In 2012, the California cities Richmond and El Monte asked voters to consider a penny-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). The measures appeared on the ballot alongside companion advisory policies that proposed earmarking revenue from the tax for youth obesity prevention programs and, in El Monte, for other city services as well. The soda industry launched a $4 million campaign to defeat the two proposals, making the soda taxes the focus of the most expensive election campaigns in either city’s history. The SSB ballot measures were rejected in the November 2012 election (by 67% in Richmond and 77% in El Monte), although the advisory policies that accompanied them passed by wide margins. This report highlights key aspects of how the news covered the proposals, including the type and volume of coverage they received, who was quoted, and the arguments made by advocates and opponents of the policies. The report concludes by discussing lessons learned from the media coverage in these two communities and provides recommendations for advocates to strengthen future efforts to regulate sugary beverages in other communities.