FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Washington, D.C. – The News Media Alliance and the National Newspaper Association (NNA) today sent a letter to President Joe Biden, on behalf of their more than 3,700 combined daily and community newspaper members, encouraging the Administration to use advertising in local newspapers to help build trust and acceptance of vaccines.

On May 4, President Biden announced the Administration was releasing additional funding for coronavirus strategies, including $130 million to improve vaccine education and information, and an additional $250 million to assist state governments with outreach efforts to encourage citizens to become inoculated – particularly in states with lagging vaccination rates compared to the rest of the country.

According to the letter, signed by Alliance President & CEO, David Chavern, and NNA Executive Director, Lynne Lance, “We appreciate [President Biden’s] strong leadership in addressing the public health and economic crisis presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. News publishers across the country stand ready to work with [the Biden] Administration to meet [their] goal of getting 70 percent of U.S. citizens inoculated by July 4.”

A trusted source of quality information that has been a mainstay in many local communities for decades, or in some cases, centuries, local newspapers are best positioned to counter misinformation and concerns about vaccines with positive messaging.

Chavern stated, “The Administration will need all forms of communication to reach this goal, and in this case, print newspapers are one of the most important. The reality is that many of the individuals they are trying to reach live in rural or distressed areas with little or no internet or broadband connectivity. By and large, the best way to reach these individuals is through the printed newspaper.”

Lance added, “The Administration, to date, has overlooked the reach that our member newspapers can provide, despite our offers to demonstrate our capabilities. Our members can deliver the audiences the government needs to overcome vaccine hesitancy and meet its inoculation goal. Newspapers have state advertising networks in place that can quickly and easily carry out a nationally coordinated, locally focused campaign.”

By using newspapers for their educational outreach, the Administration will build public trust and acceptance of vaccines, as well as provide much needed support for local journalism at a time when it has never been more important in our daily lives.

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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 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 National Newspaper Association protects, promotes, and enhances the community newspapers of America. NNA actively defends community newspapers through governmental relations programs targeting the issues those newspapers face. Furthermore, NNA advocates the value of community newspapers to policy officials and advertisers through education. The association additionally assists such newspapers by offering information, solutions, and strategies in regard to the issues impacting their businesses. Information about the NNA can be found at www.nnaweb.org.

The post Publishers Call on President to Use Local Newspaper Advertising to Help Reach Their Goal of 70% Vaccinated by July 4 appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

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Some newspapers applying for the SBA’s PPP forgivable loan program using the affiliation waiver have experienced issues applying through their lenders. The News Media Alliance has been in contact with the SBA about this issue and we are offering assistance.

Newspapers that have applied for the SBA’s PPP forgivable loan program using the affiliation waiver can apply individually and separately from the parent owner, thereby circumventing employee count limitations.

If either of the following two situations applies to you, please see the instructions below to provide information that we will share with SBA:

1. If you have had trouble applying through your lender because your newspapers are applying separately but using the same EIN tax ID number as the corporate owner, the SBA has agreed to accept those loans manually. Their system will accept the combined loan application in their system under one EIN and I will provide them those which they can manually flag as compliant post-submission.

2. In addition, the SBA will make similar exceptions for second draw loans for newspapers that are unaffiliating themselves and applying as separate newspapers from the parent or group of newspapers in order to meet the loss requirements for a second draw (now allowable under the law). In those cases, banks have rejected some of the loans because the applicant name on the second draw loan is not the same as the first draw loan. SBA will make similar allowances here, manually. Their system will only allow a second draw loan if it has the same name as the first draw loan, and I will provide the EINs so that they can flag as compliant as separate newspapers under the second draw post-submission.

If you fall under either of the two categories above, please click here and provide the following information in order to allow for those loans to be accepted from the lender to the SBA:

• Your name / email
• EIN number
• Lender
• Full applicant name 
• Location (states) of newspapers 

Please contact News Media Alliance Senior VP and General Counsel, Danielle Coffey with any questions.

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The News Media Alliance has partnered with the Ad Council to provide print and digital PSAs for newspapers to help provide important public education about the COVID-19 vaccine.

About the ‘It’s Up to You’ Campaign

The COVID-19 vaccines have the potential to transform life as we know it today and save hundreds of thousands of lives—but they can only be successful if millions of Americans recognize the urgency, safety and vital importance of getting vaccinated.

While many have already started the vaccination process, there is currently a general lack of confidence. Overall, 40% of the U.S. public have expressed concerns, ranging from “skeptical” to “open but uncertain,” about getting vaccinated.

The It’s Up to You campaign from The Ad Council encourages audiences to get the latest vaccine information—knowing that personal education is the first step in building vaccine confidence. It’s OK to have questions. We want to acknowledge Americans’ concerns, provide answers to their questions, and get us all on the road back to the moments and people we miss most.

