CINA voting and nonvoting members, newsroom staff, adjunct and allied member partners attended the conference.
Friday January 23, Saturday January 24, 2026
8715 West Hillsdale Avenue, Visalia, CA, US
Hosted by The Sun-Gazette @ Long Shot Brewery,
511 E Main St, Visalia, CA 93292
8:30 - 9:30 - Buffet Breakfast
10 - 11 am - Round Table Discussion - The issues facing California's Independents
11- 12 pm - Break out groups (five groups brainstormed key issues identified)
12 - 1 pm - Groups Presented ideas followed by discussion
1 - 2 pm Box Lunch & Movies including "Still in Print" The story of the Mariposa Gazette and "Ojai Valley NewsReel"
2 - 5 pm All Member Business Meeting
Agenda outline:
Organization: Status update, membership types and voting, Committee formation, dues etc.
Legislation: Status, on deck, positions, next steps
Cocktails - We bonded over conversation at the Hilton Garden Bar - first one on CINA
Make Checks payable to: California Independent News Alliance
206 N. Signal Street, Suite G
Ojai CA 93023
A free, independent press is the backbone of America.
Locally owned independent newspapers, in turn, are the backbone of a free press. Without independent locally owned newspapers, governments and corporations can, and will, operate without boundaries — that is our basis, our purpose, and the reason independent news outlets have become a community through CINA.
Diversity of ownership prevents central control and power strangleholds over information. Knowledge is power; your local independent news media has a vested interest in your community, because we live here. The media is best owned by the people whose primary interest is to protect the fact-based free flow of information — unlike national and global companies looking to squeeze profits for investors. When global corporations and out of area nonprofits take over local news markets, journalism suffers.
California is producing tumbleweeds as news deserts continue to expand in our state.
Big Tech and Big Media continue to aridify the news ecosystem as longtime community newspapers are stripped for their parts, and news reporters and news coverage are drastically reduced. CINA is committed to growing reporting coverage in California in locally owned and operated news outlets through awareness, grant funding, business development and legislation.
Welcome to a community of independent California news media owners, publishers and editors. We are partnering to revive and fortify California’s independent news ecosystem. We have seen how our lack of connection and engagement with other independent outlets has left us as islands unto ourselves, under siege by Big Tech and Big Media. The result has been a lack of representation in California’s journalism legislation, without the help of our peers to face the challenges of the news business.
We have taken next steps to secure our future and strengthen local independent news reporting in California through a better connection. We have organized ourselves into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and plan to raise funds for local independent reporting and media literacy. The alliance acts to support and inform publishers of industry knowlege and trends, grapple with questions of ethics, and advocate for relevant legislation with one big voice.
We are following legislation, seeking input, finding allies, tracking bills, making calls, sending newsletter updates with action items, and showing up. It is working, so thanks to all who participate.
CINA is building opportunity, and plans to create a benefit corporation, California Independent News Association to support ourselves through advertising contracts. CINA has been awarded one RFP for 2026 and partnered with affiliates on CINA group ad buys to sustain our businesses.
We are discussing so much more: Such as crafting legislation, events, business development, building alliances, revenue generation, forums, education programing, grant funding and more.
CINA is a professional alliance that seeks input from members before setting policy. It will take many hands to accomplish our growing goal set. We invite you to join us. We are created allied, affiliate, and supporter memberships. Donate to the California's essential connected local news outlets. We welcome your input, contributions, experiences, insights, and visions.
Most of us do this for love — for adrenaline, for craft, for our communities, and for the sunshine that facts bring to the people, leading them to truth and action. We are California’s Fourth Estate and we are writing our state’s first draft of history.
"Public Notice" (Asm. Heath Flora) AB 1444 OPPOSE without amendment.
What’s wrong with AB 1444? Section C.
"Public Notice" (Asm. Heath Flora) AB 1444 OPPOSE without amendment.
What’s wrong with AB 1444? Section C.
AB 1544 Court proceedings: media access. It would ensure access for authorized journalists to courtrooms, court facilities and any other place where court proceedings are taking place. Police and court officers would be prohibited from denying or preventing their entry.
