Four Democratic lawmakers -- Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colorado), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) and Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Texas) -- have reintroduced a bill that would provide aid to the struggling local news industry in the U.S.
To Schatz, the Future of Local News Act reinforces the importance of local news outlets in a democracy.
"Local news outlets are vital to our democracy, but the rise of digital media and the pandemic’s impacts on our economy have left the local news industry struggling to stay afloat. We reintroduced the Future of Local News Act to respond to this crisis," Schatz wrote on Facebook on May 15. "Families rely on local journalists to report the stories that matter most to their communities. As our country grapples with serious distrust of institutions and the spread of misinformation, these journalists are trusted sources of essential information — like the pandemic response and how tax dollars are spent. And they act as critical watchdogs on local governments."
Maui Now reported that the bill would organize a committee and offer advice to lawmakers on what the body could do to support local media outlets across the country.
"Local journalism is an irreplaceable public service,” Schatz continued in his Facebook post. “Our bill will create a committee to study the state of this industry and offer recommendations to Congress on actions it can take to bolster local news organizations.”
The proposed committee would consist of 13 members from diverse regions of the country.