Americans place their trust in local news outlets more than any other source. Local news is the bedrock of our communities and plays a pivotal role in maintaining the strength of our democracy.
The Federal Communications Commission has long emphasized the importance of localism as the “cornerstone of broadcast regulation” in the United States. Local news covers the events and issues that are most impactful to Americans’ everyday lives, serves as a watchdog holding our local officials and government accountable, and serves as a vital source of information during emergencies.
For example, after months of in-depth coverage by my station KFMB CBS8 showing that San Diego’s water department failed to send over a million water bills to residents — without notifying anyone that their bill was withheld — the city finally began notifying affected residents.
We also reported on the effects of excessive sewer gas levels on public health and quality of life in the South Bay, and we alerted residents in real time when wildfires forced thousands from their homes and damaged numerous properties.
However, despite the immense value, trust and recognition of local news as we know it, its future is now at risk. Our leaders in Washington failed to act as Big Tech decimated local newspapers, over 2,000 of which folded across the country, including the Daily Transcript here in San Diego. Communities like ours suffered the consequences.
Now, the same forces from Big Tech have their sights set on our local broadcast television stations.
It’s a process that we sadly know all too well: Big Tech introduces a new technology that provides real value. With print journalism, it was online search engines and social media news feeds that brought their content to consumers. More people had access to news content online than ever before.
But this all happened without fair compensation to the local news partners. Instead of providing that compensation, the tech giants sold their narrative to policymakers that any fair compensation to local newspapers would inhibit innovation and harm consumers. Meanwhile, tech companies grew into trillion-dollar behemoths while communities across the country lost access to their local newspapers.
While the details for local broadcast news may be different, the pattern and narrative from Big Tech is the same. Streaming content over the internet has undoubtedly provided value and consumer benefits. But the same problem exists: tech and media conglomerates’ live streaming platforms like Hulu + Live TV (owned by Disney), YouTube TV (owned by Google), and others bolster their profits by exploiting a regulatory loophole that sidelines local broadcast stations in carriage negotiations.
This results in your local TV stations either being omitted from streaming services entirely — depriving communities of essential local news — or receiving less than fair market value for their content.
Local broadcasters are asking that regulations be modernized to allow us a seat at the negotiating table — as has been the case with traditional cable and satellite companies for decades. Fair is fair, and streaming services should play by the same set of rules.
Unsurprisingly, Big Tech responds with recycled arguments that this would “harm consumers” and “limit choice.”
This narrative is misleading and harmful to consumers and the future of local news. Luckily, policymakers in Washington see through these deceptive arguments.
Recently, a group of 20 U.S. Senators penned a letter to the FCC recognizing that the streaming services’ growth “has profound impact on existing laws, regulations and agreements that have been foundational in support of public safety and access to local news,” and that the FCC must “examine the video marketplace and seriously consider how it can ensure the viability of local broadcast stations and promote localism.” This follows Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell’s unanswered letter to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel calling for the same in June.
Modernizing the rules will not place undue burdens on streamers or restrict consumer choice. Instead, it will provide local broadcasters with a fair opportunity to advocate for themselves in negotiations and deliver on our commitment to deliver the most critical information to San Diego and surrounding communities.
Communities know the value of the local journalism produced by stations like ours. It’s time to modernize the rules to protect the value of localism in the streaming era.
Alberto Mier y Terán is president and general manager of KFMB-TV CBS8 in San Diego.
