“It is more important than ever to protect quality journalism that is independent both from government and from powerful Silicon Valley companies,” a coalition of center-right publishers wrote in a letter to the bill’s original sponsors. “We urge you to support the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act.”

The JCPA is designed to level the playing field between Big Tech and small and local publishers by allowing them to collectively negotiate for fair compensation for the use of their content. The Senate text of the bill was released Monday and was listed on the agenda for Senate Judiciary Committee for markup in September and its supporters are urging Congress – specifically the bill’s lead co-sponsors Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and John Kennedy (R-LA) and Reps. David Cicilline (D-RI) and Ken Buck (R-CO) – to initiate a markup of the bill and accelerate its passage in the House of Representatives and Senate.

These publishers are in tune with Republican voters, who, according to pollsters Echelon Insights, support the goals of the JCPA. Their poll found that 76 percent of Republicans agree that Big Tech should not be allowed to profit off content from news publishers without fair compensation.”

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BACKGROUND

“It is more important than ever to protect quality journalism that is independent both from government and from powerful Silicon Valley companies. We urge you to support the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act.” – Coalition of conservative publishers, including from Newsmax, Washington Times, Redstate.com, Salem Media Group, Washington Examiner, the Daily Caller, and more

[The] “JCPA provides a remedy by permitting a coalition of publishers to negotiate a deal to receive fair compensation for their original and valuable news content. … The Journalism Competition and Preservation Act is the kind of legislation that Republicans and Democrats alike can and should get behind. … There is a shared interest in preserving a free and diverse press.” – Christopher Ruddy, CEO of Newsmax Media, Inc.

“76% agree that Big Tech should not be allowed to profit off content from news publishers without fair compensation and 74% agree that Big Tech should be required to offer the same compensation terms to local, conservative, and national news organizations.” – Echelon Insights poll of Republican voters

The post Statement: Conservative Publishers Support the JCPA appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

Arlington, VA – Today, hundreds of local and regional newspapers across the country launched the “Don’t Let Big Tech Cancel Local News” ad campaign in support of the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (JCPA).

The JCPA, a bill being considered in Congress, is designed to level the playing field between Big Tech and small and local publishers by allowing them to collectively negotiate for fair compensation for the use of their content. The nationwide campaign comes amid speculation that the JCPA legislative text will be released in the coming days and its supporters are urging Congress – specifically the bill’s lead co-sponsors Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and John Kennedy (R-LA) and Reps. David Cicilline (D-RI) and Ken Buck (R-CO) – to initiate a markup of the bill and accelerate its passage in the House of Representatives and Senate.

“This is a critical time for the JCPA. We thank our sponsors for their leadership on this important bill, but the time to act is now,” said News/Media Alliance President and CEO David Chavern.

The campaign contains information on how readers can contact their Members of Congress to ask them to move forward on a markup for JCPA, including a QR code links to a page where readers can send emails and a phone number for constituents to call their representatives directly.

Since the JCPA was introduced last year, the bill has amassed 10 co-sponsors in the Senate and 63 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives. The bill has bipartisan support in Congress, and a recent poll showed that a strong majority of the American public support Congress passing the JCPA (70%). The time is now. Congress must act.

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Media Contact:
Lindsey Loving
Director, Communications
News/Media Alliance
lindsey@newsmediaalliance.org

The News/Media Alliance is a nonprofit organization representing more than 2,000 news and magazine media organizations and their multiplatform businesses in the United States and globally. Alliance members include print and digital publishers of original journalism. Headquartered just outside Washington, D.C., the association focuses on ensuring the future of journalism through communication, research, advocacy, and innovation. Information about the News/Media Alliance can be found at www.newsmediaalliance.org.

The post Newspapers Nationwide Run Coordinated Ad Campaign, Urge Congress to Pass JCPA appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

On June 11, Alliance President and CEO David Chavern testified before the House Judiciary Committee on “Online Platforms and Market Power, Part 1: The Free and Diverse Press,” a hearing about the impact tech platforms like Google and Facebook have on news publishers. You can watch our highlight reel above.

The post Video: Highlights from the House Judiciary Hearing on Online Platforms and the Free Press appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

Alliance CEO and President David Chavern testified before the U.S. House of Representatives during a hearing on June 11, 2019, titled, “Online Platforms and Market Power, Part 1: The Free and Diverse Press.” In the above clip, Chavern responds to a question from Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman David Cicilline (D-RI) about the increase in news readership compared to the loss of revenue.

Chavern’s response: “Present trends can’t continue. If we continue on this path, we’re going to lose vast amounts of quality journalism, particularly in communities all around the country. That’s not just a bad business outcome, that is utterly destructive to our civic society and can’t be allowed to happen. What we’ve asked for is a chance, a chance for a different kind of future, and we need that future, collectively.”

The post Watch: Alliance CEO on the Importance of Protecting News Online appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

Watch our briefing on the importance of protecting journalism in the online ecosystem.

The post Video: Congressional Briefing: Protecting Journalism In the Online Ecosystem appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

The post Video: Legislation to Protect Local News appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

Washington Post writer Jonathan Capehart (left) moderates a discussion of the “Journalism Competition and Preservation Act” between Reps. David Cicilline (center) and Doug Collins (right)

On April 4, House Antitrust Chairman David Cicilline (D-RI) and Representative Doug Collins (R-GA), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, were part of a panel at The Washington Post‘s #PostLive event, “Protecting Local News.” The Congressmen spoke with Post writer Jonathan Capehart about the the “Journalism Competition and Preservation Act,” which the pair had introduced in the House on April 3.

You can watch the discussion between Capehart, Cicilline and Collins below, and view other panels from the event here.

The post View from the Hill: Collins and Cicilline Discuss Journalism Safe Harbor Bill at #PostLive appeared first on News/Media Alliance.