Dive into the intricate web of challenges facing San Francisco's local news landscape in this episode. From the decline of traditional advertising revenue to the dominance of social media platforms, we explore the obstacles hindering the viability of local journalism.

Hear firsthand accounts from publishers, city officials, and community advocates as they discuss the bureaucratic hurdles in city advertising contracts and the struggle to maintain editorial independence.

Explore innovative solutions, such as the California Local News Fellowship and the National Trust for Local News, which offer hope for the future of independent reporting.

Join us as we unravel the complexities and seek solutions to revitalize local news in the vibrant city of San Francisco.

This episode explores the ongoing journey toward empowering voters with disabilities to participate in our democracy fully. From historical barriers to recent advancements in disability rights, we highlight the progress made and the challenges that remain in achieving equal access for all.

Join us for an interview with Fred Nisen from Disability Rights California, who shares insights on the fight for disability rights and equal representation. We’ll also hear about how others have navigated an often inaccessible system, and discuss how CA Common Cause is working to create a more inclusive and equitable democracy for everyone.

In this special episode of Democracy Is, we feature CCC's newest project, the California Initiative for Technology and Democracy -- CITED, for short -- that seeks solutions to the dangers that AI, disinformation, and deepfakes pose to our elections.

Today, we bring you a recording from CITED’s capitol briefing earlier this year. These two panels feature speakers with unparalleled experience and expertise on the topic.

Join us as we tackle AI and answer the question -- is it too late to combat the threat of AI to our democracy?

The LA City Council entails one of the biggest metropolitan governments, right here in California.

This episode unravels the corruption scandals shaking Los Angeles City Hall—from Councilmember Jose Huizar's federal charges to Nury Martinez's gerrymandering controversy.

Journey through LA's political history, exploring Mayor Sam Yorty's tenure and the 1980s Library scandal, exposing a pattern of corruption. Each council member represents more than a quarter million residents and with a $10 billion budget, City Council decisions impact every aspect of Angelenos' lives.

Our experts dissect the web of corruption—redistricting, bribery, pay-to-play, and lobbying—calling for transparency and reform. Local organizers share grassroots perspectives, emphasizing community involvement.

Join us in unveiling the truth about LA's democracy and what can be done about it.

On Democracy Is, we embark on a thought-provoking exploration of the intricate challenges posed by misinformation and disinformation in our digital age. How are social media algorithms weaponized to alter election outcomes? Continuing our journey, we navigate the ever-shifting terrain of social media regulation and privacy reform. How are policies evolving to address the growing concerns surrounding disparate access to information and user privacy? How has digital policy evolved to promote the ethical sharing of information online?

This episode features exclusive interviews with Nora Benavidez, Senior Counsel of Free Press, and Jinxia Niu, Program Manager of Chinese for Affirmative Action. Together, we navigate the nuanced landscape of misinformation and disinformation, exploring policies and strategies crucial for building a resilient democracy.

Learn more about what we do and how you can become a member at www.commoncause.org/california

For this episode of Democracy Is, we take a break from our usual California-focused programming to discuss the recent Supreme Court case Moore vs Harper.

Typically, we wouldn’t cover a national case that didn’t directly involve California but this SCOTUS case is unique in that one of the main advocate groups championing it was Common Cause.

In this episode, we are joined by Common Cause’s Alton Wang and Common Cause North Carolina’s Sailor Jones to break down what happened in North Carolina during the 2020 Redistricting Cycle and why it was so crucial for Common Cause to secure this victory! 

Welcome back to Democracy Is! This episode explores the history, context, and relevance of the Political Reform Act. What is it? What does it do? Why is it so important?

We’ll be exploring what this overlooked piece of legislation means for you, the voter, and why the PRA still works at combating the influence of money in politics, almost fifty after its introduction.  

Featuring interviews with Ann Ravel, former Chair of the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), and Sky Allen, Executive Director of IE United.

Welcome back to Democracy Is! We hope you are ready for Season 2! In this episode, we discuss language access and why it is so critical in order for all communities to fully participate in our democracy. There are over 200 languages spoken in the state of California alone yet only a handful are covered under federal and state law. Find out why and hear from organizers and policy makers who are working to make our democracy more accessible. 

Featuring interviews with Homayra Yusufi, the Deputy Director of Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) & Deanna Kitamura from Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus.