members Archives - News/Media Alliance

News/Media Alliance Files Comments, Meets with the Copyright Office on Access to Electronic Works Rulemaking

Staff — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 15:03:11 +0000

On Monday, October 16, 2023, the News/Media Alliance submitted reply comments in response to the U.S. Copyright Office’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Access to Electronic Works. The Copyright Office is proposing to update its regulations governing access to electronic deposits of works submitted for copyright registration that the Library of Congress subsequently selects for its collections. The rule would expand the categories of eligible deposits, including group registrations for published photographs and short online literary works, amongst others. The rule would have minimal direct impact on news publishers, since print newspaper deposits sent by via PDF are already subject to the existing rule. The Alliance’s comments asked the Office to prioritize updating the registration options to allow for publishers to efficiently register online material before moving forward with other rulemakings. In addition, the comments noted the importance of not expanding the ways in which these deposits can be accessed by Library users in ways that compete with markets for licensed content, and signaled support for further documentation around the current conditions of access. On January 9, 2024, the Alliance met with the Copyright Office to discuss the proposed rule and the Alliance members’ experiences with electronic deposits in more detail. Read the Alliance’s comments here and the ex parte meeting summary here.

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News/Media Alliance Grows Membership to Over 2,200 News, Magazine & Digital Media Organizations in 2023

Staff — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 17:00:07 +0000

Arlington, VA – The News/Media Alliance welcomed 16 new member organizations in 2023, including large and small news, magazine, and digital media organizations from across the country and around the world, bringing the membership total to over 2,200 member organizations.

The News/Media Alliance, which merged with MPA – The Association of Magazine Media in July 2022 – works with its members to advance news and magazine industry priorities through advocacy, critical research, resources and events that demonstrate the value and importance of supporting and preserving a free and independent press.

“We are delighted to welcome these 16 news, magazine, and digital media organizations to the Alliance family, and we are grateful for their support and their recognition of the need to share a voice on important issues facing the industry,” stated News/Media Alliance President & CEO Danielle Coffey. “The support of these innovative, multimedia businesses are invaluable as we continue to advocate on behalf of the industry and fight for the future of journalistic and creative content.”

The need to support and sustain quality journalism has reached a new level of urgency this year, as the rapid adoption of generative AI has introduced yet another threat to publishers of original content. The Alliance published a White Paper in October that found AI companies significantly overweight publisher content in their crawling of the web – often while not paying the publishers who invested in producing that content – to train their generative AI systems, coming in direct competition with publishers, as well as infringing on publishers’ copyrights.

The Alliance continues to push for legislation to require Big Tech platforms such as Meta and Google to pay publishers for the use of their content, with the Journalism Competition & Preservation Act (JCPA) being reintroduced in the Senate earlier this year. Canada recently passed similar legislation, which is modeled after the law in Australia that has been extremely successful, and the California State Assembly introduced a state journalism compensation bill that was the subject of a Senate informational hearing last week.

In addition, the News/Media Alliance works on behalf of its members to advocate on press freedom/First Amendment issues, privacy, digital advertising, copyright, postal delivery and more.

New News/Media Alliance members in 2023 include (not a complete list):

AlterNet
American Craft Council
California Broker Magazine
The Economist
Future PLC
G/O Media Inc.
Grandstand Publishing LLC
The Guardian
Hughes Media Corp.
Raptive
Raw Story
Rookie Road
Style Media Group Inc.
Today Media Inc.
Ziff Davis

Coffey continued, “We look forward to working with our new members and all of membership to move forward key legislative and policy initiatives and demonstrate the importance and need for high-quality content in an information-driven world.”

For more information about membership in the News/Media Alliance, please click here.

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The News/Media Alliance is a nonprofit organization representing more than 2,200 news, magazine and digital media organizations and their multiplatform businesses in the United States and globally. Alliance members include print and digital publishers of original journalism. Headquartered just outside Washington, D.C., the association focuses on ensuring the future of journalism through communication, research, advocacy, and innovation. Information about the News/Media Alliance can be found at www.newsmediaalliance.org.

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News/Media Alliance Names Neil Quinter Chief Lobbyist as Public Policy and Advocacy Team Expands

Staff — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 13:00:36 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Neil Quinter

Arlington, VA – The News/Media Alliance has expanded its public policy team, with a final key role being filled today with the hiring of Neil Quinter as its new Senior Vice President, Global Government Affairs. In this role, Quinter will work closely with the Alliance leadership team and staff to lead key legislative initiatives for the Alliance.

