As of today, the world of independent, noncommercial journalism is turned on its head. Effective Jan. 1, Assembly Bill 5 limits freelance writers and photojournalists to 35 submissions per outlet in any given year. The alternative is to hire freelancers as employees, but as most people well know, independent news

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 5 Wednesday, which firms up what constitutes an independent contractor versus an employee and beginning in 2020, many workers will be reclassified according to the new rules. That’s music to the ears of many Uber and Lyft drivers who have been hard at work