FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

John Murray

Arlington, VA – The News Media Alliance has named The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead (North Dakota) (Small category), the Detroit Free Press (Medium category), the Honolulu Star-Advertiser (Medium Category) and Newsday (Long Island, NY) (Large category) as the recipients of the 2021 John P. Murray Award for Excellence in Audience Development.

A selection committee of Alliance and American Press Institute (API) staff members selected the four recipients (with a tie in the Medium category) for their exceptional innovation and sophistication in understanding content strategy as part of audience development. Their effective use of multiple platforms and formats for sharing content; development of thoughtful, responsive content and programs to help readers navigate important issues (e.g., Covid-19 vaccines, local crime, etc.); livestreaming sports and virtual events; and leveraging social media, video, and newsletter products to introduce their brands to new audiences resulted in measurable positive impacts on audience growth, subscription and advertiser revenue, and print and digital subscriptions.

All four news publishers successfully applied one or more of the seven ‘Table Stakes’ capacities of modern news publishing, which were developed as part of the Knight Lenfest Local News Transformation program.

Alliance President and CEO, David Chavern, stated, “We continue to be amazed at the innovation and creativity our members have shown year after year in their submissions for this Award. While we received many impressive nominations again this year, these four news organizations showed some amazing results in growing audience and revenue for their digital products and services that exemplify what is possible when news organizations listen to readers and what they need, and meet them where they are. I know John Murray would have been really excited and proud to see the hard work news publishers are putting in that is paying off in the form of new and engaged audiences.”

Michael Bolden, Executive Director and CEO of API, said, “The four winners of the John P. Murray Award demonstrated successful applications of the transformational thinking news organizations must put into practice in the digital age to better serve their communities. The winners can build on their success, while their work offers useful case studies that other publishers can follow in their own markets. Putting such peer learning into practice is one of the most powerful tools we have in journalism to help move the industry forward.”

This is the third year of the John P. Murray Award for Excellence in Audience Development, which was established in memory of former Vice President of Audience Development John Murray, who was with the organization for over 20 years before passing away in 2018. Murray was known across the news industry for helping Alliance member news publishers improve audience development and engagement, and for convening members to share best practices.

In response to being named a recipient of the 2021 John P. Murray Award:

• Stephanie Schroeder, Chief Customer & Marketing Officer at Forum Communications said, “The Forum is beyond honored to be chosen as one of the recipients of this prestigious award. We believe that our audience is our most valuable asset, so we are proud to be recognized for our efforts in trying to better serve them. Our work is not yet finished – and it likely never will be – but it’s work we feel privileged to do.”
• Brian Manzullo, Social, Search & Audience Editor at the Detroit Free Press stated, “On behalf of the Detroit Free Press, it’s an absolute honor to receive this award from the News Media Alliance in memory of John Murray. It’s a testament to the efforts by our entire newsroom in not just engaging our audiences, but involving them throughout the newsgathering process to empower our journalism and deliver meaningful impact in our communities. Thank you so much to the News Media Alliance for recognizing our work, and most of all thank you to our readers who help push us to become better at serving them.”
• Dennis Francis, Oahu Publications, Inc. President and Publisher said, “Innovative audience development allows the Honolulu Star-Advertiser to focus on its core mission of providing the community with local news, sports, commentary and entertainment while spurring public discussions on the critical issues affecting the lives of our readers and the communities they serve across the State.”
• Debby Krenek, Publisher of Newsday, said, “We could not be prouder of what the team has achieved for our organization with Newsday LIVE events. We’re incredibly honored that their work is being recognized by our peers at the News Media Alliance.” Melissa Carfero, Newsday’s manager of event strategy and development, added, “It’s a tremendous honor to receive this award and to be recognized by News Media Alliance, especially for excellence in audience development. The success Newsday LIVE has seen year over year is undoubtedly attributed to the expertise, determination and unwavering commitment our team shares in making each event more successful than the last.”

All four recipients will receive an award to display at their property; a check for $1,000 to put toward enhancing their audience development and engagement efforts; and will be invited to present their success stories an upcoming Alliance member best practices webinar. The Alliance will also add this year’s recipients to a plaque that is displayed at its headquarters.

For more information about the John P. Murray Award for Excellence in Audience Development, click here.

