If there’s one article on community media you’d like to share with community members, decisions makers and elected officials on the importance of the work we do for local democracy and culture, it’s last week’s piece by Annenberg Professor, Victor Pickard and our colleague Antoine Haywood published by Nieman Lab. View the article here. 

In it, they underline the important work that our members are doing every day, and call for infusions of monetary support to help local journalism and information services grow across America.

Share it and share it widely – and tell people how you fit in the vision of a healthy American local information system.  

FCC Update

Hearings on the Confirmation of Acting Chair, Jessica Rosenworcel to become Chair of the FCC will take place in the Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday. Here’s a link to the hearing and a livestream of the event. The move is an important step to ensure the Commission can operate normally, but it’s disappointing that the Committee has not yet scheduled hearings for FCC nominee Gigi Sohn and NTIA Chair nominee Alan Davidson.  Both appointments are necessary for the administration of telecom and broadband funds by the Biden Administration, and to reverse bad policies of the last several years. 

Gigi Sohn has drawn particular interest from conservative media – both from the Wall Street Journal editorial pages, which I think unfairly attacked her a media censor and now she has received endorsements from OAN and NewsMax. 

I know Gigi and she’s not a censor – she believes in the necessity of hearing diverse voices in our communities and in the media. And that’s why she needs a speedy hearing and confirmation in the Senate.

If you have a few moments today, Monday, November 15, let our friends at Free Press know if your organization is interested in signing on to a joint letter going to the Senate supporting the appointment of Rosenworcel, Sohn and Davidson and calling for hearings as soon as possible.  Organizations can find a link to the letter and sign on here.  ACM has signed onto the letter, but it would be good to hear from as many organizations across the country as possible, especially if one of your US Senators is on the Senate Commerce Committee.   

Infrastructure Bill 

And President Biden signs the Infrastructure Bill into law today – we’ll have analysis on what it means for local communities in coming days so be on the lookout for that.