Google, Facebook pledged millions for local news. Was it enough?

Facing regulatory and political pressure, Facebook and Alphabet Inc’s Google in recent years committed a combined US$600 million to support news outlets globally - many of them local or regional enterprises foundering in a digital age.

Thousands of media outlets received financial and other support for everything from fact-checking and reporting to training, according to the tech giants’ announcements. Some publishers express gratitude for contributions they say are essential as advertising revenue has plunged...