Arik Samson is a resident of Berkeley Heights and was a 2024 Candidate for BOE

In a deeply troubling move for civic transparency, The New Jersey Monitor reported on March 21, 2025, that Governor Phil Murphy’s latest budget proposal would eliminate funding for the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium—a bipartisan initiative he launched in 2018 to support community-based journalism. Over the years, funding for the consortium had grown from $500,000 to $3 million. Murphy’s proposed budget also slashes support for NJ PBS, which runs NJ Spotlight News, by a staggering 75%—cutting it from $1 million to just $250,000.

These are not just budget line items. These are attacks on the infrastructure of local journalism and civic engagement across New Jersey.

As The New Jersey Monitor rightly noted:

“If you’re unfamiliar with the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium, take a look at its recent grant recipients, which range from hyperlocal news site Montclair Local to conservative think tank Garden State Initiative to the New Jersey Coalition to End Homelessness. Its purpose is not to funnel money to corporate media; it’s legitimately interested in aiding news outlets, community groups, and other organizations that seek to broaden civic engagement.”

Keep in mind this follows a nearly yearlong assault by Scutari in his successful efforts to gut our Open Public Record Laws – once the envy of the nation.

Contrast that with the rise of corporate local media outlets, which often function less as watchdogs and more as PR machines for local officials. These platforms accept payments from political organizations and municipal governments—then market themselves as “official” news sources. In fact, these outlets are often endorsed as official outlets by municipal governments. Too often, they simply republish unchallenged government statements and police reports without context, scrutiny, or journalistic rigor.

In Berkeley Heights, this dynamic is painfully familiar. Councilwoman Susan Poage recently took aim at independent sources that question local officials, urging residents to “fact-check” using outlets that are directly funded or supported by the very people they’re supposed to be holding accountable.

Last year, NJ21st uncovered thousands of dollars in payments from the Berkeley Heights Democratic Municipal Committee to a local corporate media outlet. Within 24 hours of our reporting, those payments were suddenly re-attributed to other political committees—despite identical check numbers. Soon after, the corporate outlet published an op-ed falsely accusing NJ21st of spreading misinformation.

NJ21st didn’t fabricate anything. Their reporting was based entirely on data from NJ ELEC, the state’s own campaign finance database.

NJ21st informed me that they reached out to then BOE Candidate George Devanney 11/4/2024 directly confronting him with this information. He never responded. The corporate news outlet has yet to issue a correction. And the Berkeley Heights Democratic Municipal Committee has remained silent.

This is not an isolated incident. Around the same time, TapInto Ridgewood was caught in a conflict-of-interest scandal when it was revealed that the outlet’s owner also managed the mayor’s official Facebook page.

Let’s not pretend this is just a national issue, or one perpetrated by one party. The assault on journalism is happening at every level—and from both sides of the aisle.

It’s not just Trump.

It’s also Scutari & Murphy.

It’s not just Washington.

It’s right here, in our own towns.

If we want a future with any semblance of real journalism—if we value facts, accountability, and a free press—then we must stop funding corporate outlets that blur the lines between media and government.

Instead, support independent news organizations with integrity and purpose, such as The New Jersey Monitor, The Jersey Vindicator, and NJ Education Report. These are the outlets doing the hard work of holding power to account.

I encourage all residents to get more involved with their local news outlets. Real journalism only survives when the community stands behind it—and right now, we need your voice. If you live anywhere in the 21st District, please contribute: write about an issue that matters to you, share your insights. Send it to team@nj21st.com.

Journalism in New Jersey is under siege.

Shame on Councilwoman Susan Poage for jumping on that bandwagon.

Read More From Community Voices

Subscribe to BHCW For Free

Our Commitment to Ethical Journalism