###

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

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

The post News Media Alliance Announces Recipients of 2021 John P. Murray Award for Excellence in Audience Development appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

Journalism Competition & Preservation Act would allow news publishers to negotiate for fair compensation from the tech platforms

Arlington, VA – Today the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights will hold a hearing at 3:00 p.m. ET, “Breaking the News – Journalism, Competition, and the Effects of Market Power on a Free Press,” on the impact of the dominant tech platforms, such as Facebook and Google, on the ability to sustain high-quality journalism and the need for legislation to ensure the platforms provide news publishers fair compensation for use of their online content.

Witnesses scheduled to testify at the hearing include Jennifer Bertetto, president & CEO of Trib Total Media in Greensburg, PA (written testimony here); Hal Singer, economist and antitrust expert (written testimony here); and Joel Oxley, senior vice president and general manager of WTOP and Federal News Radio.

Last March, Senate Antitrust Subcommittee Chair Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Senator John N. Kennedy (R-LA) reintroduced the Journalism Competition & Preservation Act (JCPA) in the Senate, which would provide a limited antitrust safe harbor for news publishers to collectively negotiate with the platforms for fair compensation for the use of their content. An identical bill was introduced concurrently in the House by House Antitrust Chairman David Cicilline (D-RI) and Ranking Member Ken Buck (R-CO).

News Media Alliance President & CEO, David Chavern, stated, “We applaud the Senate Judiciary Committee for holding this hearing and recognizing the urgent need to address the local news crisis. We need trusted sources of journalism now more than ever. Currently, the dominant tech platforms set the rules, using news publishers’ content without providing appropriate compensation, while taking the majority of digital advertising revenue in the U.S. This is revenue that news publishers need to reinvest in providing quality journalism. Now is the time to act, and we believe the Journalism Competition & Preservation Act is the solution that will help sustain high-quality journalism and therefore our civic society.”

Current antitrust laws prohibit news publishers from taking collective action by negotiating with the large online platforms for fair compensation for all news publishers – large and small – across the board. This legislation would provide news publishers with a limited opportunity to negotiate together and to withhold content from the online platforms during the negotiations, while presenting a sensible, market-based solution to a major threat to the future of high-quality journalism.

Managing Director of Econ One, Hal Singer, said, “The reason Google scrapes, indexes and posts news publisher content for free is because it can. It’s like some bully coming into your house and taking your lunch. As long as market forces are allowed to dictate the payments for accessing news publisher content, the access price will remain at zero, and news publishers will be deprived of billions of dollars per year of value created for the platforms.”

“While Google and Facebook earn record profits year after year, their monopolistic behavior has led to downsized or shuttered newsrooms across America. Even with our restructuring and enhanced digital offerings, it was not enough to level the playing field,” said Jennifer Bertetto, President and CEO of Trib Total Media. “The Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (JCPA) would allow news publishers – irrespective of size or political persuasion – to jointly negotiate with the platforms for fair compensation for the use of our content. The JCPA would give my company – a small, regionally-focused publisher – what we don’t have today: a seat at the table.”

###

Media contact:
Lindsey Loving
Director, Communications
lindsey@newsmediaalliance.org

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

The post Senate Judiciary Committee to Hold Hearing on Big Tech’s Impact on the Future of Quality Journalism appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Arlington, VA – Today the American Economic Liberties Project, MediaJustice and the News Media Alliance jointly published a new report, “Minority-Owned Media and the Digital Duopoly,” which examines the history of minority-owned media and the impact of the ascendance of big tech platforms, such as Facebook and Google, on minority-owned outlets and those targeting underrepresented communities.

Through an extensive research and information-gathering effort that included conducting interviews with several representatives from minority-owned news outlets, the report demonstrates how minority-owned media’s continued survival – as well as the addition of new outlets – is being threatened by the digital platforms’ anticompetitive practices.

The report states, “The U.S. Census Bureau projects that racial minorities – primarily Blacks, Asians, Native Americans and Hispanics – will constitute the majority of the population by 2045. Given the unique challenges and the strong legacy of many minority-owned publications, the need for their survival is acute.”

Report author Pamela Newkirk, PhD – a journalist, author and professor – interviewed Dr. Benjamin Chavis, president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA); Joel Dreyfuss, former managing editor of The Root; Akoto Ofori-Atta, co-founder and executive editor of Capital B; Mark Trahant, editor of Indian Country Today; and Omar Wasow, co-founder of Black Planet.

As with local newspapers, niche publications aimed at certain racial or ethnic groups provide high value to their communities, sharing what is happening locally, nationally, and internationally that impacts their readers’ daily lives. However, unfortunately, they also have been hard-hit by the transition to a digital advertising marketplace that is dominated by the Duopoly.