Prior to joining the Alliance, Quinter served as Chief Counsel to U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein and as Minority Chief Counsel and Staff Director of the Subcommittee on Technology, Terrorism & Government Information of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. Before that, Quinter served as an elected member of the Maryland House of Delegates, where he served on the Judiciary Committee. While in office, he passed numerous bills on subjects including technology, consumer protection, and criminal justice. Quinter has served as a partner at major law firms and in his own solo practice, concentrating on federal and state government affairs and congressional investigations, and representing major companies, trade associations, nonprofits, and individuals.

Quinter starts in his new role on September 21 and leads the Alliance government affairs team, including two full-time staff and legislative consultants.

He received his J.D. from Harvard Law School and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations/Political Science from Colgate University.

“I’m very excited to welcome Neil to the Alliance team,” said Alliance President and CEO, Danielle Coffey. “His background is exactly what we need to drive momentum around critically important Alliance initiatives and member priorities. He will bring a great depth of experience and knowledge to our team, and we are fortunate to have him.”

“I’m thrilled to be joining the Alliance at this critical time for the news industry,” said Quinter. “News organizations play a vital role in our democracy, and I’m excited to be able to work with such a talented team to protect and promote the Fourth Estate. America needs the news, now more than ever.”

The Alliance also welcomed several other new staff members to its public policy team over the last several months, including:

Regan Smith

Regan Smith, who joined the Alliance as Senior Vice President & General Counsel on September 12. Smith is a recognized authority on topics including copyright, artificial intelligence, digital rights management, statutory and collective licensing, and administrative law. Prior to joining the Alliance, she was Head of Public Policy in Spotify’s government affairs group, where she led global policy development and advocacy related to intellectual property and music policy. Before that, she was the General Counsel and Associate Register of Copyrights at the U.S. Copyright Office, where she oversaw an extensive portfolio of regulatory, litigation, and policy matters, including leading over 50 regulatory proceedings, providing expert advice to federal agencies and congressional offices, and successfully driving policy discussions and regulatory reforms related to the Digital Millenium Copyright Act and digital music licensing.

Emily Emery

Emily Emery, who joined the Alliance as Vice President, Government Affairs on August 1. Prior to coming to the Alliance, Emery was Vice President of Government Relations for a leading mobile games publisher and for MPA – the Association of Magazine Media, which merged with the News/Media Alliance on July 1, 2022. She began her career working in the U.S. Senate and holds a CIPP/US certification. Emery has more than a decade of experience in advocating for effective public policy strategies, and much of her experience has focused on technology innovation, data security, and consumer privacy. Emery received an MPA from New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service and an undergraduate degree from the George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Holly Lubart

Holly Lubart, who became a full-time staff member as Vice President, Government Affairs on August 1. Lubart has been a consultant for the Alliance, working on postal rates, subscription marketing and other government and regulatory affairs issues of importance to Alliance members since February 2022. Prior to this role, Lubart served as Vice President, Government Affairs for the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association. In addition, she has worked for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, served in two gubernatorial administrations, and represented the Pennsylvania Health Care Association and Pennsylvania Architects Association. Holly started her career as a journalist and is passionate about advocating for the future of the news media. She holds a B.A. degree in Communication/Journalism from Shippensburg University, where she served on the Alumni Board of Directors for two terms.

Charlotte McBirney

Charlotte McBirney, who joined the Alliance earlier this year on January 24 as Senior Counsel & Director of Public Policy. Before joining the Alliance, McBirney was the Senior Federal Relations Counsel at the American Association for Justice (AAJ), where she advocated for a fair and effective civil justice system on behalf of the world’s largest plaintiff trial bar. Prior to that, McBirney worked as an attorney at the Northern California Innocence Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping the wrongfully convicted. Charlotte earned her law degree from the University of Western Australia and a master’s degree in international law from the Graduate Institute of International Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland.

Coffey continued, “We are elated to have such a capable and experienced public policy and advocacy team to carry out the important work we do here at the Alliance on behalf of our members. I am incredibly confident with this team on board, and I am looking forward to working with them to carry out the Alliance’s mission and key objectives and initiatives moving forward.”

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Media Contact:
Lindsey Loving
Director, Communications
lindsey@newsmediaalliance.org

The News/Media Alliance is a nonprofit organization representing more than 2,000 news and magazine media organizations and their multiplatform businesses in the United States and globally. Alliance members include print and digital publishers of original journalism. Headquartered just outside Washington, D.C., the association focuses on ensuring the future of journalism through communication, research, advocacy, and innovation. Information about the News/Media Alliance can be found at www.newsmediaalliance.org.

