Washington, D.C. -- In response to the introduction of the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (JCPA) in the Senate, the following statement can be attributed to NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt:
"NAB commends the ongoing leadership of Sens. Klobuchar, Kennedy and their bipartisan cosponsors with the reintroduction of the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act. In the current media landscape, local news outlets - including local television and radio stations - are at the mercy of a handful of Big Tech gatekeepers whose anticompetitive terms devalue our content when it is increasingly accessed online. This legislation would level the playing field by enabling fair negotiations and increased investment in local newsrooms."
Sens. Klobuchar and Kennedy are joined by Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Steve Daines (R-MT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Susan Collins (R-ME), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) in cosponsoring the JCPA.
The bipartisan Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (JCPA) would allow broadcasters and other news publishers to jointly negotiate with dominant digital platforms regarding the terms and conditions by which their content may be accessed online. Last Congress, NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt penned an op-ed, "Congress must act to preserve the future of local journalism," in support the JCPA, which was published in The Hill.
The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association for America's broadcasters. NAB advances radio and television interests in legislative, regulatory and public affairs. Through advocacy, education and innovation, NAB enables broadcasters to best serve their communities, strengthen their businesses and seize new opportunities in the digital age. Learn more at www.nab.org.