“Facebook and Google’s dominance over online advertising poses an existential threat to journalism – and specifically to media owned by and designed to serve communities of color,” said Nidhi Hegde, Co-Lead of the American Economic Liberties Project’s Access to Markets program. “Without an open and competitive advertising market, minority-owned publishers cannot generate the revenue they need to survive, and Black and brown entrepreneurs cannot start and grow new media ventures. The way to spur innovation and protect critical civic arenas for communities of color is to break Facebook and Google’s monopoly power.”

“In the digital age, companies like Facebook and Google have reshaped where people get their information. Similar to traditional media gatekeepers, these tech companies systemically block people of color from owning and controlling our own stories while amplifying hateful content and disinformation that further harms our communities,” said Steven Renderos, Executive Director at MediaJustice. Marginalizing people of color is profitable for these tech platforms, and that’s why we need solutions that think beyond the current gatekeepers into a future where alternative newspapers and press can reach our communities.”

News Media Alliance Executive Vice President & General Counsel, Danielle Coffey, said, “We are currently facing a crisis in which our valued news publications are suffering from a dire lack of financial resources needed to survive. Two dominant tech companies – Google and Facebook – are forcing everyone to play by their rules, using news publishers’ content to fill their platforms without offering fair or adequate compensation. Without immediate intervention to correct this market imbalance, we run the risk of these publications – including minority-owned outlets – fading into history, their legacy forgotten, their future ability to provide critical, high-quality news to underrepresented communities going with them.”

The report concludes, “The ascendance of Facebook and Google threatens the viability of the entire news industry and exacerbates the structural inequities – including a disparity in advertising dollars, resources and access to capital – that have long plagued minority media. These persisting inequities, which require a reconsideration of a broad set of public policies and practices, are now compounded by minority publishers’ reliance on the very platforms that have upended and circumvented the role of the press as independent watchdogs in a democracy.”

Economic Liberties, MediaJustice and the Alliance, in a separate Overview & Introduction to the report, made the following recommendations based on the report’s conclusions:

• Pass the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (JCPA), which would allow news media outlets – including minority-owned publications – to collectively negotiate with the tech platforms for fair compensation for the use of their content.
• Make more government-backed small business lending available for the creation of new minority-owned and rural media outlets and advertising agencies.
• Conduct more research, such as a Government Accountability Office report aimed at gathering more data on advertising in minority-owned outlets.
• Follow through with antitrust action to break up the largest, most monopolistic social media companies and force interoperability between them, to create room for ad-driven tech platforms such as Black Planet to flourish.

The Alliance will submit the report to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights, ahead of its hearing on February 2, 2022 on “Breaking the News – Journalism, Competition, and the Effects of Market Power on a Free Press.”

Click here to download the report.

###

Media contact:
Lindsey Loving
Director, Communications
lindsey@newsmediaalliance.org

The American Economic Liberties Project works to ensure America’s system of commerce is structured to advance, rather than undermine, economic liberty, fair commerce, and a secure, inclusive democracy. Economic Liberties believes true economic liberty means entrepreneurs and businesses large and small succeed on the merits of their ideas and hard work; commerce empowers consumers, workers, farmers, and engineers instead of subjecting them to discrimination and abuse from financiers and monopolists; foreign trade arrangements support domestic security and democracy; and wealth is broadly distributed to support equitable political power.

MediaJustice is dedicated to building a grassroots movement for a more just and participatory media—fighting for racial, economic, and gender justice in a digital age. MediaJustice boldly advances communication rights, access, and power for communities harmed by persistent dehumanization, discrimination, and disadvantage. Home of the #MediaJusticeNetwork, we envision a future where everyone is connected, represented, and free.

The News Media Alliance is a nonprofit organization representing more than 2,000 news organizations and their multiplatform businesses in the United States and globally. Alliance members include print, digital and mobile publishers of original news content. Headquartered near Washington, D.C., in Arlington, Va., the association focuses on ensuring the future of news media through communication, research, advocacy and innovation. 

The post Research Report Shows Negative Impact of Big Tech on Minority-Owned Media appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

Bipartisan bill would grant news publishers limited, temporary safe harbor to negotiate better business terms with tech platforms

Washington, D.C. – This week, the News Media Alliance will host virtual meetings between Alliance member newspaper executives and their members of Congress to advocate for the passage of the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (JCPA), also known as the “Safe Harbor bill.” Executives representing Advance Publications, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Boston Globe, CNHI, Gannett, Los Angeles Times, McClatchy, Tampa Bay Times/Times Publishing, Trib Total Media, and Tribune Publishing Company will meet with key lawmakers over the next three days.