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News/Media Alliance Names Regan Smith Senior Vice President & General Counsel

Staff — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 13:00:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Regan Smith

Arlington, VA – The News/Media Alliance today welcomed Regan Smith to the organization as its new Senior Vice President & General Counsel. In this role, Smith will work closely with the Alliance leadership team and staff to lead legal affairs and related public policy initiatives for the Alliance.

Smith is a recognized authority on topics including copyright, artificial intelligence, digital rights management, statutory and collective licensing, and administrative law. Prior to joining the Alliance, she was Head of Public Policy in Spotify’s government affairs group, where she led global policy development and advocacy related to intellectual property and music policy. Before that, she was the General Counsel and Associate Register of Copyrights at the U.S. Copyright Office, where she oversaw an extensive portfolio of regulatory, litigation, and policy matters, including leading over 50 regulatory proceedings, providing expert advice to federal agencies and congressional offices, and successfully driving policy discussions and regulatory reforms related to the Digital Millenium Copyright Act and digital music licensing.

Smith has testified before multiple parliamentary bodies on legislative proposals. She also teaches copyright law as a Professorial Lecturer in Law at George Washington University law school. She is a trustee of the Copyright Society of the USA and chair of the ABA’s Copyright Legislation committee. Earlier in her career, Smith advised clients in private practice on a wide range of IP, advertising, media and technology law matters.

“I’m very excited to welcome Regan to the Alliance team,” said Alliance President and CEO, Danielle Coffey. “Her background is extremely relevant and will lend itself perfectly to moving our copyright and legal affairs initiatives forward and leading our broader public policy initiatives. I couldn’t be happier to have her on board and look forward to working with her on these important member priorities and objectives.”

Smith stated, “I’m delighted to be joining the Alliance at this exciting and critical moment of time. The role of trusted, compelling news and media is more important than ever, and I look forward to working with the Alliance’s members, leadership team and staff to advance the industry’s objectives.”

Smith begins in her new role on September 12.

Smith received a J.D. from Harvard Law and a B.A. in philosophy and political science from the University of Michigan.

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Media Contact:
Lindsey Loving
Director, Communications
lindsey@newsmediaalliance.org

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USPS Office of Inspector General Releases Flat-Shaped Mail Audit Report

Holly Lubart — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 18:25:29 +0000

The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General (OIG) released the Flats Cost Coverage Audit Report on June 29, as required by Section 206 of the Postal Service Reform Act. The report states that most Postal Service initiatives are not designed with specific, measurable objectives to directly reduce Flats cost and do not address the causes of inefficiencies in Flats operations identified by the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC). In addition, they identified opportunities for the Postal Service to further collaborate with stakeholders on current and new initiatives related to Flats. Several members of the News/Media Alliance participated in audit. The Postal Regulatory Commission released their Flats Operations Study Report April 6.

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Expanding the View

Rebecca Frank — Tue, 20 Jun 2023 16:00:31 +0000

This monthly newsletter is focused on sharing cutting edge stories, trends, topics, and social media posts with unique perspectives and new ideas that have the potential to translate to opportunities for news and magazine publishers. Stories and posts we share might cover topics as wide-ranging as Web3, podcasts, startups and technology, online advertising, and more. Click the links below to access current and past editions. I hope you enjoy and please let me know what you’re seeing out there that you see as up and coming for the news industry. Drop me a line at rebecca@newsmediaalliance.org.

Rebecca Frank, VP, Research & Insights, News/Media Alliance

To receive ‘Expanding the View’ in your email inbox each month, click here to subscribe.

Current Issue:

June 2023 – This month, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about one particular essay about the “creator economy.” To those of us working in “old media,” the idea of a single person, armed with a brain, a laptop, and the ability to distribute to the whole internet has long been positioned as “the future.” But in this insightful piece, Renée DiResta examines how the conditions of our current era – technological and reader attention-based – have led so many individual creators to become what DiResta calls “propagandists.” The piece is worth reading for anyone who believes in the value of fact-based news, and also the business model that supports it. Keep reading.

Past Issues:

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Mega-Conference 2023

Staff — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 15:58:23 +0000

April 2-4, 2023 | Hilton Anatole, Dallas, TX

As a partner of Mega-Conference 2023, News/Media Alliance members receive discounted registration!

Learn more and register

Program

Who should attend:

Publishers are encouraged to attend with their key department heads.

Registration for newspaper attendees:

Rates are at their lowest for newspaper and media executives who commit to participating in an interactive 75-minute Solutions Roundtable session during the conference.

Newspaper attendee rates (for members of the News/Media Alliance and America’s Newspapers who are attending the Solutions Roundtable sessions) are as low as $495. Rates go up by $100/person after February 15, 2023.

