Empire State Newspaper and Broadcast Media Jobs Program Frequently Asked Questions
The New York State Newspaper and Broadcast Media Jobs Program is designed to provide financial incentives and support to eligible media businesses operating within New York State to bolster local news and job creation. This guide will be updated on a regular basis so please check back.
General Program Overview
What is the Newspaper and Broadcast Media Jobs Program?
It is a state-run initiative that provides refundable tax credits to eligible newspaper and broadcast media businesses. The program aims to incentivize both the retention of existing staff and the creation of new full-time positions.
How long is the program active?
The program is currently in effect and is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2027.
Eligibility Requirements
Who qualifies as an "Applicant"?
An applicant must be a business entity (partnership, LLC, or corporation) physically located in New York State. All employees counted toward the credit must pay New York State income tax.
Can a non-profit organization qualify as an Applicant?
No, they are not eligible for this tax credit program.
What types of businesses are eligible?
The program is open to two primary sectors:
- Print/Digital Media: Businesses publishing newspapers (at least weekly) of general circulation that contain news and articles of interest. This does not include publications primarily for advertising.
- Broadcast Media: Radio or television stations licensed by the FCC to broadcast to a community in New York State. The station must have been broadcasting for at least one year.
What are the specific ownership and insurance requirements?
To be eligible, a business must:
- Be independently owned (less than 5% owned by a publicly traded entity).
- Exception: Non-independently owned newspapers may qualify if they can demonstrate a 20% reduction in circulation or full-time staff over the last five years.
- Carry Media Liability Insurance (including libel insurance) continuously for at least one year prior to claiming wages.
How long do I have to carry medial liability insurance?
Media liability insurance – (may be inclusive of libel insurance) must be carried continually for one year prior to wages being claimed. For those claiming wages for tax year 2025 they must have had media liability insurance in place during 2024.
Can we count employees that live out of state?
Employees must pay New York State income tax and appear on your NYS-45 forms to be eligible.
Do all newspaper business applicants have to show a decline in staff or circulation?
No – only those not independently owned must show a 20 percent decline in staff or circulation over the past 5 years.
What is the definition of a full-time position?
A worker employed in a wage paying job requiring at least 35 hours per week
Tax Credit Components & Caps
How is the tax credit calculated?
There are two distinct components to the credit:
- Existing Jobs Component: 50% of an eligible employee's annual wages, capped at $50,000 in wages per employee (max credit of $25,000 per employee).
- New Job Creation Component: A flat credit of $5,000 for every "net new job" created (an increase of at least one full-time position compared to the previous year).
Are there annual limits on how much a business can receive?
Yes. An eligible business (per separate station or newspaper title) is limited to:
- $300,000 annually for the Existing Jobs Component.
- $20,000 annually for the New Job Creation Component.
Is there a total state-wide cap on the program?
Yes, the program is capped at $30 million per year total.
- $26 million is allocated for existing jobs.
- $4 million is allocated for new jobs.
How is the funding divided between small and large media businesses?
To ensure equitable access to the program, the $30 million allocated annually is split into two equal "set-aside" pools based on the size of the business:
- Pool 1 (Small Business): $15 million is reserved for eligible businesses with 100 or fewer New York-based employees.
- Pool 2 (Large Business): $15 million is reserved for eligible businesses with more than 100 New York-based employees.
Does the $300,000 annual cap change depending on my pool? No. Regardless of which pool your business falls into, the maximum tax credit any single newspaper or broadcast station can receive $320,000 per year.
Application & Approval Process
When does the application open?
The application will open on Tuesday February 24, 2026, and remain open until April 25, 2026 for Program Year 2025.
How do I apply?
Businesses must submit a complete application to the Department of Economic Development through the Consolidated Funding Application portal.
What happens if the program is oversubscribed?
If qualified applications exceed the available funding, awards will be pro-rated (reduced) by a consistent percentage. However, your award cannot be reduced by more than 50%. If applications exceed double the available funding, they will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.
How are you determining the order of first-come, first served?
Applications will be logged in order that they are received through the portal. Any application that has questions that need to be addressed will be given 10 business days to respond to ESD’s inquiry. If response is received within that 10-business day timeframe the application will hold its spot in line. If a response is received after the 10-business day mark their spot in line will reset to the time of response.
What is a "Certificate of Tax Credit"?
This is the official document issued by the Department once your application is verified. It specifies the exact amount of credit you can claim on your New York State tax return.
How do I receive my “payment”?
You will attach a copy of your tax certificate to your NYS Tax Return. More information can be found at https://www.tax.ny.gov/pit/credits/newspaper-broadcast-credit.htm
When will I receive my Certificate of Tax Credit?
Certificates will be issued once the application portal is closed and all applications have been reviewed. We estimate issuance of certificates in early June 2026.
What documentation will I need for the application process?
The following documents will be required to be uploaded during the application process:
- Copies of NYS-45 (including NYS-45 ATT) submissions for.
- 03/31/24
- 06/30/24
- 09/30/24
- 12/31/24
- 03/31/25
- 06/30/25
- 09/30/25
- 12/31/25
- 2024 NYS Tax Returns
- Evidence of Media Liability Insurance for 2024 & 2025
- For Broadcast Media Businesses a copy of their FCC license
- Completed Jobs Data Spreadsheet (see below for more information)
How do I complete the Jobs Data Spreadsheet if I own more than one distinct title?
All NYS Employees working for the business from January 1, 2024 – December 31, 2025 should be listed on the spreadsheet. For those working on one distinct title they should be allocated to that title in Column C. For those working on multiple titles they should be allocated to the title that they spend the majority of their time working on.
Can a consultant complete the application for multiple clients?
If a consultant is completing multiple applications on behalf of multiple organizations and may need to share access to an application and/or application materials, it is suggested (but not required) that the consultant register separate CFA accounts (with separate tokens) for each application submitted. The consultant can use the same email address to register multiple accounts. In any event, account creation & application information sharing is entirely at the discretion of the account holder and organization.
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