News Media Alliance
10/16/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/16/2026 19:09
Maryland Governor Issues EO Directing Ad Procurement to Local News Organizations
Annapolis, MD - Today, Maryland Governor Wes Moore issued an Executive Order "Directing State Media and Advertising Procurement Spending to Maryland News Organizations."
The measure requires Maryland state agencies to prioritize local news organizations when structuring procurements, to achieve an aspirational goal of 50% of the agency's total advertising spend being made directly to Maryland news organizations.
The Alliance applauds the diligent work of MDDC Press Association, and the sponsors of SB 459 , Senator Jim Rosapepe and Delegate Linda Foley, on their tireless efforts to implement this reinvestment opportunity for the Maryland news ecosystem. Governor Moore's Executive Order fulfills a pledge he made to work with the sponsors after vetoing the bill.
As NMA President & CEO Danielle Coffey noted in a letter sent earlier this year to Governor Moore, guided advertising procurement "supports the vital role that a free press plays in the Free State" and "demonstrates common sense support for the critical civic role that the news media industry plays in educating, informing and engaging Marylanders."
Critically, the measure builds momentum on other state's successful "news-neutral" measures that support local news organizations, regardless of their size, structure, or speech, including the journalist employment tax credit signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom last month.
News Media Alliance published this content on October 16, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 17, 2026 at 01:09 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]