A resolution designating April 2025 as "Preserving and Protecting Local News Month" and recognizing the importance and significance of local news.
- Bill Number
- S.Res. 152
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Science, Technology, Communications
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-04-01: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR S2098-2099)
- Last Updated
- 2025-07-21T19:32:26Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This Senate resolution aims to highlight the critical role of local news in American democracy by designating April 2025 as "Preserving and Protecting Local News Month." It emphasizes the need to support and sustain local journalism amid its ongoing decline, drawing on historical, social, and economic arguments to underscore its value to informed citizenship and community health.
Key Provisions
- Designation of a Special Month: Officially names April 2025 as "Preserving and Protecting Local News Month" to raise awareness about the importance of local news.
- Affirmation of Essential Role: States that local news plays a vital function in U.S. democracy by promoting civic engagement, providing election information, combating misinformation, and holding governments and corporations accountable.
- Recognition as a Public Good: Declares local news a public good, essential for maintaining democratic norms and vibrant communities.
- Acknowledgment of Contributions: Recognizes the work of local journalists in informing communities, including through public access channels, and notes challenges like job losses, closures, and disparities affecting diverse groups.
The resolution includes extensive "Whereas" clauses detailing the decline of local news, such as the loss of over 3,200 print outlets since 2005, the rise of "news deserts" in rural and minority communities, revenue drops, job cuts (e.g., 40,000 newspaper jobs lost from 2008-2020), and specific impacts on Black, Native American, and Latino media outlets.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This is a non-binding resolution, so it introduces no changes to existing laws or statutes. It does not create new mandates, funding, or regulations but serves as a symbolic gesture to express congressional support for local journalism.
Potential Impacts
- On Citizens: May increase public awareness of local news shortages, encouraging greater support for journalism through subscriptions, donations, or civic involvement; could indirectly benefit underserved communities (e.g., rural areas, high-poverty regions, and minority groups) by spotlighting their lack of news access.
- On Government Agencies: No direct effects, but it could prompt agencies to improve responsiveness to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests from local reporters, as the resolution notes a 50% drop in such requests since 2005.
- On International Relations: Minimal to none, as the focus is domestic; however, it reinforces U.S. commitment to press freedom, a value often highlighted in global democracy discussions.
- Overall, impacts are primarily awareness-raising and inspirational, potentially influencing future policy debates on media support without enforceable outcomes.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Local Journalists and News Outlets: Directly recognized for their contributions; highlights challenges like layoffs, budget cuts, harassment (especially for women and women of color), and reduced investigative capacity.
- Communities and Citizens: Particularly those in "news deserts" (over 200 counties without local papers, affecting 3.5 million people), rural areas, high-poverty regions, and diverse populations (Black, Latino, Native American, and non-English-speaking communities) who rely on local news for information and accountability.
- Media Industry: Includes newspapers, radio, TV, digital outlets, public access channels, and student journalists filling gaps; notes ownership consolidation by a few companies and economic pressures like advertising declines.
- Government and Policymakers: Local, state, and federal entities are indirectly affected, as the resolution critiques unchecked corruption without oversight and calls for broader societal support, echoing past federal actions like the creation of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal/Constitutional: Reinforces the First Amendment's protection of press freedom by linking local news to an informed citizenry and democratic principles; no new legal obligations, but it subtly critiques barriers like censored Native American press or reduced FOIA usage, potentially supporting future transparency reforms.
- Political: Bipartisan sponsorship (16 senators from both parties) signals broad consensus on journalism's value amid partisan media divides; as a sense-of-the-Senate resolution, it has no force of law but could build momentum for non-binding or funding initiatives (e.g., similar to public broadcasting support). It avoids controversy by focusing on decline statistics and equity issues without proposing specific interventions, though it implies a need for federal or societal action to prevent further "news deserts."
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (15)
Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME], Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT], Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN], Sen. Fetterman, John [D-PA], Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA], Sen. Lujan, Ben Ray [D-NM], Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR], Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT], Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA], Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA], Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ], Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL], Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN], Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA], Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]
Recent Actions
- 2025-04-01: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR S2098-2099)
- 2025-04-01: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Designating April 2025 as Preserving and Protecting Local News Month and recognizing the importance and significance of local news. — issued 2025-04-01 — PDF (7 pages)