Newspaper & Media Executives – Register here

Note: Please do not call the News/Media Alliance, as we are not processing registrations for Mega-Conference.

Team registration:

Register three or more members of your team and save up to $100 per person. Team membership discounts are for newspapers only. To register your team or for more information about team registrations, contact Paulette Sheffield at psheffield@newspapers.org.

For more information about Mega-Conference, visit www.mega-conference.com.

Mega-Innovation Award:

Tell us why your newspaper or newspaper group should be recognized as innovative!

America’s Newspapers and the News/Media Alliance want to spotlight the best examples of innovation among newspapers at this year’s Mega-Conference. All newspaper members of the News/Media Alliance and America’s Newspapers are encouraged to submit their best examples of innovation for consideration in this year’s competition for the Mega-Innovation Award.

The deadline for entries is 11:00 p.m. CST Friday, February 24. There is no cost to enter.

For more information and to enter the Mega-Innovation Awards, click here.

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News Take: Candid Conversations with Industry Leaders

Staff — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 14:00:58 +0000

A series from the News/Media Alliance

Watch the first episode of the Free Press Focus subseries, out now!

The News Take podcast is a series of interviews with thought leaders and other influencers in the news and magazine media space sharing insights and perspectives with News/Media Alliance staff on timely events topics of interest. Guests will share their “take” on the news about news and magazine media, exclusively for Alliance members!

Subscribe to the News Take podcast on Spotify, Apple, and Google podcasts.

Free Press Focus subseries:

Episode 1: Preventing Another Capital Gazette Shooting: Why We Need The Journalist Protection Act (Guests: Paul Gillespie, Capital Gazette and Dan Shelley, RTDNA)

Now available: Season 2:

Episode 201: News Nutrition Labels: How NewsGuard is Helping Fight Misinformation Online (Guest: Gordon Crovitz, NewsGuard)

Episode 202: How the American Press Institute is Inspiring Cultural Transformation in News Media (Guests: Samantha Ragland and Elite Truong, American Press Institute)

Episode 203: Pioneering Innovation at Legacy Magazine and News Media Brands (Guest: Lisa Hughes, The Philadelphia Inquirer)

Episode 204: Navigating the Digital Media Transition: Lessons from the Music Industry (Guest: Cherie Hu, Water & Music)

Send your suggestions for future News Take guests to Alliance Vice President, Research & Insights, Rebecca Frank at rebecca@newsmediaalliance.org.

Stream all 12 episodes of Season 1:

Episode 101: Local News: Understanding What Readers Want and How to Deliver it to Them (Guests: Jim Bernard, Star Tribune and Mike Orren, The Dallas Morning News)

Episode 102: Tech Trends: What Publishers Need to Know (Guest: Aram Zucker-Scharff, The Washington Post)

Episode 103: Leveraging Products to Connect with Your Audience (Guest: Kim Bui, Arizona Republic)

Episode 104: Encouraging and Sustaining Diversity in News Media (Guest: Mitra Kalita, URL Media)

Episode 105: Protecting Journalists Reporting on Russia’s War in Ukraine (Guest: Carlos Martinez de la Serna, Committee to Protect Journalists)

Episode 106: Tapping Into the Potential of Blockchain for News Publishers (Guest: Julien Genestoux, founder and CEO of Unlock)

Episode 107: Committing to Product Thinking in the News Industry: Putting Readers First (Guest: Feli Carrique, Executive Director, News Product Alliance)

Episode 108: Print, Logistics and Delivery in a Transitional Age (Guests: Gregg Fernandes, The Washington Post and Dan Schaub, McClatchy)

Episode 109: The State of Advertising and Local News (Guest: Gordon Borrell, Borrell Associates)

Episode 110: Update on News Deserts and Local News Trends (Guests: Penny Muse Abernathy and Tim Franklin, Medill Journalism School Local News Initiative at Northwestern University)

Episode 111: Outsmarting Google and Facebook: Helping Publishers Grow Their Audience Outside the Dominant Platforms (Guest: Rand Fishkin, SparkToro)

Episode 112: Lessons in Practicality from The Daily Memphian: “A Lot of People Don’t Know We’re a Nonprofit” (Guest: Eric Barnes, The Daily Memphian)

News Take Production Team:

Host and Executive Producer: Rebecca Frank, VP, Research & Insights, News/Media Alliance

Free Press Focus Subseries Host: Charlotte McBirney, Senior Counsel and Director, Public Policy, News/Media Alliance

Production Support, Editing & Distribution:

Georgi-Ann Clarke, Social Media & Content Manager, News/Media Alliance
Rachel Fox, Manager, Membership & Events, News/Media Alliance
Lindsey Loving, Director, Communications, News/Media Alliance

Audio & Video Engineer: Current Media Group

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News/Media Alliance Names Judy Gawczynski Vice President, Membership

Staff — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 12:00:40 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Judy Gawczynski

Arlington, VA – The News/Media Alliance welcomes Judy Gawczynski as its Vice President of Membership. In this role, Gawczynski will work closely with the Alliance leadership team and staff to build a new membership engagement program for the Alliance.