AB 1545 Targeted attacks on journalists. It would create stronger crim
AB 1544 Court proceedings: media access. It would ensure access for authorized journalists to courtrooms, court facilities and any other place where court proceedings are taking place. Police and court officers would be prohibited from denying or preventing their entry.
AB 1545 Targeted attacks on journalists. It would create stronger criminal penalties for targeted attacks against reporters and other representatives of the press. An offender could face up to a year in jail for a misdemeanor, and up to three years for a felony, plus fines. Violence against journalists has been on the rise—Kell cites a drive-by shooting at the ABC 10 studios in Sacramento that allegedly was politically motivated under this bill.
The Budget proposal ignores a pledge by the state, and Google to aid local journalism. The deal struck behind closed doors has fallen apart and lacks funding to move forward. Assemblymember Buffy Wicks. An arrangement between the State of California and Google is being worked on to pay California news publishers to mitigate the damage the
The Budget proposal ignores a pledge by the state, and Google to aid local journalism. The deal struck behind closed doors has fallen apart and lacks funding to move forward. Assemblymember Buffy Wicks. An arrangement between the State of California and Google is being worked on to pay California news publishers to mitigate the damage the monopoly has caused to the news industry. The California Business and Economic Development (GoBiz) has been chosen to distribute funds. If The private funds of $10M are not contributed by Google, or any another donor, the State will not provide any funding. The advisory board seats do not include CINA
Alameda Post, Almanac, American Canyon Current, American River Messenger, Arden Arcade News, Atascadero News, Brentwood Press, Calistoga Tribune, Carmichael Times, Chino Valley Champion, Citrus Heights Messenger, Claremont Courier Coachella Valley Community Voice, Independent, Coast News, Coastal View News, Colusa Pioneer Review, Compton Bulletin, Coronado Eagle, Dixon Independent Voice, Elk Grove Citizen, Gold River Messenger, Journal Danville, SanRamon.com, East Bay Express Escalon Times, East Sacramento News, Firebaugh-Mendota Journal, Fullerton Observer, Gilroy Dispatch, Good Times Santa Cruz, Grapevine Independent, Gridley Herald, Gustine Press-Standard, Healdsburg Tribune, Hollister Freelance, Idyllwild Town Crier, Impulso, Kerwest Newspapers, King City Rustler, Land Park News, La Nueva Voz, Larchmont Chronicle, Livermore Vine, Mad River Union, Malibu Times, Manteca Bulletin, Mariposa Gazette, Metro Silicon Valley, Mid Valley Times, Moonshine Ink, Morgan Hill Times, Mountain View Voice, Napa County Times, North Bay Bohemian, North Coast Journal, Oakdale Leader, Ojai Valley News | Ventura County Sun, Pace News, Pacific Sun, Palo Alto Online, Palo Alto Weekly, Paso Robles Press, Patterson Irrigator, Pleasanton Weekly, Pocket News, Point Reyes Light, Press Banner, Redwood City Pulse, Rio Linda Times, Riverbank News, River Valley Times, The Galt Herald, The Salinas Valley Tribune, The Trinity Journal, San Diego Voice & Viewpoint, San Jose Inside, Santa Barbara Independent, Santa Clara Weekly, Santa Clarita Valley Signal, Santa Paula Times, Shafter Press, Territorial Dispatch, The Ark, The Ceres Courier, The Desert Review, The Downey Patriot, The Ferndale Enterprise, The Independent, The Kerman News, The Norwalk Patriot, The Pajaronian, The Riverside Record, The Sun-Gazette, Tracy Press, Tuesday Review, Turlock Journal, Vallejo Sun Valley News Group, Vida Newspaper, Wasco Tribune, West Sac News-Ledger, West Side Advance, Westside Connect, West Side Index, Yountville Sun
Send us an email for more information, to sign up for newsletters, or to join the alliance.
We look forward to hearing from you and working together to revive and sustain local independent news outlets in California.
206 North Signal Street, Ojai, CA, USA