Alliance President & CEO, David Chavern, stated, “We are pleased to be facilitating these important meetings between news publishers and policymakers. Our members believe, as we do, that a safe harbor for news is the best solution to correcting the current imbalance in the competitive landscape. As we have seen in Australia and Europe, the world is moving toward new compensation systems for publishers. A healthy democracy needs quality journalism now more than ever, and we must ensure that the digital ecosystem returns value back to the people who create that journalism.”

The JCPA, which was reintroduced in the House and Senate in March, would provide a limited, temporary safe harbor for news publishers to collectively negotiate with the dominant tech platforms, such as Facebook and Google, for fair compensation for the use of their content. Co-sponsors of the House bill include House Antitrust Chairman David Cicilline (D-RI) and Ranking Member Ken Buck (R-CO). Co-sponsors of the Senate bill are Senate Antitrust Chairwoman Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Senator John N. Kennedy (R-LA).

Tribune Publishing CEO, Terry Jimenez, stated, “The JCPA was narrowly tailored and limited in scope by design to ensure that Facebook and Google must participate in good faith negotiations with news publishers and that any negotiations are only in the interest of promoting trust and quality journalism. This legislation is the solution to the power imbalance these platforms have created.”

Currently, the Duopoly is capturing 90 percent of all digital ad revenue growth and approximately 60 percent of total U.S. digital advertising. Like the bills’ co-sponsors, the Alliance believes the solution to this problem is to provide a safe harbor for news publishers to allow them to come together to negotiate with the platforms on their overall behalf.

Tampa Bay Times/Times Publishing Company President, Conan Gallaty, stated, “When local journalism suffers, it’s more than just reporters who are affected. Local communities will lose quality news and information, and readers will be left with misinformation on the big tech platforms, which undermines the fabric of our democracy. It is more important than ever to pass laws that will protect quality journalism because the price of inaction – the disappearance of local news – is too great.”

Since 2018, the News Media Alliance has been vocally advocating for legislation in the U.S. that would combat the spread of misinformation, improve the quality and accessibility of reporting, and ensure that local journalists are able to continue their critical work. Through launching a Voter Voice campaign, the Alliance has also encouraged members of the industry and the public to contact their members of Congress and ask them to support the JCPA.

For more information on the JCPA, visit the Alliance’s Safe Harbor Resource Center at www.SafeHarborBill.com.

###

Media contact:

Lauren Edmonds
lauren.edmonds@fgh.com

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

The post News Media Alliance Hosts Congressional Meetings to Advocate for Passage of the Journalism Competition & Preservation Act appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

John Murray

Arlington, VA – The News Media Alliance has named the Arizona Daily Star’s #ThisIsTucson (Small category), The Keene Sentinel (Keene, NH) (Medium category), and McClatchy (Large category) as the recipients of the 2020 John P. Murray Award for Excellence in Audience Development.

A selection committee of Alliance and American Press Institute (API) executives selected the three recipients for their exceptional innovation and sophistication in understanding content strategy as part of audience development. Their effective use of multiple platforms and formats for sharing content; thoughtful content and programs to help readers navigate the events of 2020, including the coronavirus pandemic, protests against systemic racism, and the 2020 presidential election; and registration programs to introduce their brands to new audiences, among other major undertakings, resulted in measurable positive impacts on audience growth, subscription and circulation revenue, and print and digital subscriptions.

All three news publishers successfully applied one or more of the seven ‘Table Stakes’ capacities of modern news publishing, which were developed as part of the Knight Lenfest Local News Transformation program.

Alliance President and CEO, David Chavern, stated, “We have been really pleased with the response from our members to this award. Even in the midst of a global pandemic that threatened the livelihoods of many local news publishers, our members were able to show incredible growth.

Chavern continued, “While we received several impressive nominations again this year, these three organizations showed some amazing results that really demonstrate how far the industry has come, and how news publishers have innovated and are seeing great success in growing audience and revenue for their digital products and services. I know John Murray would have been really excited and proud to see the hard work news publishers are putting in that is paying off in the form of new and engaged audiences.”

Jeff Sonderman, Deputy Executive Director and Executive Vice President at API, stated, “As the United States and the world were rocked this past year by crises and major events, it became more important than ever that news organizations center their audiences’ needs in their reporting and expand to serve all types of people. This year’s award recipients provide inspiring examples of how growth is possible through refining content strategies to appeal to more people while improving business practices to grow reader revenue. It’s a pleasure to congratulate the winners and to know that the work they carry on serves the legacy of John Murray so well.”

