Senate panel considers bill to direct state outreach dollars to rural and community media

Sen. Edgar Flores presented Senate Bill 3 67 to the Senate Committee on Government Affairs to create a rural and community media program within the Department of Administration that would help state departments direct outreach, marketing and advertising to local media outlets in rural and underrepresented communities.

Arturo Carmona, president of the Latino Media Collaborative, described the bill’s intent to expand state partnerships with community newspapers, radio, television and digital outlets that have local trust and reach. ‘‘The creation of a community media program within the Department of Administration would help Nevada maximize the use of these community and rural media as platforms for the state's outreach campaigns,’’ Carmona said, adding that state communications staff are not always aware of the local outlets best positioned to reach rural or language-specific audiences.

Key provisions in the draft amendment presented in committee would: create the rural and community media program in the Department of Administration; direct the program director to develop and maintain a database of rural and community media outlets; provide training and outreach to state departments on using community media; and require an annual report to the Legislature with information on utilization and any contracts or subcontracts.

Supporters argued the change would improve the efficacy of state outreach — for public health, emergency preparedness, benefits enrollment and other public information — by using outlets that have established trust in their communities. Witnesses from small and Hispanic-focused media in Nevada testified in support, including owners who said many community outlets struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic and could benefit from increased state advertising dollars.

Sen. Janie Lisonbee raised concerns about the fragile economics of some rural outlets, noting that a number of newspapers and outlets in remote counties have closed or reduced operations in recent years. Sponsor Flores and witnesses said the program is designed to direct existing state outreach dollars to local outlets, not to create a new broad fiscal obligation, and that training would help agencies use funds more effectively to reach target communities.

Former Senate Majority Leader Moe Dennis and media owners supported the bill as a way to keep local outlets viable and to improve state messaging to diverse communities.

The committee took testimony in person and by phone, heard no opposition at the hearing, and closed the record. Chair Flores closed the hearing with thanks to local media owners and other witnesses; no committee vote was recorded.