(Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Newspapers are asking for government assistance as the ailing industry struggles to overcome plummeting advertising revenue amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In a letter to congressional leaders and President Donald Trump Monday, two major organizations representing newspaper publishers said the beleaguered industry is facing an “existential crisis” at a time when Americans are in dire need of access to local news.

“Obviously, independent journalism and government action have an inherent and necessary tension, and we should look for solutions that maintain a separation of interests. But we also all have a mutual need to sustain local news publishing so that it can collectively get us through this crisis … and the next one,” the letter from the News Media Alliance and America’s Newspapers reads.

The letter does not specify what kind of assistance publishers are looking for. Various industry voices are offering ideas, saying the federal government could provide direct support for newsrooms dedicated to local news coverage, inject millions into local news outlets by running public health ads, or force Google and Facebook to pay news outlets for content showing up on their platforms.

The outreach comes as newspapers and magazines around the country attempt cost-cutting measures to stay afloat. Gannett, the largest newspaper publisher in the nation, announced widespread pay cuts and furloughs Monday. Numerous local newspapers are suspending their print publications, while larger, better-funded publications such as the Tampa Bay Times are reducing their print publications. Some newspaper publishers say they could go under if the virus lingers for more than a couple of months while others have already shut down. That’s in addition to digital outlets such as Vice and Buzzfeed, which are cutting pay.

Help us keep government accountable by making a donation today.

The potential for government assistance could be hampered by the federal government’s unwillingness to support the news industry in recent decades, or President Trump’s distaste for the media. Some news executives reportedly wonder whether it is ethical to take government aid in the first place. Then there’s the industry’s lobbying power in Washington, which lags behind deep-pocketed sectors of the economy.

The News Media Alliance spent $1.6 million last year to deploy 15 lobbyists in Washington, including powerhouse lobbyist Heather Podesta. Only a few newspaper publishers, including McClatchy and the Seattle Times, spent significant money on lobbying last year.

Still, news publishers have scored some lobbying wins. News outlets were deemed “essential” during the pandemic by the Trump administration after lobbying by the powerful U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In accordance with that guidance, many states across the nation are keeping newsrooms open while forcing other businesses to shut down.

The stimulus package proposed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) included aid for community newspaper publishers, but that provision did not make it into the final bipartisan bill passed last week. Many newspapers can apply for small business loans, but executives say those won’t cure the industry’s underlying problems.

Newspapers’ drastic decline began long before the coronavirus pandemic all but eliminated print advertising. More than one in five American newspapers closed in the last 15 years, according to a report from the University of North Carolina. Most newspapers publish their work online, and online readership is up while many Americans work from home. However digital advertising brings in far less revenue than print advertising, and new digital subscriptions aren’t making up for those print losses.



For permission to reprint for commercial uses, such as textbooks, contact the Center: Feel free to distribute or cite this material, but please credit the Center for Responsive Politics.For permission to reprint for commercial uses, such as textbooks, contact the Center: [email protected]





Support Accountability Journalism At OpenSecrets.org we offer in-depth, money-in-politics stories in the public interest. Whether you’re reading about 2020 presidential fundraising, conflicts of interest or “dark money” influence, we produce this content with a small, but dedicated team. Every donation we receive from users like you goes directly into promoting high-quality data analysis and investigative journalism that you can trust.Please support our work and keep this resource free. Thank you. Support OpenSecrets ➜