This is the second year of the John P. Murray Award for Excellence in Audience Development, which was established in memory of former Vice President of Audience Development John Murray, who was with the organization for over 20 years before passing away in 2018. Murray was known across the news industry for helping Alliance member news publishers improve audience development and engagement, and for convening members to share best practices.

In response to being named a recipient of the 2020 John P. Murray Award:

• Irene McKisson, #ThisIsTucson team leader, said, “We’re honored that our team was chosen as an example of how a small team can make innovation and content strategy a central part of audience development.”
• Terrence Williams, President and Chief Operating Officer of The Keene Sentinel, stated, “We are delighted to receive a John P. Murray Award and be among the many prestigious past and current recipients. It’s been a total company effort to grow our digital audience while doing all we can to hold onto print subscribers, too. Being part of the Table Stakes program at Poynter in 2019-2020 provided us invaluable guidance and practices, and we continue to work at those daily. My praise goes to our staff members who have committed to this effort and to our readers for their support of our journalism.”
• Abby Reimer, Director of Consumer Product & Research at McClatchy, stated, “The success of McClatchy’s registered user strategy shows the impact of collaborative work, thoughtful design, and listening to research. We leaned on data analysis, and A/B testing to implement a holistic mid-funnel experience that has so far led to more than 1.75 million registered users and more than 20,000 new subscribers. We’re excited to continue this important work, which sustains local, essential journalism in our communities.”

All three recipients will receive an award to display at their property; a check for $500 to put toward enhancing their audience development and engagement efforts; and will be invited to present their success stories an upcoming Alliance member best practices webinar. The Alliance will also add this year’s recipients to a plaque that is displayed at its headquarters.

For more information about the John P. Murray Award for Excellence in Audience Development, click here.

###

Media Contact:
Lindsey Loving
Director, Communications
571.366.1009
lindsey@newsmediaalliance.org

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

The post News Media Alliance Announces Recipients of 2020 John P. Murray Award for Excellence in Audience Development appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

Click here to read Chavern’s written testimony.

Click here for a statement for the record by Maribel Perez Wadsworth, President of News for Gannett Media and Publisher of USA TODAY.

The Journalism Competition & Preservation Act

On March 10, House Antitrust Chairman David Cicilline (D-RI) and Ranking Member Ken Buck (R-CO) reintroduced the Journalism Competition & Preservation Act in the House, which would provide a limited antitrust safe harbor for news publishers to collectively negotiate with the platforms for fair compensation for the use of their content. An identical bill was also introduced Wednesday in the Senate by Antitrust Subcommittee Chair Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Senator John N. Kennedy (R-LA).

Members of Congress are also considering more comprehensive solutions to strengthen the bill. These options could include a mechanism to ensure equitable terms are offered to all news publishers, small and large, and an oversight mechanism to ensure the platforms participate in good faith.

Click here to read our press release about the hearing.

Learn more.

The post Alliance Testimony: House Antitrust Hearing on Saving Local Journalism appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

Remarks to include discussion of dominant tech platforms’ impact on the sustainability of quality journalism and the need for legislation that ensures fair compensation

Arlington, VA – The News Media Alliance will testify today at 10:00 a.m. ET at a House Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law Subcommittee hearing, “Reviving Competition, Part 2: Saving the Free and Diverse Press,” on the need for the dominant tech platforms, such as Facebook and Google, to compensate news publishers fairly for use of their content. The Alliance submitted written testimony yesterday, ahead of the hearing. A statement for the record by Maribel Perez Wadsworth, President of News for Gannett Media and Publisher of USA TODAY, can also be found here.

Alliance President & CEO, David Chavern, will testify at the hearing, as well as Brad Smith, President of Microsoft; Emily Barr, CEO of Graham Media; Jonathan Schleuss, President of the NewsGuild-Communications Workers of America; Glenn Greenwald, Journalist and Constitutional Lawyer; and Clay Travis, Founder of Outkick Media.

On Wednesday, House Antitrust Chairman David Cicilline (D-RI) and Ranking Member Ken Buck (R-CO) reintroduced the Journalism Competition & Preservation Act in the House, which would provide a limited antitrust safe harbor for news publishers to collectively negotiate with the platforms for fair compensation for the use of their content. An identical bill was also introduced Wednesday in the Senate by Antitrust Subcommittee Chair Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Senator John N. Kennedy (R-LA).

