Commentary
Op-Ed: The Importance of Local journalism matters more now than ever before
In the two years since I graduated from college, my social media timeline has been filled with gut-wrenching announcements of journalists across the country being laid off from publications big and small. I was trained to talk to sources, how to craft compelling leads, and pitch stories, but no one prepared me for how to deal with the unstable market what this career path would entail.

By Magaly Muñoz
In the two years since I graduated from college, my social media timeline has been filled with gut-wrenching announcements of journalists across the country being laid off from publications big and small.
I was trained to talk to sources, how to craft compelling leads, and pitch stories, but no one prepared me for how to deal with the unstable market what this career path would entail.
I watched small organizations in the Midwest vanish into oblivion, and more recently, witnessed legacy papers layoff staff in an attempt to stay afloat. The Los Angeles Times staff, a team I had once dreamed of joining, suffered a major blow when they laid off over 20% of their writers and editors in January.
If a legacy newspaper can’t keep their newsroom from slowly dying off, what does that imply for everyone else?
As I found myself spiraling into a rabbit hole of despair questioning my choice of such a rollercoaster of a career, I remembered that it’s times like these that force us to adapt because it’s not enough to just let the worst pass us by.
Yes, the future of journalism can look bleak to those of us hoping to stay in the industry for a long time, but it should also serve as a reminder that there are audiences out there relying on us to continue delivering the news that affects their daily lives.
The disparities amongst those holding all the cards and those who get crushed in the process of their choices is only growing, and it is up to journalists nationwide to go deep into the communities that they are in to expose these inequalities.
Who else is going to hold power to account when they think no one is watching? And in the Bay Area, there’s plenty of people to keep an eye on.
But news is not just the constant tragic event or political scandal, though it is important to stay on top of it. It’s also the uplifting stories that remind people why they should remain hopeful that things will get better.
I’ve had the privilege of interviewing and writing about young Black athletes with Olympic dreams, community based organizations fighting for the rights of those who don’t feel empowered enough on their own, and businesses who just want to bring a little love back into the community.
It’s these stories that stand as powerful and significant as the reporting that may not always be pleasant to write about.
In an era of social media and the quick spread of misinformation, especially in an important election year, we have to work twice as hard to make sure that our readers are getting the facts and are not being persuaded by clickbait articles suggesting otherwise.
But as journalists, it’s crucial that we keep fighting for ourselves and for conditions that allow us to keep doing the work that we do. We all deserve stability in these unprecedented times.
We need our audience to stay with and trust us, even when it seems like things are going off course. We will persevere, even when all else feels like it’s failing.
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Oakland Post: Week of February 5 – 11, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of February 5 – 11, 2025

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OP-ED: Like Physicians, U.S. Health Institutions Must ‘First, Do No Harm’
Coupled with their lack of government and healthcare-related experience, we are concerned these nominees will significantly undermine public health, increase the number of uninsured people, worsen health outcomes, and exacerbate health disparities. Physicians observe Hippocrates’ maxim to “First Do No Harm,”, and we urge Trump administration officials to do the same. It is critical that the leadership of HHS and its agencies make decisions based on facts, evidence, and science. Misinformation and disinformation must not guide policymaking decisions and undermine evidence-based public health strategies. Spreading these falsehoods also erodes trust in our public institutions.

By Albert L. Brooks MD
Special to The Post
Presidential administrations significantly impact the health and wellbeing of our patients and communities.
Through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the agencies within it, such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the National Institutes of Health, this new administration will decide how financial resources are allocated, dictate the focus of federal research, and determine how our public health care insurance systems are managed, including the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Children’s Health Insurance Program, the Vaccines for Children program, Medicare, and Medicaid.
The decisions made over the next four years will impact all Americans but will be felt more acutely by those most underserved and vulnerable.
As physicians, we are greatly concerned by the nominations announced by President Trump to critical healthcare related positions. Many of their previous statements and positions are rooted in misinformation.
Coupled with their lack of government and healthcare-related experience, we are concerned these nominees will significantly undermine public health, increase the number of uninsured people, worsen health outcomes, and exacerbate health disparities. Physicians observe Hippocrates’ maxim to “First Do No Harm,”, and we urge Trump administration officials to do the same.
It is critical that the leadership of HHS and its agencies make decisions based on facts, evidence, and science. Misinformation and disinformation must not guide policymaking decisions and undermine evidence-based public health strategies. Spreading these falsehoods also erodes trust in our public institutions.
Vaccines, in particular, have been a target of disinformation by some HHS nominees. In fact, research continues to confirm that vaccines are safe and effective. Vaccines go through multiple rounds of clinical trials prior to being approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for administration to the public.
Vaccines protect against life-threateningdiseasessuch as measles, polio, tetanus, and meningococcal disease and, when used effectively, have beenshowntoeliminateorsubstantiallyreducediseaseprevalenceand/orseverity.
Because of vaccine mis- and disinformation, there has been a resurgence in vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and whooping cough, endangering those who are too young or unable to be vaccinated.
Several nominees have spread disinformation alleging that fluoride in public drinking water is harmful. In fact, fluoride in drinking water at the recommended level of 0.7 parts per million, like we have in our EBMUD water, is safe and keeps teeth strong. Because of public health interventions dating back to the 1960s that have resulted in 72.3% of the U.S. population now having access to fluoridated water, there has been a reduction in cavities by about 25% in both children and adults.
We also encourage the next administration to invest in our public health infrastructure. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical role of public health agencies in preventing and responding to health crises in our communities.
Health departments at the state and local levels rely on federal funding support and technical assistance to develop public health response plans, implement public health strategies, and work with on the ground organizations to serve hard to reach communities. Public health agencies are critical for protecting everyone in our communities, regardless of income-level, insurance status, or housing status.
Health officials should also work to protect the significant improvements in insurance coverage that have occurred since the passage of theACAin 2010.According to HHS, the numberofuninsuredAmericansfellfrom48millionin2010to25.6millionin2023.
California has led the way by investing in Medi-Cal and expanding eligibility for enrollment. In fact, it reached its lowest uninsured rate ever in 2022 at 6.2%. Voters affirmed this commitment to expanding and protecting access to care in November by passing Proposition 35, which significantly expanded funding for California’s Medi-Cal program. The administration should advance policies that strengthen the ACA, Medicaid, and Medicare and improve access to affordable health care.
Regardless of the president in power, physicians will always put the best interests of our patients and communities at the forefront. We will continue to be a resource to our patients, providing evidence-based and scientifically proven information and striving to better their lives and our community’s health. We urge the new Trump administration to do the same.
Albert L. Brooks MD is the immediate past president of the Alameda-Contra Costa Medical Association, which represents 6,000 East Bay physicians.
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Oakland Post: Week of January 29 – February 4, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of January 29 – February 4, 2025

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