Friend,

The Journalism Competition and Privacy Act (JCPA) — an awful bill in Congress that would weaken the local journalism its champions claim it would save — is on the move.

The JCPA would send a tiny portion of Google’s and Facebook’s advertising revenues to non-local websites, hedge funds and giant broadcasters like Sinclair who wield lots of influence on Capitol Hill through their armies of lobbyists.

We stopped this bill from advancing last year, and we can do it again. If every person who opened this email donated even just $5, we would reach our fundraising goal of 250 grassroots contributions in no time. Will you sustain our efforts to stop the JCPA with a donation today?

Then read Candace’s original email below.

Thanks so much,

All of us at Free Press Action

Ugh, friend.

Last month, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to advance the controversial Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (JCPA). This bill moved through this same committee last year, but failed to advance to the Senate floor or receive any consideration in the House after facing strong opposition from civil- and digital-rights groups, small publishers and community advocates, including Free Press Action.

But large and profitable commercial media conglomerates (and their armies of lobbyists) won’t relent, because the JCPA prioritizes their interests over the needs of communities and the independent publishers that serve local audiences.

When we talk about giving people the news and information they need, this bill was NOT what we had in mind. That's why we have to ask: Will you make your very first donation to Free Press Action today to help us stop the JCPA? We’re hoping to reach 250 donations by midnight on Sunday to fuel our advocacy in the weeks ahead.

As commercial news outlets stop serving the public, lay off reporters and promote clickbait content, policymakers are right to look at ways to support quality independent news and information.

But the JCPA would do nothing to channel support for local journalism where it’s needed most. Instead the bill would deliver massive handouts to the already-lucrative conglomerates that prioritize profits over the people they’re supposed to serve. To make matters worse, the JCPA would provide mechanisms for purveyors of hate and disinformation to demand that social-media platforms amplify their content — and pay them for it.

Free Press Action has long advocated for far better ways to fund the production of public-interest news and information. And we won’t stop until our elected officials put the news-and-information needs of everyone before the profit incentives of a few media giants.

We need all hands on deck if we’re going to stop the JCPA: Rush your first donation to Free Press Action to help us reach our fundraising goal of 250 donations so we can keep up the fight.

Thank you so much for being a part of this,

Candace and the rest of the Free Press Action team
freepress.net