Reuters: U.S. lawmakers renew push to grant assistance to local news outlets
Thousands of local U.S. newspapers and broadcast outlets, grappling with a massive downturn in advertising because of the COVID-19 pandemic, would be eligible for financial help under legislation introduced in Congress on Wednesday.
A bipartisan U.S. Senate proposal of Democrats Maria Cantwell, Amy Klobuchar, Chuck Schumer and Republicans John Boozman and Joni Ernst would provide news outlets emergency assistance under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
Some smaller outlets qualified for PPP assistance in April. The new proposal would help thousands more that were excluded because their parent companies were too large.
A similar effort to help local news outlets is part of a proposed $3 trillion relief bill introduced on Tuesday by Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Senate Republicans do not support the large spending bill, but majorities in both houses have signed letters urging additional support for local media.
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