Members of Congress are also considering more comprehensive solutions to strengthen the bill. These options could include a mechanism to ensure equitable terms are offered to all news publishers, small and large, and an oversight mechanism to ensure the platforms participate in good faith.

News Media Alliance President & CEO David Chavern stated, “We are encouraged by the recent developments in Australia and Europe and that new compensation systems for publishers are gaining support here in the U.S. Quality journalism is key to sustaining civic society, and we must ensure that the digital ecosystem returns value back to the people who create that journalism. The cost of inaction is clearer than ever, as we’ve seen that in the absence of news, misinformation and hate speech run rampant and unchecked. We need trusted sources of journalism – particularly local and community publishers – now more than ever, but without at least an antitrust safe harbor, news publishers will have no capacity to collectively fight for their futures.”

Current laws prohibit news publishers from taking collective action by negotiating with the large online platforms for fair compensation for all news publishers – large and small – across the board. This legislation would provide news publishers with a limited opportunity to negotiate together and to withhold content from the online platforms during the negotiations, while presenting a sensible, market-based solution to a major threat to the future of high-quality journalism.

The Alliance applauds Reps. Cicilline and Buck and Sens. Klobuchar and Kennedy for their leadership in support of local news and looks forward to working with them on ways to further strengthen the bill to ensure equitable terms and fair compensation for the valuable content being produced by all news publishers, including small and local.

The world is moving toward a new and more equitable compensation system for publishers and that basic idea now has wide support across the political spectrum and is the cornerstone of all comprehensive solutions. News publishers’ ability to build a sustainable digital future for journalism will depend, in large part, on their ability to get fair compensation from Facebook and Google. Quality journalism supports democracy and it is more important than ever to ask our elected representatives to support legislation that brings value back to those who create journalism.

###

Media contact:
Lindsey Loving
Director, Communications
lindsey@newsmediaalliance.org
571.366.1009

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

The post News Media Alliance to Testify at House Antitrust Hearing on Saving Local Journalism appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

Bill will provide safe harbor for news publishers to collectively negotiate with tech platforms

Arlington, VA –The News Media Alliance applauds House Antitrust Chairman David Cicilline (D-RI), Ranking Member Ken Buck (R-CO), Senate Antitrust Chairwoman Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Senator John N. Kennedy (R-LA) for today reintroducing the “Journalism Competition and Preservation Act” (JCPA). The bill would provide a limited antitrust safe harbor for news publishers to collectively negotiate with Facebook and Google for fair compensation for the use of their content.

In response to the bill reintroduction in both the House and Senate, News Media Alliance President & CEO, David Chavern, said, “This is a huge milestone for U.S. news publishers. As we have seen over the last several weeks in Australia and Europe, the world is moving toward new compensation systems for publishers. The cost of inaction, in terms of the spread of misinformation we are all experiencing, is simply too great to ignore any longer. Quality journalism is key to sustaining civic society and we must ensure that the digital ecosystem returns value back to the people who create that journalism.”

Since 2018, the News Media Alliance has been vocally advocating for such legislation in the U.S., which it believes is needed to address the imbalance in the news publisher-platform relationship. “Without an antitrust safe harbor, news publishers will have no capacity to collectively fight for their futures,” Chavern said.

The previous bill received support from several Representatives and Senators on both sides of the aisle and has now been reintroduced in the 117th Congress to continue progressing forward.

Chavern added, “We are grateful to Chairs Cicilline and Klobuchar, Ranking Member Buck, and Senator Kennedy for their commitment to quality journalism, and we look forward to working with them on ways to further strengthen the bill to ensure equitable terms and fair compensation for the valuable content being produced by all news publishers, including small and community publishers. News publishers need a fighting chance with the tech platforms that currently control who receives our content and how much we are paid.”

Currently, the Duopoly captures 90 percent of all digital ad revenue growth and approximately 60 percent of total U.S. digital advertising revenue. The Alliance joins the members of Congress in their belief that a safe harbor for news publishers to allow them to come together to negotiate with the platforms on their overall behalf is the solution to this problem.

That basic idea now has wide support across the political spectrum and is the cornerstone of all comprehensive solutions. More information on the bill can be found in the News Media Alliance’s JCPA Talking Points.