How You Can Use the Ads

Below are the individual ad files for newspapers to use in their print and digital editions free of charge. Ads are available in English and Spanish, in full- and quarter-page sizes for print, and in banner and cube sizes for digital.

If you are interested in creating custom vaccine content and messaging, visit The Ad Council’s Media Playbook. You can request access to the ‘It’s Up To You’ logo and reference their brand guidelines.

Print Ads

English:

Download the individual ads using the links below.

Full-page (11.5 x 21″)

“Birthday Parties”

Vaccines Are Here
Getting Back

“First Haircut”

Vaccines Are Here
Getting Back

“Moments We Miss”

Quarter-page (5.7 x 10.5″):

“Birthday Parties”

Getting Back
Vaccines Are Here

“First Haircut”

Getting Back
Vaccines Are Here

“Moments We Miss”

Spanish:

Download the individual ads using the links below.

Full-page (11.5 x 21″)

Family “Vacunas Aqui”
Family “Volver a disfrutar”

Quarter-page (5.7 x 10.5″):

Family “Vacunas Aqui”
Family “Volver a disfrutar”

Digital Ads:

Link to www.getvaccineanswers.org

Access the tagging instructions here

Banner (728 x 90px):

Right-click and select “Save image as” to download JPEG file.

Cube (300 x 250px):

Right-click and select “Save image as” to download JPEG file.

Social Posts:

Click here to download graphics and suggested post copy for use on social media.

For more info visit getvaccineanswers.org

Back to top

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Arlington, VA—In the recently passed American Rescue Plan Act, which President Biden signed into law today, Congress included $1 billion in funding for an awareness campaign to build trust and acceptance of vaccines. The News Media Alliance recommends that trusted sources such as local news publishers be a top distribution channel for that campaign.

News Media Alliance President & CEO, David Chavern, stated, “A nationally organized and locally-focused government advertising campaign would build public trust around vaccines, particularly in hard to reach, diverse communities, which many of our members serve. It would also have the added benefit of providing much needed support for local journalism at a time of declining advertising revenue and business closures due to the pandemic.”

Over the last year, newspaper journalists have been on the front lines of the pandemic. Newspaper website traffic has soared during the pandemic as people look for the most up-to-date information from trusted sources about the impact of COVID-19 on their local communities to help keep themselves and their communities safe.

News publishers are arguably in the best position to distribute locally-focused, audience-specific messaging that will enhance vaccine acceptance. Newspapers represent the most trusted source of news in local markets across all platforms: print, digital and mobile. Recent research has shown that consumers trust in newspapers is more than double the trust in social media.

The overwhelming recommendation of global health officials for eradicating COVID-19 is for people to get vaccinated to stop the spread of the virus. Misinformation campaigns and vaccine hesitancy present formidable challenges in defeating this virus – but they are challenges that can be overcome through raising awareness and providing factual information about the benefits of the vaccine through reliable sources.

News publishers stand ready to work with the federal government and should be a high priority distribution channel for communicating with the public about this critical public health issue.

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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 Publishers Should be Top Distribution Channel for COVID-19 Vaccine Awareness Campaign appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

News Media Alliance President and CEO, David Chavern, stated, “These SBA loans will allow news publishers to continue to bring critical news and information to their local communities, particularly at this time of historic challenges.”

The language is similar to the “Local News and Emergency Information Act of 2020” introduced by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), John Boozman (R-AR), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in the Senate, and by Chairman David Cicilline (D-RI) and Ranking Member F. James Sensenbrenner (WI-05) in the House.

The Alliance is extremely grateful to all of the congressional champions, in both the House and the Senate, for their enduring support of high-quality local journalism, and for their leadership in gathering bipartisan support for an SBA affiliation waiver for news publishers.

The post Statement: News Media Alliance Applauds Passage of SBA Affiliation Waiver for News Publishers in New Stimulus appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

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The past nine months have been uniquely trying for us all; yet as we enter the holiday season, I am reminded of all that we have to be thankful for – yes, even in 2020. It may not be the year we envisioned back on January 1, but there have been some bright, shining moments for the news industry and for the Alliance in this strange, dark year.

I’d like to start my gratitude with our amazing members. I’m thankful for the amazing courage and fortitude they’ve shown in the face of unimaginable challenges, as well as their continued faith in our mission and in the industry’s bright future. This year, our members served as essential frontline workers, reporting on the challenges faced by their communities as the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the country. Reporters and editors risked their health to keep their readers informed when they needed it most. Our members also risked their safety to cover protests as civil unrest sent people into the streets to call for action, and a number of journalists suffered extreme injuries in the process of bringing those stories to the public.

