Washington D.C. – U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) led a group of 16 senators in introducing a resolution designating April 2025 as “Preserving and Protecting Local News Month.” The resolution underscores the vital role of local journalism in American democracy, especially as the First Amendment faces mounting threats from the Trump administration.
“Local news that holds officials accountable and engages citizens is foundational to our democracy,” said Bennet. “As local news and journalists continue to face financial and political pressures, we must defend their vital role in preserving the truth through a free, robust, and independent press.”
“Americans rely on local news to stay informed about their communities and hold leaders accountable,” said Schatz. “At a time when the free press is under attack — including from the current White House — it’s more important than ever to stand up for local journalism and the essential public service it provides.”
Overall employment in newspaper, television, radio, and digital newsrooms in the United States fell by roughly 26 percent, or 30,000 jobs, from 2008-2020. Bennet’s resolution affirms the significance of local news in increasing civic engagement and strengthening democratic norms and practices, and it recognizes the invaluable contributions of local journalists in maintaining healthy and vibrant communities.
“In an age defined by rampant falsehoods and receding civic trust, robust local journalism that informs and empowers communities is a prerequisite for renewing American democracy,” said Hadar Harris, Managing Director of PEN America Washington. “Congressional attention to the local news crisis helps shine a spotlight on why local news is so important. PEN America lauds Senator Schatz’s resolution, which reaffirms the role local news must play in our society as an essential and widely accessible public good.”
The resolution is also co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.).
The full text of the resolution is available HERE.
