Great stuff is sometimes left in the notebook after stories are filed. That was the case after a recent column about the urgent need for Congress to help save local journalism.
I asked members of Washington’s delegation where they stood on this issue. All but two, U.S. Reps. Dan Newhouse and Cathy McMorris Rodgers, responded with thoughtful comments and pledges to help. There wasn’t room to quote them all, so I’m sharing more here.
I encourage voters to let representatives know this is appreciated. I also wish more news outlets would ask their delegations why they do or don’t support proposals to save newsroom jobs via tax credits (the Community News and Small Business Support Act) and stabilize the industry by helping outlets get fairly paid by tech giants (the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act).
Here are some excerpts of additional replies I received via email, showing the delegation’s support and understanding of the issue:
U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell: “Local news sources play a vital role supporting community businesses, shining a light on crime and corruption, and providing the trusted information needed to protect our democracy. That’s why I led the charge in 2020 and passed legislation that gave support to newspapers and broadcasters so they could keep journalists on the job. Now I’m fighting to secure tax credits that will help defray the costs of local journalism and keep these journalists working. I also support passing major privacy legislation and have been working in a bipartisan fashion to stop major tech platforms from their abusive practices.”
U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez: “Local news organizations are vital sources of information for our communities, and they underpin a healthy, functioning democracy.
“Over the past couple of decades, we’ve been seeing the hollowing out of local journalism across our country. It’s not only hit rural communities the hardest and resulted in major job loss, but it’s affected our sense of place and exacerbated growing political divisions.
“We’re lucky to have several trusted community newspapers across Southwest Washington, but their work is no doubt being made more difficult by increasing media consolidation and homogenization.
“I co-sponsored the bipartisan Community News (act) because it would help prevent the loss of newsroom jobs and establish a symbiotic relationship between Southwest Washington news organizations and the small businesses that advertise with them.
“At a time when high-quality journalism is needed more than ever, I hope Congress will take bipartisan action to reinforce these mainstays of our communities, the local jobs that come with them, and our public discourse as a whole.”
U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer: “The local news industry plays a vital role in keeping communities informed and engaged. Its survival is crucial for maintaining a robust democracy.”
How can these bills get passed this year?
“Two things,” Kilmer said. “First: I’m a big believer in Lincoln’s statement that ‘Public sentiment is everything.’ Every American who is concerned about the loss of trusted local news sources should be letting their elected officials know that they want action.
“Second: Building bipartisan support is essential, especially given the current political landscape with a Democratic Senate and a Republican House. The Community News (act) has already garnered support from Democrats and Republicans in both chambers, and I’m hopeful it will continue to gain traction in the months ahead.”
Brier Dudley is editor of The Seattle Times Save the Free Press Initiative.