I’ve also seen the way my colleagues in the press have covered these challenging times, and it has been incredibly difficult – yet awe-inspiring – to read the news coverage as the year has progressed. Through the News Impact Project, our initiative to highlight the positive impact local journalism has on communities, I’ve seen how local journalists have kept their communities informed, from smart local stories on the ongoing public health crisis to thoughtful and educational articles on the 2020 elections. I’ve also watched how publishers across the media landscape covered the Black Lives Matter movement and used their platforms to advocate for Black lives.

Watching how members of the press have responded to the multitude of challenges that have beset their communities in 2020 has been truly inspiring. Representing the brave and committed members of the media is a pleasure and I’m grateful for the role of championing such an important and vital industry.

I’m also grateful this year for the growing appreciation of the news media, especially local news publishers. While we still struggle with misinformation and disinformation clouding the landscape, as providers of high-quality journalism, we have seen our audience grow in 2020 as people turned to us to stay informed during increasingly complicated times. News readership is higher than it’s ever been, and our support with civic leaders has grown as well. Local government leaders across the country deemed news reporters essential workers during the coronavirus shutdowns, allowing them to continue their vital work. We’ve also seen more leaders challenging the tech platforms. The Department of Justice filed suit against Google for violating antitrust regulations in its search and advertising practices, a stepping stone toward a more comprehensive antitrust action against the platform. At the Federal Communications Commission, discussions were held about the interpretation and effectiveness of Section 230. And the support continued in Congress, with members of both the Senate and the House releasing reports on the threats that Big Tech pose to news publishers. The Journalism Competition and Preservation Act, which the Alliance has championed for over a year, has also gotten more bipartisan support from key leaders, leaving me optimistic that we’ll see further action on this safe harbor bill for news publisher early in the new Congress next year.

Most of all, though, I’m grateful for the work I am able to do with the support of my team at the Alliance. In the early months of the pandemic, my colleagues worked tirelessly to keep members informed of changes and challenges that would affect their ability to work and report the news. They have continued to pursue government aid and other relief to help news publishers through this difficult time. Every day I get to work with my team to support this industry is one I’m grateful for; but seeing the Alliance Board members and staff come together so quickly and seamlessly to aid our members last March reinvigorated me. And despite the curve ball 2020 has thrown us, we continued to make headway on other key priorities for our members and the news industry. Though we are facing a series of challenges no one could have envisioned, the Alliance team has taken it in stride, adapted to the new normal, and continued to do amazing work to support our members.

If you had asked me in January, I would have told you that I was ready for whatever came our way. That I was eager to continue my role as a pugilist for the media industry. I did not imagine I could feel even more strongly about the fight we’re in to save quality journalism and provide a sustainable future for real news. However, watching the Alliance team, Board and members band together and push forward through challenge after challenge has lit a new fire in me.

I don’t know what 2021 holds. I am certain it will include many of the same challenges we’ve been facing this year, as well as new ones we can’t yet conceive of. But I am also certain that the Alliance will continue to fight – harder than ever – to support quality news publishers. And I can guarantee that my team and I will lead the charge to create an even brighter future for news.

The post CEO Column: Yes, There Are Things to Be Thankful for In 2020 appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

This waiver language follows that included in the updated HEROES Act passed by the House on October 1. Both bills would allow news publishers to apply for PPP loans as individual, independent entities, despite ownership by companies with other small news publishers or non-news businesses, allowing more publishers to qualify for the vital loans.

The Alliance is extremely grateful to Senators Cardin, Shaheen, Schumer, and Coons for their support of high-quality, local journalism, and for their leadership in gathering extensive support for the bill in the Senate with 29 Senators having already signed on as co-sponsors. These SBA loans, which will allow news publishers to continue bringing critical news and information to their local communities, are more critical than ever, as news publishers face extreme challenges from the coronavirus pandemic.

The post News Media Alliance Applauds Senators for Introducing Legislation to Provide SBA Affiliation Waiver for News Publishers appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

Review Would Reveal Opportunities for Agencies to Advertise in Local News Media

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Arlington, VA—Today, Representatives Cheri Bustos (D-IL) and Robert Aderholt (R-AL) sent a letter to U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting that it conduct a comprehensive review of current government agency expenditures on advertising and to examine, among other issues, how federal agencies could place more advertising with local news publishers and broadcast stations. The letter specifically requests that the GAO evaluate federal government expenditures on advertising for FY 2015-2020 and additional issues, such as the breakdown of advertising expenditures across federal government agencies; the media mix selected for government advertising campaigns; and the mechanisms in place that would make it efficient for federal agencies to place advertisements in local media outlets of all sizes.

