Plight of Newspapers Generates Uncommon Bipartisan Unity

Anger toward big technology companies has led to multiple antitrust investigations, calls for a new federal data privacy law and criticism of the companies’ political ad policies. Perhaps no issue about the tech companies, though, has united lawmakers in the Capitol like the decimation of local news. Lawmakers from both parties blame companies like Facebook and Google, which dominate the online ad industry. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) gave a big boost to a bill that may provide some papers a lifeboat. The proposal would give news organizations an exemption from antitrust laws, allowing them to band together to negotiate with Google and Facebook over how their articles and photos are used online, and what payments the newspapers get from the tech companies. (The bill is backed by the News Media Alliance, a trade group that represents news organizations including The New York Times Company.) The proposal was sponsored by Representative Doug Collins (R-GA). It was written by Representative David Cicilline (D-RI). Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) sponsored an identical version in the Senate. Prominent co-sponsors joined, including Sens Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Rand Paul (R-KY).