Press Releases
MONTPELIER — Vermont Gov. Phil Scott signed an executive order on Thursday afternoon directing state agencies to give preference to local news outlets and broadcast organizations when spending state advertising dollars. The order also requires transparency in state advertising and lays out a framework for annual reporting on how much is spent and where.
Members of the Vermont Journalism Coalition, the Vermont Association of Broadcasters, and national nonprofit Rebuild Local News joined Gov. Scott and his Chief Communications Officer Rebecca Kelley at the signing to thank them for taking action to support local media in the state.
“Thank you to Governor Scott and his team for making support for local journalism a priority,” said Lisa Loomis, the owner, editor, and publisher of the Valley Reporter, which covers the Mad River Valley region. “Directing state advertising dollars to local news media such as the Valley Reporter that connect Vermonters to their neighbors, and also their government, will help this critical part of local and state infrastructure survive and thrive.”
Scott’s executive order acknowledges the economic challenges facing local journalism nationwide and in Vermont. A study by Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism found that the number of journalists working in the state dropped by more than half (53%) between 2013 and 2023, a loss of more than 400 jobs.
So far Vermont communities have retained more of their local media organizations and journalists than elsewhere. The number of journalists over the same time period nationally dropped by 75%. According to the Local Journalist Index, produced by Muck Rack and Rebuild Local News, the nation had only 7.8 local journalists per 100,000 people in 2026, compared with about 40 per 100,000 in 2002. In 2026, Vermont’s ratio was more than 19 local journalists per 100,000 people.
“We are lucky to still have around 50 active local news organizations in our state. Advertising with them is a smart way to reach Vermonters, but it also helps sustain these essential community resources,” said Kristen Fountain, interim coordinator for the Vermont Journalism Coalition. “We’re thankful for the recognition and the support.”
The order considers a local news organization to be an entity that engages professionals to create and distribute original news reporting on Vermont or its regions and communities, has at least one 20-hour-per-week employee, and has a physical presence in Vermont or an adjacent state. Local broadcast organizations are defined as an entity operating in Vermont and licensed to broadcast by the Federal Communications Commission.
“Vermont’s local radio and television stations are the voices and faces of the regions they serve,” said Wendy Mays, executive director of the Vermont Association of Broadcasters. “We’re thrilled to see all broadcast stations included in this executive order, and we thank Gov. Scott for his leadership.”
The order does not prohibit the state from advertising with out-of-state media outlets and does not apply to paid media purchases focused on tourism by out-of-state visitors or recruiting out-of-state employees.
Kelley estimates that between $4 million to $5 million in state spending is subject to the new order. Because of how advertising spending is currently recorded, it’s hard to say how much of that is currently being spent with local news and broadcast organizations. Annual reporting will make that more clear in coming years.
The order is believed to be the first executive action of its kind nationwide. Colorado lawmakers included a statement of intent that state agencies prioritize advertising and public outreach spending with local media organizations in the state’s budget signed by its governor in May.
“Gov. Scott and the Vermont local news community have made history,” said Steven Waldman, president of Rebuild Local News. “This unique executive order encourages spending with Vermont-based media while giving agencies the flexibility they need. The extra support for community media will help Vermonters have better coverage of schools, health care, local businesses, and their fellow residents — to make for more vibrant communities. This wouldn’t have happened without the dedicated work by local media leaders, key advocates in the legislature, and Gov. Scott and his staff. We are grateful.”
The press conference was recorded and can be viewed online at ORCA media.
Disclosure: The Bridge is a member of the Vermont Journalism Coalition and its Editor-in-Chief Cassandra Hemenway serves on its board.
