OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
CITY OF CHICAGO
LORI E. LIGHTFOOT MAYOR
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 2022-4
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago is among the most diverse cities in the United States, and, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, over 35 percent of its residents reside in a household where a language other than English is spoken; and
WHEREAS, over 400,000 City of Chicago residents do not speak English as their primary language and have a limited ability to read, speak, write, or understand English, and over 153 languages are spoken in Chicago households; and
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago values community media outlets and believes these outlets provide a critical pathway to allow members of local communities to access vital information about City services, resources, and announcements; and
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago believes that it has the responsibility to communicate in equitable ways and that it is essential for all residents to have access to City programs, services, and activities regardless of native language, race, color, sex, gender identity, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, or sexual orientation; now, therefore,
I, LORI E. LIGHTFOOT, Mayor ofthe City of Chicago, do hereby order as follows:
SECTION 1. DEFINITION.
For the purposes ofthis Executive Order, the term "community media outlet" shall mean any print or digital publication, or any television, radio, or digital broadcast, that: (i) targets a discrete neighborhood or geographic area within the Chicago region; (ii) targets a population that may or may not typically receive information from English-language outlets because of its exclusive or predominant use of one or more non-English languages; or (iii) targets a population based on culture or specifically-tailored subject matter as may be identified by the Office of the Mayor.
SECTION 2. DEPARTMENT ADVERTISING GOAL.
Except as otherwise provided by law or in SECTION 5 ofthis Executive Order, for fiscal year 2023 and every fiscal year thereafter, each Department ofthe City of Chicago (for the purposes of this Executive Order, "Department") shall seek to direct at least 50 percent ofthe Department's annual advertising spending to community media outlets, provided that a Department may apply to the Office ofthe Mayor for a waiver ofthis goal.
SECTION 3. APPROVED MEDIA OUTLET LIST.
The Office of the Mayor shall develop and maintain a list of community media outlets that promote and exemplify the City's many interconnected communities for use by Departments. A Department may request that the Office of the Mayor recognizes advertising spending in an outlet that is not on the approved list for the purpose of determining the Department's community media outlet spending.
SECTION 4. DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPARENCY.
Department representatives that work on purchasing advertising shall participate in regular trainings conducted by the Office ofthe Mayor. Beginning in fiscal year 2023, and for every fiscal year thereafter, each Department shall submit a year-end data report to the Office ofthe Mayor regarding its annual advertising spending. The report shall include, but is not limited to, the total amount each Department spent on advertising and the total amount each Department spent on advertising in community media outlets during the fiscal year. Data regarding each Department's advertising shall be made available to the public through the Chicago Data Portal at the beginning of 2024, and at the beginning of each fiscal year thereafter.
SECTION 5. EXEMPTION FOR LEGALLY REQUIRED NOTICES.
To the extent that the goals and requirements of this Executive Order conflict with a Department's or the City's obligation to comply with legal and statutory notice requirements pursuant to local, State, or other applicable law, such notices are exempt from the goals and requirements of this Executive Order. In implementing the advertising goal set forth in SECTION 2 ofthis Executive Order, a Department shall omit the publication cost of such legally required notices from its total advertising budget before calculating its community media outlet spending.
SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Order shall take effect upon its execution and filing with the City Clerk.