2026 State Policy Playbook for Newsrooms

This Local News Day 2026: Activation Event session offers newsroom leaders and journalists a practical overview of the local news policy landscape in 2026, paired with guidance on advocacy and messaging. We’ll begin with a briefing on emerging state-level policy initiatives, including small business advertising tax credits, government advertising set-asides, journalism fellowship programs and employment incentives, and highlight where momentum is building  cross the country. The session will also cover effective ways to engage policymakers.

Speakers:

Matt Pearce is Director of Policy for Rebuild Local News. For several years, he was president and co-founder of the Media Guild of the West, one of the fastest-growing unions of The NewsGuild-CWA, representing journalists in Southern California, Arizona, and Texas. A former staff writer for the Los Angeles Times, Pearce contributed to the paper’s 2023 Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of racist comments by Los Angeles city officials. He holds a master’s degree from the University of Missouri and received the Sí Se Puede Award from NAHJ and the President's Award from SPJ in 2024 for his press freedom advocacy.

Susan Patterson Plank is Director of Government Affairs and Partnerships for Rebuild Local News. Previously, Susan was the Executive Director of the Iowa Newspaper Association, where she led numerous public policy efforts. She has also been Vice President of Public Notice Transformation at Gannett and held several leadership positions at the Des Moines Register, including vice president of marketing and vice president, online. She has served on the boards of America’s Newspapers, Newspaper Association Managers and the Iowa Freedom of Information Council.