The Postal Service requested that the PRC initiate a rulemaking proceeding to consider a change to rural carrier costing on November 21. The proposed revisions update the methodology for the calculation of rural carrier attributable costs to account for the new rural carrier route evaluation system. The proposal reduces unit Periodicals costs by ~1 cent per piece (3 percent). Comments are due January 18 and the Alliance plans to support the decrease in Periodicals costs.

The post USPS Proposes Revisions to Rural Carrier Costing Methodology Resulting in Lower Periodicals Costs appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

On October 19, the News/Media Alliance sent a letter together with Digital Content Next and the European Publishers Council to the G7 member states and the European Union regarding the Group’s efforts to develop global AI principles and a voluntary code of conduct under the so-called Hiroshima AI Process. The letter expressed support for the process and encouraged the member states to include strong transparency obligations and copyright protections in the G7 framework. The letter was accompanied by the Global AI Principles signed by the Alliance and over two dozen other content and media organizations in September, covering issues related to intellectual property, transparency, accountability, quality and integrity, fairness, safety, design, and sustainable development. The G7 are expected to finalize the framework in the coming weeks. The European Commission recently published a draft version of the principles, including a reference to copyrights and transparency measures.

The post News/Media Alliance Commends G7’s Hiroshima AI Process, Calls for Strong Copyright Protections appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

On October 5th, the Alliance joined an application, submitted to the DC Circuit Court, requesting audiovisual access to the United States v. Donald J. Trump trial related to the January 6th events, currently scheduled for March 2024. The Alliance also joined a media coalition letter, led by Ballard Spahr, to the Judicial Conference of the Administrative Office of the United State Courts urging a change to Rule 53 to allow audiovisual access to the trial and other criminal proceedings. The application and letter outline how this criminal trial against a former President is historic and unprecedented, and the public and the media have a right to access the trial. Audiovisual coverage is necessary to provide accurate, timely, and meaningful access to the media and the public, and the per se ban on audiovisual access is unconstitutional. To only allow the few members of the press and public who can get a seat in the courtroom to observe the trial does not satisfy the First Amendment. The Alliance will continue to support efforts to allow greater access for journalists and the public to observe trials, especially those with historic significance.

The post The Alliance Joins Media Coalition Urging Court to Allow Cameras at Trump’s Election Interference Trial appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

Additional Resources:

• During the event, the Center for Journalism and Liberty at Open Markets announced the publication of its comprehensive report, “Democracy, Journalism, and Monopoly: How to Fund Independent News Media in the 21st Century.” A tremendous effort from Open Markets and CJL journalists and scholars, this new report – the most comprehensive available today – details how, through a broad & integrated program of reform that restores traditional American principles of competition policy, we can restructure media & communications markets to sustain them in the 21st Century.
• The Center for Journalism and Liberty also launched this week a Technology & Media Fair Compensation Frameworks tracker, which includes information about legislation around the world, plus several sets of policy primers and analyses.

The post ‘Protecting News to Preserve Democracy’ by Center for Journalism & Liberty at Open Markets Institute appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

Image Credit: ChiccoDodiFC / iStock/Getty Images Plus via Getty Images

On August 11, 2023, a small-town newspaper in Kansas, the Marion County Record, was raided by law enforcement. Police came into the paper’s offices and the home of its co-owner and seized the paper’s electronic devices and files. The raid quickly made national and international headlines, sending shock waves throughout the free press community. Why had police raided the premises? Was the raid legal?  What does this mean for our free and independent press? These questions and more swirled around this unusual event.

The News/Media Alliance quickly condemned the raid, along with numerous other organizations, in a letter led by Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP). In the days and weeks following the raid, we know the answers to many questions, but some remain unanswered, such as: What lasting impact will the raid have on the independence of the free press in this country?

As reported, the raid was conducted in response to a local restaurant owner’s claim that a reporter at the paper had allegedly committed identify theft in accessing her driving record. In fact, we now know the reporter accessed public records on a public website in order to verify a tip she received from a confidential source. Five days after the raid, after much public outcry, the warrant was withdrawn and the paper’s equipment returned. While some may read this and think, “No harm, no foul,” unfortunately this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Here are three reasons why this raid is no small-fry matter, and why every American should be alarmed:

1)       The Press Rely on Protection of the Law to Keep Government Accountable

The press has long operated as an unofficial watchdog of government, uncovering misconduct and corruption through investigative journalism, and keeping the public informed of government actions. Journalists are only able to do this, however, if they can rely on laws designed to protect them from government overreach or abuse of power. Most states have press shield laws (something still needed on the Federal level), such as the Kansas Shield Law, which should have protected the Marion County Record from a raid, providing for a subpoena instead of a raid. The raid broke several norms, and the broad seizure of equipment caused the paper to almost shut down its operations. A reporter at the paper has filed a lawsuit against the police chief, claiming her First Amendment rights were violated, and alleging the raid was intended to ‘punish the journalists for investigating and reporting news stories.’

