Support Local AI News Content Creator Act of 2022

A BILL

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To help middle-size local news creator fundings to put digital in the forefront and regulate AI usage in the journalism field.

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SECTION I. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the “Support Local AI News Content Creator Act of 2022.”

 

SECTION II. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

      NEWS CONTENT CREATOR.—The term “news content creator” means:

any print, broadcast, or digital news organization that has a dedicated professional editorial staff that creates and distributes original news

and related content concerning local, national, or international matters of public interest on at least a weekly basis; and

is marketed through subscriptions, advertising, or sponsorship; and

provides original news and related content, with the editorial content consisting of not less than 25 percent current news and related content; or

broadcasts original news and related content pursuant to a license granted by the Federal Communications Commission under title III of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 301[1] et seq.)​​

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A. "LOCAL NEWSROOM" refers to any news content creator if

1.  the primary content of such publication is original content derived from primary sources and relating to news and current event 

2. primarily serves the needs of a regional or local community, employs at least one local news journalist who resides in such regional or local community, and employs not greater than 1,000 employees

 

B. "ONLINE CONTENT DISTRIBUTOR" means any entity that

1. operates a website or other online service that displays, distributes, or directs users to news articles, works of journalism, or other content on the internet that is generated by third-party news content creators and;

2. has fewer than 100,000 monthly active users, in the aggregate, of all of its websites or online services worldwide.

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C. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.—The term “AI” has the meaning given the term “artificial intelligence” that — 

1. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, autonomy, and related advances.

2. High-performance computing, semiconductors, and advanced computer hardware and software.

3. Robotics, automation, and advanced manufacturing.

4. Advanced communications technology and immersive technology.

5. Biotechnology, medical technology, genomics, and synthetic biology.

6. Data storage, data management, distributed ledger technologies, and cybersecurity, including biometrics.

 

SECTION III. SUPPORT LOCAL NEWS SERVICES FOUNDATION.

Establishment.—

1. IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall establish a nonprofit corporation to be known as the “Foundation for AI Local News Creators”.

2. MISSION.—The mission of the Foundation shall be—

   • to support local news creators; and

   • reduce news creators' reliance on shrinking print revenue and create new products and workflows that put AI-Enabled Journalism at the forefront.

   • to advance collaboration with AI scientists, institutions of higher education, nonprofits, such as the  Society of Professional Journalism, to assist with the local news content creator.

3. LIMITATION.—The Foundation shall not be an agency or instrumentality of the Federal Government.

4. TAX-EXEMPT STATUS.—The Board shall take all necessary and appropriate steps to ensure that the Foundation is an organization that is described in section 501(c)[1] of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of that Code.

5. COLLABORATION WITH EXISTING ORGANIZATIONS.—The Secretary may collaborate with 1 or more organizations to establish the Foundation and carry out the activities of the Foundation.

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REPRESENTATION.—

The appointed members of the Board shall reflect a broad cross-section of stakeholders from academia, industry, nonprofit organizations, State or local news content creators, the investment community, and working journalists.

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EXPERIENCE.—

The Secretary shall ensure that a majority of the appointed members of the Board—

• has expertise in practicing digital AI-Enabled journalism; and

• has research experience in digital AI-Enabled journalism; or

• has experience in technology commercialization or foundation operations; and;

• to the extent practicable, represent diverse regions, sectors, and communities.

 

CRITERIA FOR SERVICE ON THE FOUNDATION.—

To the extent practical, the Foundation shall include members with relevant expertise, such as individuals in the following positions:

• Print media news editor.

• Digital-native or digital-first news editor.

• Broadcast news editor.

• Local county editor or journalist of a news outlet with circulation or readership of not more than 75,000.

• Print media journalist or editor for a news outlet that serves national readership.

• Nonprofit news outlet journalist or editor.

• Broadcast news reporter who works for a local broadcast outlet serving a single community or geographic area.

• A research expert on the state of local news and the phenomenon of the industry’s revenue loss and overall contraction during the last 10 or more years.

• Business leader in the media industry.

• Labor union leader in the media industry.

• Dean or professor at a university school of journalism.

• Civil society representative from a nonpartisan organization that examines the nature of the local news crisis.

• Editor or other senior professional of a regional ethnic media outlet serving communities in which English is a second language.

• Editor or other senior professional of a Tribal news outlet or a news outlet serving American Indian, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian communities.

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PURPOSE.—The purposes of the Foundation are—

1. to support the Department in carrying out the mission of assisting local news content creators through AI-Enabled Journalism and technology solutions; and

2. to improve local news content creator’s investments that support efforts to generate, create, develop, test, validate, and deploy or commercialize innovative solutions for  AI-Enabled journalism by methods that include—

   • An evaluation of both print and digital subscription models;

   • An understanding of the print process and the resources it pulls across all departments ;

   • The reimagining of existing print products and the creation of new digital products grounded in the needs of customers and the community; and

   • An assessment of cultural, logistical, and workflow changes is needed so that members of the foundation within the organizations, from customer service to advertising to editorial, contribute to AI digital transformation effort.

3. strengthening and sharing best practices relating to AI-Enabled journalism development through scientific and energy [SM3] innovation, including in partnership with an Individual AI Laboratory-Associated Foundation (as defined in subsection 4(c));[SM4] 

   1. promoting new AI journalism development that supports job creation;

   2. administering prize competitions to accelerate private sector competition and investment;

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