The National Association of Broadcasters has launched the latest phase of its “We Are Broadcasters” branding campaign, one that emphasizes trusted broadcast journalists in a sea of misinformation — particularly on social media, NAB suggests.
The campaign is in response to research asserting that the business practices of Big Tech firms like Google or Facebook keep local stations from recouping their investment in local news by exerting “enormous influence over what online content is eligible to be monetized.”
Broadcasters are currently pushing legislation, the Local Journalism Sustainability Act, that would provide an antitrust exemption to allow news outlets to bargain collectively with online aggregators for access to those publishers' high-value content. On Thursday (Sept. 16), for example, the new LPTV Broadcasters Association, representing low-power TV stations, said it would be pushing for that legislation.
Also Read: Broadcasters Push for Local Journalism Tax Break Bill
“At a time when misinformation and disinformation are all too common online, the local journalism broadcasters provide is more important than ever — we deliver the facts Americans need to know without fear or favor,” NAB president and CEO Gordon Smith said, echoing one of his most familiar phrases. “We want to remind the public and our nation’s leaders about the indispensable role broadcasters play in our local communities every day as the most trusted source of news.”
Spots are available in English and Spanish and include a call to action for viewers, saying, "Text TV to 52886 and let Congress know you depend on local journalism."
