Alliance President & CEO David Chavern was a guest on Bloomberg’s ‘Sound On’ podcast with Bloomberg Chief Washington Correspondent Kevin Cirilli today to talk about the importance of local news during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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.
President and CEO of the News Media Alliance, David Chavern, and CEO of America’s Newspapers, Dean Ridings today sent a letter to President Donald Trump, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker of the House Nanci Pelosi, outlining the struggles of local news publishers facing an existential crisis as the COVID-19 health crisis evolves.
The Alliance sent a letter to U.S. Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham, in light of his March 18 announcement that Census field operations would be temporarily suspended due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, encouraging him to advertise for the online completion of the 2020 Census and to employ print and digital newspaper media, which reach millions of Americans weekly, in this awareness effort.
Currently, USPS can raise or lower rates for products such as Periodicals and Marketing Mail (e.g. TMC products) on an annual basis, with smaller, predictable rate increases that do not exceed the inflation-based price cap. But this pricing structure that brought newspapers predictable pricing could be in jeopardy if a new rate-setting system is approved.
As the presidential campaign season moves into high gear, press organizations are working to train journalists so they know their rights. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and the National Press Photographers Association are providing training sessions at the Wisconsin Newspaper Association annual convention.
The News Media Alliance today filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court in support of Oracle in the Google v. Oracle (docket no. 18-956) case concerning Google’s unauthorized copying of parts of Oracle’s computer code when developing applications for the Android operating system. The Alliance brief rebuts Google’s argument that its use of Oracle’s code was justified under the four-part fair use test used by U.S. courts, drawing comparisons to Google’s widespread and unauthorized use of news media content and its effect on the news media industry.
The News Media Alliance has named the (Fort Collins) Coloradoan, The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC) and the Chicago Tribune as the recipients of the 2019 John P. Murray Award for Excellence in Audience Development.
Paper recovery for recycling is a national success because of millions of Americans’ commitment to recycling at home, work and school. Newspaper recycling is a big part of this overall success; nearly 70 percent of newspapers are recycled into new newsprint, boxboard and other products.
The News Media Alliance today launched its News Impact Project, including a News Impact Index of local news stories that have made a positive impact on their local communities.
