WASHINGTON—Organizations representing rural and agricultural interests have offered their support of local media during the current coronavirus pandemic and are calling for existing federal agency advertising funds to be spent with local broadcasters and news publishers.

This comes from a letter signed by a number of these rural and agricultural organizations to the House and Senate Appropriation Committees. The signees include American Agri-Women, American Dairy Coalition, National Association of Wheat Growers, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, South Dakota Farmers Union, United States Cattlemen’s Association and the Rural & Agricultural Council of America.

The letter highlights how in many instances, broadcast stations are the predominant or only form of local information, which has been especially important during COVID-19.

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However, the negative economic impacts of the pandemic have caused advertising revenue for these broadcast stations to decrease, with experts’ estimated forecasts of the total revenue losses to be between $5 and $10 billion, the letter states.

A potential solution that the groups want to see is for federal agencies to supplement some of this loss revenue with their own advertising funds.

“Just as local media can help restart main street businesses and the economy, advertising on these mediums can help disperse critical government messages during this crisis and recovery to rural America,” the letter reads.

In addition to the request for existing federal advertising funds to be spent on local broadcasters, the groups want additional federal advertising funding in future stimulus or appropriations bills that are distributed across local media sectors and equitably allocated across large, medium and small communities.

“Our local broadcasters are a critical component of our communities and the services they provide cannot be lost,” the letter concludes.

The full letter is available online. 

WASHINGTON—Speaking on behalf of a number of organizations representing the interests of thousands of rural residents, the Rural & Agriculture Council of America has issued a letter to Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and ranking member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) opposing the the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act Reauthorization (STELAR), which the committee will hold a hearing on Wednesday, Oct. 23.

RACA, along with nine other organizations, cosigned a letter this past summer that said how STELAR negatively affects people in rural communities.

“There is a notable lack of reliable broadband and wireless connections in rural areas along with abysmal internet speeds, and this legislative loophole creates a broadcast television divide,” Jack Alexander, president of RACA, wrote in this new letter. “Rural Americans rely on local broadcasting for critical news and information about our communities and, especially when we are out in the field, up-to-the-minute weather and emergency information. Broadcasters work hand-in-hand as first informers with first responders in our neighborhoods, yet for residents of rural America in the communities affected by STELAR, we receive none of this sometimes lifesaving programming during times of crisis.

“For these reasons rural leaders remain steadfast our position and ask that Congress to allow STELAR to expire and end this broadcast television divide in rural America.”

For more information on the hearing, or to watch a live webcast, click here.