State Broadcaster Groups Urge Expanding Media PPP Eligibility

Broadcast associations for all states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico are urging Capitol Hill leaders to make broadcasters and other local outlets eligible for the Small Business Administration-administered Paycheck Protection Program as part of the next COVID-19 aid bill. The House passed the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (Heroes) Act (HR-6800) in May with such a provision (see 2005180056). PPP has already “saved many local news outlets from closing their doors,” but other outlets “have been unable to benefit from the program at all, simply because they exist within larger business or ownership groups,” the broadcasters said Wednesday in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.; Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.; Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.; and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. NAB, which also backed expanding broadcasters’ PPP eligibility (see 2004090066), published the letter Thursday.