2)      Police Raids Have a Chilling Effect on Journalists and Sources

If the government can infringe upon the rights of the free press, raid their premises and search through confidential source materials, this can have rippling effects – chilling not only the investigative work of journalists, but also deterring sources from coming forward. In the words of Eric Meyer, owner of the Marion County Record, “it would be the end of people ever being able to send anything anonymously to a newspaper.” Our democracy relies heavily upon the freedom of the press. Without it, America begins to resemble countries like Russia or North Korea, where the government routinely raids news organizations, intimidates reporters, and exposes confidential sources precisely to silence the press and anyone who helps uncover truths.

3)      The Human Impact of this Event Cannot Be Understated

Tragically, the paper’s co-owner, 98-year-old Joan Meyer, collapsed and died just one day after her home was searched as part of the raid. The coroner determined that the stress of the search was a contributing factor to her death. Her son and now sole owner Eric Meyer said in an interview, “So the last 24 hours of a 98-year-old woman’s life was devoted to pain and anguish, and a feeling that all her life didn’t matter.” Beyond this personal and unnecessary tragedy, a raid on a news organization breeds mistrust in the press and law enforcement and can splinter communities, especially in small towns such as Marion County.

The impact this raid will have on American journalism going forward is yet to be seen. That will largely depend on how strongly the community at large condemns such raids and what if any accountability arises from it. The News/Media Alliance continues to stand in support of the Marion County Record and all journalists in pursuit of the protection of their First Amendment Rights.

The post Three Reasons Why a Small-Town Newspaper Raid is No Small-Fry Matter appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

On September 13, the Alliance joined a letter with 62 other media organizations urging the Supreme Court to make permanent its practice of providing the public with access to a live audio feed of oral arguments before the Court. The letter, led by RCFP, outlines the strong arguments for making access to the live audio feed permanent. The practice, which was started by the Court in response to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, has greatly increased access to the Court’s proceedings, not only to the public but to journalists across the country. With the feed, the press can report on arguments before the Court more accurately and in real time. This information significantly benefits the public in enhancing their understanding of the functioning of the Court and the broader role that the Court plays in our legal system and democracy. The Alliance supports open access to Supreme Court proceedings and urges the Court to make the live audio feed a permanent practice in support of ongoing transparency. Read more.

The post Alliance Joins Letter Urging Supreme Court to Make Access to Live Audio Feed Permanent appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) new rule providing for Remote ID requirements originally scheduled to take effect on September 16 was extended to March 16, 2024. The News Media Drone Coalition, of which the Alliance is a member, sent a letter urging a delay in the deadline and expressed concerns about the availability of modules and firmware updates. After that date, operators could face fines and suspension or revocation of pilot certificates. Remote ID is the ability of a drone in flight to provide identification and location information that can be received through a broadcast signal and helps the FAA, law enforcement, and other federal agencies locate the control station when a drone appears to be flying in an unsafe manner. The Alliance will continue to monitor these developments.

The post FAA Extends Deadline for New Drone Requirements appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

On July 7, the Alliance joined comments drafted by the National Press Photographers Association in response to the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) proposed rules relating to drone use in New York City. NYPD is proposing to amend its rules to create a procedure by which members of the public can submit applications to launch or land an unmanned aircraft, including a “drone”, within New York City. The comments outline the potential First Amendment implications of the proposed rules, including, for example, that the 30-day advance application submission requirement will prevent journalists from covering breaking news. The proposed rules do not provide a time limit within which the City must approve or deny applications, nor a timeframe within which the City must respond to an appeal when a permit application is denied. The application also requires a non-refundable $150.00 fee, which may be beyond the economic reach of many independent journalists. The comments argue that the application process is unconstitutional as it is too burdensome and costly; essentially foreclosing the use of drones for most journalistic purposes. While the Alliance supports the development of safe drone journalism practices, any rules or regulations must also provide strong First Amendment protections for news and magazine journalists. Read more.

The post Alliance Joins Comments on Proposed Rules for Drone Use in New York City appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

On July 5, 2023, 18 publisher groups and media associations from around the world issued a joint statement in response to Google and Meta’s threat to take down news in Canada after Canada’s parliament passed the Online News Act (C-18) in June. See the full statement here.

The post Global Reaction to Google and Meta Threat to Take Down News in Canada appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

In 2020, Congress passed the Fallen Journalists Memorial Act, allowing for a memorial dedicated to journalists who have died while reporting the news and in recognition of the vital role that the free press plays in our democracy. Now, according to The Washington Post, the future memorial has found a home, with the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts last week approving a location in Washington, DC.

The future memorial, which will be funded through private donations, is expected to be completed in 2028. It will be housed between the National Museum of the American Indian and the Voice of America building on the National Mall with a direct view of the Capitol, which was “chosen to evoke journalists’ role as government watchdogs.”

Throughout our nation’s history, hundreds of U.S. journalists have lost their lives while doing their jobs so that the American public could stay informed on important matters affecting our country. The Fallen Journalists Memorial will serve as much-deserved recognition and acknowledgement of their sacrifice.   Read more.

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