Prior to this role, Gawczynski was Director of Membership at the Future of Privacy Forum, a nonprofit organization in Washington, DC focused on advancing responsible data practices, where she oversaw the organization’s member acquisition and retention strategy.

She has developed and implemented membership engagement strategies for corporate and individual memberships that included C-suite executives and managed member events and sponsorships.

“Judy has a detailed understanding of member relations and how to motivate and inspire engagement and action,” said Alliance President and CEO, David Chavern. “Her background fits perfectly with the goal of this position, to increase member engagement through developing and executing creative and effective strategies. We couldn’t be happier to have her on board.”

Prior to working for the Future of Privacy Forum, Gawczynski developed and implemented membership recruitment and retention strategies and oversaw member communities at the National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA) in Arlington, VA.

“I am excited about this opportunity to apply my knowledge of member relations and services to my work with the Alliance membership,” said Gawczynski. “I look forward to working with the Alliance staff to create meaningful and engaging programs that will inspire and help members as they navigate the changing media landscape.”

Gawczynski started in her new role on September 19 and leads the Membership team, including two Alliance staff.

Gawczynski graduated from Northern Illinois University with a B.A. in English. She obtained Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential in May 2017. Originally from the Chicago area, she currently resides in Arlington, VA.

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Media Contact:
Lindsey Loving
Director, Communications
lindsey@newsmediaalliance.org

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Expanding the View – July 2022

David Chavern — Thu, 28 Jul 2022 13:00:42 +0000

News publishers and magazines have become highly experimental and deeply innovative businesses. We have larger audiences than ever — but also need to create new products and distribution systems to drive a better future. This newsletter is designed to highlight interesting ideas and provoke some thinking. Send suggestions to david@newsmediaalliance.org.

To receive ‘Expanding the View’ in your email inbox each month, click here to subscribe.

What I’ve been reading this month:

For Creators, Community is the New Follower Count (The Washington Post)
Community apps for audiences of influencers and other creators may be the future of engagement with content.

Lewis Black Sues Pandora for $10 Million Over Copyright Infringement (The Verge)
As Spotify continues to grow, comedians continue to sue for copyright infringement.

Why Republicans Stopped Talking to the Press (New York Magazine)
“Sitting down with the mainstream press has come to be seen by Republican primary voters as consorting with the enemy, and approval by the enemy is the political kiss of death.” – As we move deeper into 2022 election season, a shift in Republican strategy.

Opinion: I Stopped Reading the News. Is the Problem Me — or the Product? (The Washington Post) – A take on news avoidance, from deep within the news industry.

10 Key Takeaways for News Subscription Managers from the 2022 Digital News Report (What’s New in Publishing) – An overview of some innovative findings from the 2022 Reuters Institute report.

Meet the Lobbyist Next Door (WIRED)
Is your favorite influencer actually a lobbyist?

How Software Is Stifling Competition and Slowing Innovation (The New York Times)
“There is an advantage to software that economists haven’t really reckoned with yet. Software isn’t accelerating creative destruction today. Software is suppressing it.”

Leaked Videos Show Disney Is the Biggest Ad Tech Giant You’ve Never Heard Of (VICE)
Might the future of ads and media look a lot like the past?

Web3/Blockchain:

As more and more groundbreaking discussions about Web3 and blockchain are taking place every day, I’m dedicating a section of this newsletter to the topic and will highlight the most interesting ones each month.

Hype is a Weaponized Form of Optimism (Nieman Lab)
A contrarian take on emerging technologies.

Developer Turns ‘Future of Gaming’ Talk into a Surprise Attack on Convention’s NFT and Blockchain Sponsors (PC Gamer)
How one developer fought back against the domination of the gaming industry by crypto.

Podcasts:

The Mid-Century Media Theorists Who Saw What Was Coming (The Ezra Klein Show)

Notable in the Twitter-verse:

Check out these accounts for more on these and other emerging topics:

Gregg Fernandes: @GreggFernandes
Steve Lohr: @SteveLohr
Amanda Ripley: @amandaripley
Ben Wofford: @BenWoffordDC
Taylor Lorenz: @TaylorLorenz

Expanding the View home

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