Korea Daily joins 214 recipients of California journalism grants

The Korea Daily is among 214 news organizations selected for the first round of California Civic Media Program grants, the publication reported. The state and Google initiative has a total allocation of $18.75 million.

The program aims to strengthen local reporting, including coverage of community issues and underreported stories, according to the Korea Daily. It also seeks to support news coverage for audiences who speak different languages.

The inaugural recipients were announced Monday, according to the Korea Daily. The California Civic Media Program brings together the state government and Google to support local journalism.

Individual newsrooms will receive between $20,000 and $250,000 over one year. Award sizes depend on reporting staff size and journalistic capacity, with funding intended to expand on-the-ground coverage and investigative reporting.

The $18.75 million allocation covers the entire program. The Korea Daily did not disclose the amount of its own award.

Los Angeles County accounts for 35 selected news organizations, including the Korea Daily. Other recipients include the Los Angeles Times, The Sacramento Bee, The Mercury News and CalMatters, the publication reported.

Dee Dee Myers, director of the State Office of Business and Economic Development, known as GO-Biz, emphasized the program’s role in bolstering local reporting and supporting journalism’s contribution to democracy, according to the Korea Daily.

The program’s stated focus is on strengthening newsrooms’ ability to cover their communities, with grants tied to staffing and reporting capacity rather than a uniform award for every recipient.