.

It passed through both houses.Gov.

Gavin Newsom is weighing whether to sign the bill, which backers say would deliver a lifeline to California news organizations big and small.The bill is supported by the California News Publishers Assn., of which the Los Angeles Times is a member.

But passage is far from assured.The bill is opposed by some groups who question why the state should help the news industry.

And Newsom typically spurns laws that make changes to the state budget after those fiscal discussions conclude in the first half of the calendar year.The decline of McClatchy, with its roots in California’s Go...