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Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Democrats, Republicans in Congress ask administration to help local news outlets with advertising during pandemic

Senators and representatives from both sides of the aisle sent the White House letters last week asking for direct government aid through advertising for local newspapers and broadcasters during the pandemic, Paul Boyle reports for the News Media Alliance, an industry lobbying group.

Reps. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich.; Fred Upton, R-Mich.; Bill Flores, R-Texas; and Marc Veasey, D-Texas, got more than 240 signatures for the House letter sent April 20. "To get America moving again and strengthen our communities in the midst of this evolving crisis, we must be creative and use all available tools," it said. "Advertising plays an incredible role in local economies, and its importance to the sustainability of local broadcast stations and newspapers cannot be overstated."

Sens. Steve Daines, R-Mont; Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.; John Barrasso, R-Wyo.; and Gary Peters, D-Mich., organized the April 23 Senate letter, which garnered 74 signatures. "Local newspapers and broadcasters have been particularly hit hard financially due to decreased revenue typically derived from advertising sales," the letter noted. "This comes at a time when they have increased coverage of daily news, alerts and educational programs. As congress and the administration continue to work to keep small businesses operating and employees on the payroll through the Paycheck Protection Program, we believe there is an opportunity for the federal government to provide relief to our local newspapers and broadcasters.”

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