By Marlene McTigue
Capital Region Independent Media
At a crucial moment for local journalism, Warren Dews Jr., publisher and vice president of Capital Region Independent Media, visited the nation’s capital to advocate on behalf of small newspapers facing increasingly difficult times.
Capital Region Independent Media publishes the Ravena News-Herald, Greenville Pioneer, The Columbia Paper, Granville Sentinel, Whitehall Times, Lakes Region Free Press and Washington County Free Press, and two websites, TheUpstater.com and NYVTmedia.com.
Dews’ visit was part of a larger effort to push for legislative support to protect local journalism, which is under pressure from rising competition and AI-driven content aggregation. The event organized by the News Media Alliance and dubbed the “Support Journalism Fly-In” was attended by representatives from news organizations from around the country.
One central piece of legislation highlighted during his visit was the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act of 2023. This bill would allow smaller news providers to collectively negotiate with major online platforms for fair compensation when their content is used. The legislation is seen as vital for local media and newspapers, which are often left out of the revenue generated by big tech companies, despite producing much of the original content these platforms rely on.
A BROADER LEGISLATIVE PUSH
In addition to AI concerns, Dews and other advocates discussed various legislative priorities that support journalism, including the newly introduced Generative AI Copyright Disclosure Act of 2024. This bill requires a notice to be submitted to the Register of Copyrights for any copyrighted works used in building generative AI systems. The aim is to ensure transparency and protect original creators whose work is being used to train AI models without proper recognition or compensation.
Dews was focused on the need for protective measures that ensure news organizations are compensated when their content is used by major platforms, especially those using artificial intelligence.
“AI is here, and it’s not going away,” Dews said. “But what’s happening now is AI is essentially breaking into our newsrooms and stealing our content without credit or compensation.”
Dews likened the situation to a break-in: “If someone came into my house and stole food from my refrigerator, I’d call the police. Well, AI is doing that—stealing our content—and it’s time for legislation to protect us.”
Mark Vinciguerra, president of Capital Region Independent Media, emphasized the importance of such efforts.
“As local community continues to evolve into a new paradigm, we must stop monopolistic tyrants on the digital and now AI front from stealing our content without proper compensation. Efforts such as the DC fly-in go a long way towards having our concerns addressed and remedied at the federal level,” Vinciguerra said.
Both Vinciguerra and Dews stressed that the fight for fair compensation is about more than just the survival of local journalism. It’s about maintaining accountability.
“If journalism goes away, there’s no one watching the mayors, the city councils, or holding businesses accountable. It’s not just about us getting paid—it’s about preserving democracy and the watchdog role we play,” Dews added.
REPRESENTING SMALL NEWSPAPERS AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL
Despite representing a smaller organization, Dews proudly stood alongside some of the biggest names in media during his visit, meeting with CEOs and legal teams from companies like Gannett, Forbes, and C-SPAN.
“Being at the table with these giants of the industry was surreal,” Dews reflected. “But whether you’re the largest media company or a small, independent newspaper, the fight is the same. We all believe in the importance of journalism and the need to protect it from being exploited.”
Dews highlighted that even though Capital Region Independent Media is smaller, it plays an integral role in its community by offering news coverage that national outlets often overlook.
“We may be smaller, but our role in the community is just as important as the bigger papers in larger markets. People rely on us to keep them informed about local issues that matter to them.”
This is not the first time the Capital Region-based organization has stepped out as a leader for the benefit of local news organizations. Earlier this year Vinciguerra and members of the organization joined together with industry partners from around the state to form the Empire State Local News Coalition. The organization’s goal was to speak out in support of the Local Journalism Sustainability Act, which became law in this year’s New York state budget. The law allows for $30 million to be set aside from this year’s budget to provide tax credits for local news organizations.
LOOKING AHEAD
Dews’ visit to the Capitol was part of a broader movement to ensure that legislation like the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act and the Generative AI Copyright Disclosure Act move forward. Both bills are seen as lifelines for small newspapers that are grappling with the economic pressures of a digital world dominated by large tech companies.
As Dews and other advocates continue their push, they hope to bring greater awareness to the challenges faced by small news outlets and secure a future where local journalism remains a vibrant and essential part of American democracy.
“We’re not just fighting for ourselves,” Dews said. “We’re fighting for the future of local journalism and for the communities that depend on us.”
