America's Newspapers appreciates the efforts extended by members to reach out to their congressional leaders to encourage the expansion of the Payroll Protection Program to include local news sources and to re-direct dollars for advertising spends to local news providers. Your voices are being heard!
A letter signed by 124 Democrats and Republicans advocating for new federal funding to support local news was sent April 29 to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. This effort, led by U.S. Representatives David N. Cicilline (RI-01) and F. James Sensenbrenner (WI-05), pushes to protect local news publishers and broadcasters in the next COVID-19 relief package.
If you haven’t yet reached out to your congressional representatives, please do it now. Let them know how they can help preserve trusted local news sources for their constituents.
In their April 29 bipartisan letter to Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader McCarthy, the 124 members of Congress wrote: “Reliable local information and reporting in our communities is more important than ever — newspapers and broadcasters are working ‘around the clock, often in dangerous conditions, to consistently get critical and timely information to the public. Local news publishers and broadcasters employ thousands of journalists — including reporters, photographers, newsroom staff, and others — to provide timely and accurate news to keep people informed about their communities. Under ordinary circumstances, this work is essential to public health and safety, local businesses, and our democracy. But it is more important than ever as our country responds to and recovers from the COVID-19 crisis.”
The full text of the letter and a list of signers can be downloaded by clicking here.
