3 V.S.A. App. ch. 3, § Executive Order No. 3-99: 3-99 (No. 06-26) [Local Media Considerations in State Marketing and Advertising Purchasing]

WHEREAS, local newspapers, radio, television, and online outlets provide important channels through which the State can connect to the Vermonters it serves; and

WHEREAS, how people consume news has broadened to include a variable mix of mediums, including print, broadcast, web, email, social media, mobile text messaging, and more; and

WHEREAS, a decline in availability of local news is a national trend. As of 2022, two thirds of U.S. counties have no daily newspaper and more than 200 have no local newspaper at all, leaving broad swaths of the population in news deserts; and

WHEREAS, Vermont lost 53 percent of its journalists between 2013 and 2023, more than 400 jobs, according to a study by Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University; and

WHEREAS, Vermont news outlets have had to scale back the amount of reporting they produce, reduce their frequency of publication and, in some cases, close their doors entirely; and

WHEREAS, Vermont media outlets, including print, digital, radio and television, seek to raise their visibility as an advertising channel to reach Vermonters; and

WHEREAS, the State of Vermont marketing and advertising planning and purchasing activities are done by independent communications, marketing and program teams within each agency, department, division or other entity structure; and

WHEREAS, the State of Vermont communications, marketing, advertising and outreach efforts need to consider the target audience in its planning process to ensure Vermonters are aware of relevant state programs, services, and information; and

WHEREAS, advertisement placements for the State of Vermont can be made by State entities but are frequently made through a third-party marketing firm the entity has contracted with; and

WHEREAS, ensuring State communications and marketing teams have a solid awareness of the offerings and reach of local media outlets could help enhance paid media campaigns and support informed and strategic media buying decisions; and

WHEREAS, “local news organization” means an entity that (a) engages professionals to create, edit, produce and distribute original news reporting on Vermont or its constituent communities via print, digital, radio or television; (b) employs at least one employee who dedicates 20 hours a week to reporting, editing or producing journalism; and (c) has a physical presence in Vermont or an adjacent state; and

WHEREAS, “local broadcast organization” means an organization operating in Vermont that is licensed to broadcast by the Federal Communications Commission; and

WHEREAS, local news outlets, and/or organizations representing them, should consider opportunities to simplify advertising buying and placement for State entities.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that I, Philip B. Scott, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Governor of Vermont, do hereby direct all State agencies to prioritize local media outlets in paid media planning and to make the State’s advertising spending transparent, as follows:

PRIORITIZATION OF LOCAL MEDIA

When contracting for – or otherwise purchasing – print, digital, radio or television advertising services, State agencies, departments, instrumentalities or institutions (State entities) shall, whenever feasible and consistent with the best interests of the State, give preference to resident bidders of the state and/or to products raised or manufactured in the state, including local news outlets and broadcast organizations as defined herein

This prioritization shall apply whether paid media decisions are made directly by State entities, or through a contracted vendor. To meet this expectation:

• State entities shall include language in new Requests for Solicitation (RFXs) or Statement of Work Agreements for marketing and advertising services containing media buying, that requires interested bidders to include options and strategies for spending in local media outlets as part of their recommended solutions.

• The Communications and Marketing Office (CMO) shall meet with the State’s marketing and communications professionals to advise on this Executive Order.

• The CMO shall meet with marketing service firms with Marketing Retainer Contracts to advise on the State’s obligations under this Executive Order.

• The CMO shall meet at least annually with advertising professionals from local news and local broadcast organizations identified by journalism support organizations such as the Vermont Journalism Coalition to discuss progress and learnings from the activities outlined in this Executive Order.

• The CMO team shall consider any barriers to implementing this directive and recommend improvements to help achieve its intent.

Nothing in this Executive Order prohibits advertising or contracting with out-of-state media outlets or marketing service vendors.

REPORTING

The CMO shall identify mechanisms and protocols to report on State advertising dollars spent with local media. By September 1, 2026, the CMO shall provide recommendations to the Secretary of Administration on any further directives needed to collect and report on data.

The CMO should explore:

• Current reporting available through the State’s eProcurement system, VTBuys.

• Modifications to reporting within the State’s eProcurement system, VTBuys.

• Options for, and feasibility of, new reporting mechanisms to collect data on State advertising dollars spent via internal teams and contracted vendors, highlighting local media outlets and search and social platforms as unique categories.

Feasibility of, and how to execute on, specific metrics requested by local journalism organizations, including:

o The aggregated total of State entities’ discretionary advertising spending; and

o A categorical breakdown of that advertising spending including the names of each advertising vendor which received individual advertising contracts from a State entity and the amount of the contract(s); the names of the recipients of the advertising spending, whether purchased directly or through a contracted vendor, categorized by media type including but not limited to search and social media platforms, local news outlets, local broadcast organizations; and the general subject matter of the advertising placement (i.e. social services, public health, job training, etc.)

• Options for, and feasibility of, new Business Office protocols to support collecting data on State advertising dollars spent.

Following the collection of information described herein, the CMO shall present to the Governor and Secretary of Administration a plan to implement the recommended reporting mechanisms and an appropriate timeline for annual reporting. The report shall be submitted no later than December 1, 2026.

EXCLUSIONS

Any advertisement or paid media purchase focused on tourism, out-of-state visitors or out-of-state recruitment is excluded from this directive

EFFECTIVE DATE

This Executive Order shall take effect upon execution.

Dated July 23, 2026.