It’s a priority to save local news in time of crisis
Floridians rely on the availability of local news reporting during times of crisis. It should be no surprise that like all small businesses across our country, local news organizations are suffering the same economic uncertainty and challenges. Our country was founded with a recognition of the need for a robust and free press, and we must make sure it stays that way.
The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated the local news industry across the United States and in Florida, causing advertising revenue to dry up as businesses are shuttering to combat the virus. This has led to across-the-board layoffs, furloughs and pay cuts for thousands of journalists and workers at newspapers in Florida.
COVID-19 has shined a spotlight on how much Floridians depend on local media to know what is happening in their communities. They look to local journalists to stay informed about which hospitals are at capacity, the latest public health and safety guidance in their area, and where and when testing can be done. The recent surge in online readership on local news sites shows how important this role is. Many outlets are even making their COVID-19 coverage free for all readers as a public service.
Local news is critical beyond times of crisis as well. It is the glue that bonds communities together, keeping us informed on everything from local sports, city council meetings, and political candidate forums to investigative reporting. Without the dedicated work of local journalists like Julie Brown and her colleagues at the Miami Herald, stories like Jeffrey Epstein’s notorious history as a sex offender might never have come to light.
Just as importantly, local news outlets keep the government accountable to voters and to taxpayers. When a region loses local news outlets, there are fewer eyes keeping tabs on government budgets and decisionmaking. As a result, the risk of government corruption goes up and local governments get more careless with borrowing and spending.
In Florida alone, local news outlets employ thousands of Floridians that serve the public interest, contribute to the local economy, and cannot be outsourced or meaningfully replaced by non-local or national alternatives.
As Congress works to provide emergency relief for American workers, they must come to the aid of local news as well. Republicans and Democrats must join forces in this effort to save jobs and save the news.
There is already strong bipartisan agreement on this issue, and momentum is continuing to grow. On May 13, Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), John Boozman (RArk.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), and Chuck Schumer (DN.Y.) introduced a bill called the Local News and Emergency Information Act of 2020, which would expand access to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to small businesses like local news outlets that have previously been blocked from accessing the PPP. As Sen. Ernst so aptly noted, “Our families, small businesses, and front line workers all depend on having the most up-to-date and reliable information available, and it’s our local newspapers, TV, and radio stations that deliver it.”
This is just as true here in Florida. It is my hope that Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott will join this growing coalition and help save the news for Floridians and for all Americans. They, along with Congress and the Administration, must work together in a nonpartisan manner to provide the necessary relief to save these critical jobs and the local news industry for the good of our nation.