###

Media contact:
Lindsey Loving
Director, Communications
lindsey@newsmediaalliance.org
571.366.1009

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

The post News Media Alliance Applauds Members of House and Senate for Reintroducing Journalism Competition & Preservation Act appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

Asks include funding of federal advertising spending on local media, direct funding for government agencies for local media advertising

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Arlington, VA – Today, four national media organizations representing thousands of local newspapers and local broadcast media outlets – the News Media Alliance, National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), National Newspaper Association (NNA) and America’s Newspapers – jointly called on Congress to provide critical support to local news media in its next stimulus bill designed to provide relief to businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. In its summary document, the organizations specifically call for Congress to ensure the ability of local media to seek relief under the Paycheck Protection Program and to fund federal advertising spending on local media through directing current U.S. government advertising campaigns to local news and media outlets, and providing the Department of Health and Human Services, the Small Business Administration and other relevant agencies with an additional $5-10 billion for direct funding for local media advertising that would be evenly distributed to local media in communities of all sizes.

News Media Alliance President & CEO David Chavern stated, “Local news provides reliable, fact-based information that is absolutely critical to communities, particularly during events like the COVID-19 crisis. This is evident in the public’s incredible demand for information from local publishers. However, the rapidly contracting ad market in response to the pandemic is dealing a sharp and immediate blow to local news publishing. If this continues, there won’t be local journalism in many communities.”

Readers have rushed to local news outlets to obtain reliable news and information about their communities, but most of the value of the online engagement flows to the dominant tech platforms. The sharp decline in the general ad market since the COVID-19 pandemic began has caused the revenue of local publishers to contract dramatically. According to an industry survey, despite record audience, most publishers who saw an increase in subscriptions from February saw growth of under 10 percent. Additionally, advertising and other sources of revenue are projected to fall by at least 25 percent, with many expecting declines of over 50 percent. As a result, a wide range of local news publishers have been forced to consider layoffs, furloughs or pay cuts, just when the public needs them the most.

National Association of Broadcasters President and CEO Gordon Smith stated, “NAB is proud to join our friends at the News Media Alliance, National Newspaper Association and America’s Newspapers in support of local media. In communities across America, local broadcasters and local newspapers provide an indispensable source of credible journalism and community focused information that simply cannot be replaced by other media platforms. We urgently request that policymakers support our effort to preserve advertising-supported local media outlets that are so important to the fabric of daily life.”

National Newspaper Association President and publisher of the Douglas (Wy.) Budget Matt Adelman stated, “Local newspapers are valiantly serving their communities to the best of their abilities through the COVID-19 public health crisis. They are more critical than ever at a time like this. As the nation pulls together to get through this period, local media need the revenue from advertising and the public needs essential messages from the government.”

America’s Newspapers CEO Dean Ridings stated, “In the face of business challenges that are pervasive and all-encompassing, our member newspapers are carrying out their mission to provide their communities with vital news and information. The assistance we are asking for today is an investment in sustaining the information infrastructure that is an essential element for a successful American response to this public health crisis.”

The summary document can be found here.

###

Media Contact:
Lindsey Loving
Director, Communications
571.366.1009
lindsey@newsmediaalliance.org

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

The post Media Groups Call on Congress to Support Local News, Local Media Amid Coronavirus Crisis appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

News publishers across the country and around the world are relentlessly following the facts to keep readers informed of the impact that the coronavirus has had on critical aspects of our daily lives. The Alliance is here to serve you in the best way we can, and we are working to provide accurate and real-time information; advocacy and representation with lawmakers; legal guidance and resources to navigate funding and regulations; and a portal to connect and exchange information among newspapers across the country.

Here’s what we’ve been doing:

Advocating for newspapers to be designated as an essential business.

This effort has included sending a letter to the Vice President asking that news publishing and reporting be deemed “essential” to public health and welfare and requesting the administration encourage state and local officials to make the same designation. The Alliance has also been working with the state press associations to gather letters they’ve sent to their state governor’s offices encouraging them to designate newspapers as “essential” businesses. We have provided a list with links on our website. The continued distribution of quality news and information is absolutely critical to combatting the COVID-19 crisis, so the Alliance also provided membership a legal analysis to support the argument that news publishing is an essential service, available upon request. The Alliance continues to work with DHS to update the CISA interpretation to more explicitly include newsgathering and newspaper delivery functions and related activities as essential.

Drafting and sharing form letters for journalists.

The Alliance drafted a form letter and has shared other letters from state press associations that can be personalized and signed by the news publisher and certify that the carrier of said letter is a journalist with the newspaper conducting official newsgathering activities, and therefore not subject to orders limiting the freedom of movement. The journalist can present this letter if stopped by the authorities when performing their jobs. The letter explains both the legal authority and the public policy concerns behind protecting news publishers during this pandemic.

