A resolution reaffirming the commitment to media diversity and pledging to work with media entities and diverse stakeholders to develop common ground solutions to eliminate barriers to media diversity.

III 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. RES. 73 Reaffirming the commitment to media diversity and pledging to work with media entities and diverse stakeholders to develop common ground solu- tions to eliminate barriers to media diversity. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES FEBRUARY 24, 2021 Ms. ROSEN (for herself and Mr. RUBIO) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Trans- portation RESOLUTION Reaffirming the commitment to media diversity and pledging to work with media entities and diverse stakeholders to develop common ground solutions to eliminate barriers to media diversity. Whereas the principle that an informed and engaged elec- torate is critical to a vibrant democracy is deeply rooted in our laws of free speech and underpins the virtues on which we established our Constitution, ‘‘in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity. . .’’; Whereas having independent, diverse, and local media that provide exposure to a broad range of viewpoints and the VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:36 Feb 24, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR73.IS SR73 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •SRES 73 IS ability to contribute to the political debate is central to sustaining that informed engagement; Whereas it is in the public interest to encourage source, con- tent, and audience diversity on our Nation’s shared tele- communications and media platforms; Whereas the survival of small, independent, and diverse media outlets that serve diverse audiences and local media markets is essential to preserving local culture and building understanding on important community issues that impact the daily lives of residents; Whereas research by the American Society of News Editors, the Radio Television Digital News Association, the Pew Research Center, and others has documented the contin- ued challenges of increasing diversity among all types of media entities; Whereas with increasing media experience and sophistication, it is even more important to have minority participation in local media to ensure a diverse range of information sources are available and different ideas and viewpoints are expressed to strengthen social cohesion among dif- ferent communities; and Whereas the constriction in small, independent, and diverse media outlets and limited participation of diverse popu- lations in media ownership and decisionmaking are com- bining to negatively impact our goal of increasing local civic engagement and civic knowledge through increased voter participation, membership in civic groups, and knowledge of local political and civil information: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— 1 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:36 Feb 24, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR73.IS SR73 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •SRES 73 IS (1) reaffirms its commitment to diversity as a 1 core tenet of the public interest standard in media 2 policy; and 3 (2) pledges to work with media entities and di- 4 verse stakeholders to develop common ground solu- 5 tions to eliminate barriers to media diversity. 6 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:36 Feb 24, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR73.IS SR73 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS