Policymakers Support Local Media Eligibility for Paycheck Protection Program
In response to aggressive advocacy by NAB and the state broadcast associations, policymakers on both sides of the aisle have expressed their support for expanding U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loan access to struggling local media. These messages of support include:
- A letter from the chairs of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) and the co-chair of the Native American Caucus urging Senate and House leadership to include federal funding for local and ethnic media outlets in a future coronavirus relief stimulus package;
- A bipartisan letter from Reps. David Cicilline (RI-01) and Jim Sensenbrenner (WI-05) is circulating on Capitol Hill recommending more broadcasters be allowed to qualify for SBA loans under the Paycheck Protection Program;
- A bipartisan letter from Reps. Debbie Dingell (MI-12), Bill Flores (TX-17), Marc Veasey (TX-33) and Fred Upton (MI-06) and over 240 lawmakers was sent to the Trump administration urging a portion of federal agency advertising dollars be directed to local news and media outlets;
- A letter from 19 senators requesting future coronavirus stimulus relief legislation include support for local journalism; and
- A bipartisan letter from four senators to Senate leadership urging support for expanding U.S. SBA loan access to struggling local newspapers and radio and television stations.
NAB is grateful to these policymakers for their leadership in supporting expanded access to SBA loans for local radio and television stations under the Payroll Protection Program. We also thank the state broadcast associations for their hard work, engagement and contributions to our advocacy efforts to ensure stations receive meaningful relief.
If you have not yet done so, we urge you to reach out to your members of Congress to ask for relief in the next legislative stimulus vehicle. Click here to make your voice heard.
America’s broadcasters are providing trusted and credible lifesaving coverage to keep citizens safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, all while suffering advertising losses of historic proportion that undermine our critically important service. We urge congressional leaders to support this proposal to provide immediate relief for local radio and TV stations.