CUNY research validates advertising mandate enforcement and public engagement focus
The Center for Community Media at CUNY’s Newmark School of Journalism issued a statement on January 14 affirming support for Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s decision to restructure the Mayor’s Office of Ethnic and Community Media. The reorganization places the office under a newly created Office of Mass Engagement, reflecting the administration’s commitment to enforcing citywide ethnic media advertising mandates. h3 The Advertising Mandate and Historical Dis-Investment h4 Local Law 83 Requirements In 2020, New York City enacted Local Law 83, requiring city agencies to allocate at least fifty percent of advertising spending to community and ethnic media outlets. The law reflected recognition that traditional media markets systematically underserve minority and immigrant communities while ethnic media outlets provide essential information to underrepresented populations. h4 CUNY Research Exposing the Problem The Center for Community Media conducted groundbreaking research demonstrating that city agencies historically allocated minimal resources to ethnic and community media despite the law’s requirements. The research exposed systematic dis-investment in community media outlets serving immigrant and minority populations. h3 Mayor-Elect Engagement and Open Letter h4 December Letter to Mamdani In December 2025, the Center for Community Media and URL Media sent an open letter to then Mayor-Elect Mamdani calling for stronger enforcement of Local Law 83’s advertising mandate. The letter emphasized that community and ethnic media outlets depend on government advertising to sustain operations serving underrepresented communities. h4 Concrete Request for Action The letter urged the new administration to prioritize enforcement, arguing that failure to direct adequate advertising spending perpetuates systematic exclusion of immigrant and minority voices from public information channels. h3 The Restructuring Decision h4 Moving MOECM to Mass Engagement Mamdani’s decision to move the Mayor’s Office of Ethnic and Community Media under the Office of Mass Engagement signals integration of ethnic media promotion with broader public communication strategy. This structural change positions ethnic media advertising as central to how government communicates with diverse populations. h4 Significance of the Placement By placing ethnic media oversight within a mass engagement office, the administration recognizes that equitable public information dissemination requires deliberate attention to reaching immigrant and minority communities. h3 CUNY’s Support and Context h4 Affirming the Decision The Center for Community Media stated that the restructuring reflects a commitment to “advancing our mission of ensuring equitable access to information.” The statement affirmed that moving MOECM into an office centered on public engagement represents progress toward implementing Local Law 83’s intent. h4 Academic Research Foundation CUNY’s research demonstrated that ethnic media outlets provide information unavailable in mainstream media, covering issues specific to immigrant communities in relevant languages. The research validated the public policy rationale for directing city advertising to these outlets. h3 The Business Case for Ethnic Media Investment h4 Cost-Effectiveness Research indicates that ethnic media reaches targeted populations efficiently, avoiding wasted advertising in outlets serving audiences already informed through mainstream channels. For city messages addressing immigrant populations, ethnic media represents a cost-effective information distribution channel. h4 Community Trust and Credibility Ethnic media outlets maintain higher trust levels within immigrant and minority communities than mainstream outlets. Government information disseminated through trusted community media increases comprehension and compliance with public health or safety directives. h3 Implementation Challenges h4 Agency Compliance Translating the Mayor’s commitment into actual spending changes requires ongoing monitoring and enforcement. Agencies historically directed minimal ethnic media spending may resist budget reallocation. h4 Vendor Development City advertising spending creates economic opportunity for ethnic media outlets, supporting journalism and community information services. Adequate city funding can enable media outlets to hire reporters and maintain coverage. h3 The Broader Policy Context h4 Equity in Public Information Access Governments have responsibility to communicate with all constituents. Limiting information dissemination to mainstream English-language outlets creates equity problems when substantial populations prefer other languages or sources. h4 Economic Justice Implications Media advertising represents significant economic support for ethnic outlets. Enforcement of spending mandates transfers resources to outlets serving historically marginalized communities. h3 Community Media Ecosystem The Center for Community Media’s support reflects academic recognition that healthy democratic participation requires robust community information infrastructure. Ethnic media outlets connect residents to local government, schools, and community resources. h3 Next Steps The Center for Community Media indicated it will monitor implementation of Mamdani’s restructuring and Local Law 83 enforcement. The organization remains committed to holding the administration accountable to advertising mandate compliance. h3 Broader Implications The restructuring signals that the new administration prioritizes immigrant and minority community communication. By integrating ethnic media promotion into mass engagement strategy, Mamdani demonstrates commitment to equitable government communication. For more information on media equity, visit CUNY School of Journalism and for community media resources see National Coalition for Media Reform.