Advocating on the Emergency Relief / Economic Stimulus Package.

The Alliance is engaged with policymakers in the consideration of the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). Upon passage of the over $2 trillion stimulus package by Congress, the Alliance also provided an in-depth, members-only analysis of funding made available through the SBA loans, tax benefits, and Treasury loans in the CARES Act (member login required). For future economic relief packages that Congress may consider, the Alliance is exploring what members would seek to offset losses during this time of crisis. As we expect continuing interest from members of Congress and the public about the impact of the crisis on news publishers, we are conducting a survey with member news publishers to understand the impact to their business, so that we can pass those experiences and needs on to policymakers on Capitol Hill.

Forming a Working Group to share best practices for news publishers dealing with COVID-19.

The Alliance has formed an Operational Working Group to share best practices as news publishers navigate the crisis. These include hygiene for workspaces and workers, as well as dealing with packages and commercial goods. To request to join the Working Group, please email Rebecca Frank.

Developing a Coronavirus Resources webpage with key resources for news publishers.

There has been an onslaught of information about the coronavirus that can help news publishers as they respond to the pandemic. But it can be overwhelming, so the Alliance has assembled and organized relevant resources in an easy-to-navigate way on its Coronavirus Resources page. It includes Alliance resources, such as the News Publishers Deemed Essential Businesses page, and the How Publishers are Working to Protect Readers page. The Alliance also has provided links to vetted resources to answer further questions about maintaining safety while remaining operational during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Supporting a unifying front-page campaign among news publishers.

Following the example of UK newspapers’ #ThereWithYou campaign, the Alliance shared a similar effort for publishers in the United States, led by the state press associations, with its members to publish a unified front page on March 30, 2020 (with weekly papers publishing the first day in the week they publish) offering reassurance to readers during these uncertain times.

During this time of uncertainty, I hope to bring structured and quality information and resources to you as quickly as my staff and I are able. Please reach out with feedback; I am eager to hear from you.

In the meantime, below I’ve provided talking points on the essential role news publishers serve in informing your communities during the COVID-19 crisis – please feel free to use these in your own communications.

David Chavern
President & CEO
News Media Alliance

Talking Points: News Publishers Perform an Essential Function in Informing Communities During the COVID-19 Crisis

Millions rely on news publishers for accurate information in crisis.

The consumption of online news media increased considerably in the last few weeks of March, as the public’s demand for high-quality information has increased due to concerns related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. According to Parse.ly, online pageviews on March 12, 2020 were 44 percent higher than the week before, while Comscore indicated that the week of March 9-15 had more than 100 million more news visits than the second busiest week for news consumption.

News publishers are essential businesses and should be exempted from any shelter-in-place orders or business closures.

News publishers’ continued ability to provide reliable and high-quality information to our communities depends on continued access by journalists to news sources and ability to report from the field. It is therefore vital that journalists’ First Amendment right to gather and report news be protected during the crisis. On March 28, 2020, the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) of the Department of Homeland Security issued an advisory defining “essential critical infrastructure workers” who should be protected during the COVID-19 pandemic. This memo lists “Communications and Information Technology” as a critical sector. It further includes workers “who support radio, television, and media service, including, but not limited to front line news reporters, studio, and technicians for newsgathering, and reporting, and publishing news.” Considering the traditional definition of “media,” this would include newspapers. Although advisory, the memorandum sets out an important principle: that newsgathering is an essential good. While vital in normal times, the need for factual reporting is even more crucial during times of volatility, such as a pandemic.

State authorities support including newspapers as “media.”

To combat the COVID-19 crisis, journalists must be allowed to continue their job of gathering critical facts impacting personal safety and reporting them to the public. Shelter-in-place orders and other limitations on non-essential businesses and movements should be interpreted so as not to limit the ability of journalists to do their jobs. Not only does CISA support designating news workers as essential, but many states have also affirmed this interpretation. New York’s emergency orders specifically include “news media” as an essential service, while Pennsylvania included newspaper publishers in its list of “life sustaining” businesses. In California, Los Angeles and Sacramento County both exempted newspapers from their emergency orders, while the Governor of California referred to the CISA list of critical sectors. These states recognize and support that news publishers are essential to public health and must remain free from cumbersome government restrictions. Visit the Alliance’s News Publishers Deemed “Essential” Businesses During Pandemic page to view other states deeming newspapers essential and for links to the state orders.

The post CEO: We’re Here to Serve You During the COVID-19 Pandemic appeared first on News/Media Alliance.