Bowling Green Today

On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced the Local News and Broadcast Media Preservation Act. This act aims to provide local broadcasters and newspapers with relief from outdated government restrictions that currently pose a threat to their success in an evolving media environment.

"With the rise of social media and an ever-changing media landscape, it is imperative that our local newspapers and broadcasters are given the freedom to adapt. My Local News and Broadcast Media Preservation Act gets government out of the way and frees broadcast media from the chains that restrict their ability to better serve their customers," said Dr. Paul.

The proposed legislation would exempt print, broadcast, and digital news organizations from federal antitrust laws. This exemption would enable them to compete with and negotiate with national tech companies. Furthermore, the bill would allow local broadcast companies to merge without government interference, thus enabling these broadcasters to better compete against tech giants.

In addition, the bill proposes to eliminate both local and national caps on radio and television ownership. The creation of such an environment would allow maximum flexibility for competition and negotiation.

Dr. Paul's Local News and Broadcast Media Preservation Act can be read HERE.