Public policy plays a vital role in protecting and sustaining journalism as a cornerstone of democracy. 

Laws like anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) statutes are crucial, allowing journalists to quickly dismiss frivolous lawsuits filed with the intent to silence or intimidate them through expensive litigation. But not all statutes are created equal. Some states don’t even have any statutes. 

Meanwhile, while these laws offer some protection, the financial viability of the industry remains an ongoing challenge, leading to an increase in efforts by legislators to seek ways to support journalism in their states. These efforts also vary a great deal.

Our “Public Policy and Journalism” section provides critical information on both fronts. 

If you get a SLAPP notification, your first stop should be our page to quickly familiarize you with the legal landscape you’ll be dealing with. And if you’re wondering if your state representatives are thinking about the future of journalism, you can check out our legislative map to see if your state is working on anything.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please let us know at rji@rjionline.org.

Anti-SLAPP by State

This guide provides state-by-state information on anti-SLAPP statutes and related protections for publishers. SLAPPs — strategic lawsuits against public participation — are often used to intimidate news organizations and drain their resources rather than to win in court. Because laws differ widely across the country, and many states have no specific anti-SLAPP protections, this resource offers an overview of existing statutes, relevant cases, and alternative legal tools that may apply.

Legislative Efforts to Support Local Journalism

State lawmakers are increasingly proposing legislative solutions to support local journalism. While many of these efforts have been unsuccessful, the numbers and types of bills continue to expand. This resource brings all the legislative efforts to support local journalism into one searchable resource.