“We applaud Representatives Bustos and Aderholt for requesting this study, which would help shed light on how government agencies could shift advertising spending to support local media channels,” stated David Chavern, president and CEO of the News Media Alliance. “Local print, digital and broadcast news organizations are working tirelessly to bring us critical news and information – which we need now more than ever. Advertising in local media is an easy way for our government agencies to provide much-needed support, while benefiting from effective and efficient avenues to reach local communities across the country on issues of national and local importance, including the pandemic.”

President and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters, Gordon Smith, stated, “Federal advertising on local media has long been recognized as an effective way to keep the public informed about government actions, programs and services. NAB commends Reps. Bustos and Aderholt for encouraging a comprehensive review of federal agency advertising, and we appreciate their leadership in pushing for expanding federal agency advertising on local broadcast radio and TV stations and community newspapers.”

Representatives Bustos and Aderholt’s request to the GAO follows Congressional appeals from more than 240 members of the House of Representatives and 74 members in the Senate calling on the federal government to increase its advertising spending with local media outlets.

Rep. Bustos stated, “This pandemic has laid bare the critical need for access to up-to-date, accurate information, and our local news outlets are among the most trusted to deliver for our communities. As a former journalist, I understand the vital role local news plays in keeping our people informed and our democracy strong. We must work to ensure our local media outlets receive the support they need to keep providing high quality news content.”

Rep. Aderholt stated, “Local news is an integral part of communities across Alabama and the entire country. Whether it be print or broadcast, Americans rely on their hometown news outlets on a daily basis. The COVID-19 pandemic has made that clear, and it is critical now that we ensure local news continues through this epidemic and beyond. That is why I believe government agency advertisement spending in local news organizations is a crucial partnership that will benefit all communities. I encourage GAO to undertake this study and look forward to hearing their findings.”

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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 Groups Applaud Representatives Bustos and Aderholt for Calling on GAO to Review Government Advertising Spending, Assess Agency Use of Local Media appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

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A bipartisan group of policymakers in the House of Representatives on July 16 introduced H.R. 7640, the Local Journalism Sustainability Act, which, if enacted, would provide a series of tax credits for news consumers, news organizations and local newspaper and broadcast advertisers. Specifically, the legislation provides:

·       A non-refundable tax credit for consumers of up to $250 annually to incentivize individual subscriptions to local news organizations. The credit can cover 80 percent of subscription costs in the first year and 50 percent of subscription costs in the subsequent four years.

·       A refundable tax credit for local newspapers of up to $25,000 in the first year for each employee or independent contractor who is a qualified journalist, and up to $15,000 in the subsequent four years. If the tax credit is greater than taxes owed, the difference will be refunded to the news organization.

·       A non-refundable tax credit for small- to medium-sized businesses to advertise with local newspapers, as well as local radio and television stations. The credit can cover up to $5,000 of advertising costs in the first year and $2,500 in the subsequent four years.

To qualify for the tax credits, a news organization must have 51 percent or more of its audience in a state or single area within a 200-mile radius.

Representatives Ann Kirkpatrick (D-AZ) and Dan Newhouse (R-WA) are the lead sponsors of the Local Journalism Sustainability Act and introduced the bill as a response to the disappearance of local news outlets in small market communities and rural areas across the country. Both policymakers had been talking with their local, small market news publishers about legislative avenues to sustain local journalism.

The News Media Alliance supports the legislation and believes it could be a starting point for a broader dialogue on tax incentives in support of journalism. In commenting on the legislation, Alliance President & CEO, David Chavern, said, “The legislation would help ensure local news publishers survive the current crises, and are around to cover the next ones. We applaud the introduction of the Local Journalism Sustainability Act, which would help sustain to local journalism and prevent the growth of news deserts across the country.”

At introduction, the bill received strong support from 15 members of the House of Representatives from both sides of the aisle. Joining Representatives Kirkpatrick and Newhouse as original co-sponsors are: Reps. Denny Heck (D-WA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Thomas Suozzi (D-NY), Peter Welch (D-VT), Rodney Davis (R-IL), David McKinley (R-WV), Pete Visclosky (D-IN), Collin Peterson (D-MN), Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Randy Weber (R-TX), Mark Takano (D-CA), Andre Carson (D-IN) and Josh Harder (D-CA).

The Alliance is grateful for the leadership shown by all of these representatives. In the weeks ahead, we encourage our member news publishers to educate their own congressional representatives on the challenges facing news organizations and request that they co-sponsor H.R. 7640, the Local Journalism Sustainability Act.

For more information please contact Alliance Senior VP, Public Policy, Paul Boyle.

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