Woodcut by Tommaso Garzoni depicting a town crier with a trumpet / Public Domain
PEN America says proposed law would set ground rules for how Google, Facebook use news content; could potentially help local news outlets
A bill that would provide a temporary exemption to antitrust rules for news outlets represents a potentially positive step toward addressing the economic crisis affecting local news outlets throughout the country, PEN America announced this week, but cautioned that the effectiveness of the bill will hinge on whether small- and mid-sized news outlets are meaningfully represented in any resulting negotiations.
The Journalism Competition and Preservation Act of 2019 aims to provide news providers a two-year enxemption from federal antitrust laws in order to collectively negotiate with Google and Facebook over how the digital giants can use those outlets’ online content. Enjoying bi-partisan backing and supported by the newspaper trade group the News Media Alliance—which represents almost 2,000 news organizations—the bill is currently being considered in both the House and the Senate.
“Local news is in crisis, something that affects not only the media sector but that deeply impacts access to critical information for millions of Americans,” said Thomas O. Melia, PEN America’s Washington director. “It is heartening to see bipartisan support for legislation responding to this crisis, and the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act offers an important opportunity for news outlets to negotiate a more equitable arrangement with the tech giants.”
Since 2005, newspapers have lost more than $35 billion in ad revenue. More than 20 percent of the nation’s newspapers have shuttered within the last twenty years. Numerous journalists, media reform advocates, and analysts—including PEN America—have concluded that local news is in crisis. One of the key drivers of this crisis, PEN America argued in its November 2019 report “Losing the News,” is the fact that news outlets see little of the ad revenue for users who find or read their news articles through Facebook or Google.
“To address the crisis in a meaningful way, negotiations between tech companies and news publishers will have to include independent small and mid-sized outlets, as well as those that specifically serve those communities most affected by the decline of local news ecosystems: communities of color and low-income and rural communities,” said PEN America’s Melia.
“Ultimately, the success of this act will be determined by whether it helps ensure Americans continue to have access to original, local, quality news on critical issues in their lives. We welcome this effort to take a creative approach to the local news crisis and urge that hearings on this legislation be convened as soon as possible to refine the proposal.
“Finally, we note that this act represents only one step towards addressing the local news crisis. For such an urgent and serious problem, more—much more—will be needed. That is why PEN America continues to call for a Congressional commission on the local news crisis, to help craft the solutions that will ensure the future of local American journalism.”
This content is courtesy of PEN America and Wikipedia.
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect open expression in the United States and worldwide. It champions the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Its mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible.
Your donation HERE helps to fund the ongoing mission of The Poet by Day in support of poets and writers, freedom of artistic expression, and human rights.
Poetry rocks the world!
FEEL THE BERN
For Peace, Sustainability, Social Justice
The Poet by Day officially endorses Bernie Sanders for President.
The New New Deal
Link HEREfor Bernie’s schedule of events around the country.
“Democracy is not a spectator sport.” Bernie Sanders
“Every pair of eyes facing you has probably experienced something you could not endure.” Lucille Clifton
Thank you for sharing your love of words. Comments will appear after moderation.
“Poems are canny little nuggets of life, captured moments of insight and appreciation wrapped in a sweet lyric dough that we find appealing to read and to write. Poems are literary dim sum, which translates to ‘ touch the heart.’ They do, touch our hearts, that is. Depending on the poem, they also tickle our funny bones, stimulate our minds, soothe our spirits, and befriend us on life’s journey.” Jamie Dedes
For the folks that are confused (I don’t blame you! ♥ ) about what’s what and what submissions and/or communications go where:
The Poet by Day jamiededes.com thepoetbyday@gmail.com
This is a curated site for and about poets and writers. It also includes resources, information, and activities of interest to them and actively supports human rights and freedom of artistic expression.
The Poet by Day hosts Wednesday Writing Prompt. Responses to Wednesday Writing Prompt go in the comments section under the prompt post.
Communications with regard to The Poet by Day go to thepoetbyday@gmail.com
Participation in Wednesday Writing Prompt is open to all. Other than that publication is by invitation only. As of this writing, the current prompt – deception – is closed for submissions. The next prompt will post on Wednesday, January 22. Mbizo Chirasha is hosting this week. Directions for participation are included in every prompt posting.
The material here – my own and that of others – is copyrighted but also available to you read for free. There is no paywall. However, I do have Ko-fi. This allows you to buy me “a cup of coffee” to help defray the costs incurred in maintaining this site.
The BeZine thebezine.com bardogroup@gmail.com
This is an online publication founded by The Bardo Group Beguines, a virtual arts collective. It is the official site of the Zine, although I do share the Table of Contents here at The Poet by Day as well. There is also a Zine blog.
The Zine is published regularly each quarter and each Zine is themed:
March – Waging Peace;
June -Environmental Sustainability/Environmental Justice;
September – Social Justice; and
December – Life of the Spirit.
The BeZine communications and submissions go to bardogroup@gmail.com
The call for Zine submissions generally opens for 4-to-6 weeks before publication and closes on the 10th of the month in which the Zine is to be published. The Call for Submissions to the March 15 issue – themed Waging Peace – is currently open and will close on March 10.
Submissions for the Zine blogmay be sent at any time.
Our 2020 100TPC logo designed by team member Corina Ravenscraft (Dragon’s Dreams)
In September we also do 100,000 Poets (and others ) for Change. This is a global event (see 100TPC.org) and at The BeZine we do a virtual event in which everyone may participate from anywhere in the world. A virtual event also facilitates and encourages participation by the homebound. Contributing Editor, Michael Dickel (Meta/ Phor(e) /Play – Words, Images, & More) hosts. 100TPC is held on the fourth Saturday in September. We hold the event open for 24 hours, sometime longer.
Kella Hanna-Wayne
Occasionally, we have a theme for the month on the Zine blog. February 2020 is illness and disability. This may include mental illness. This event is co-hosted by YOPP!, a social justice blog dedicated to civil rights eduction, elevating voices of marginalized people, and reducing oppression, which was founded and is managed by Kella Hanna-Wayne, one of our new Zine team members.
We are not yet firm on doing April as poetry month but that will probably happen. It is likely that in August 2020 – like August 2019 – the blog will focus on Climate Action.
The BeZine also offers two Facebook Discussion Groups:
The BeZine 100TPC IS NOT a place to share poetry or announce publication. Through this group we’re especially interested in filling an information gap by collecting links to pieces on practical initiatives – ideas for taking action – from anywhere in the world, “best practices” so to speak that foster peace, sustainability and social justice, especially those that might be easily picked up and implemented elsewhere. This has been an uphill battle but the dream that people will regularly start using it for that thrives in my heart.
The BeZine Arts and Humanities Page (not just for poetry) is a place to share all your arts activities and accomplishments, not just poetry, in the hope of inspiring one another and encouraging collaborations among the arts and within our community. Through this group you are invited to announce publications, showings, events et al. You are encouraged to share your videos: music, poetry readings, photography, art, film and so forth.
The BeZine is an entirely volunteer effort and we are unable to pay contributors but neither do we charge submission or subscription fees.
I hope this clears up the confusion. I appreciate when communications go to the correct email. At this point I get quite a lot of email, so it can be an onerous job to get through them and, as many of you know, I also am dealing with chronic and catastrophic illnesses and limited by disability. I am at this very moment tied up with preparing to move to another apartment that is fully adapted for someone with my handicaps, a fortunate thing for which I am grateful but also time-consuming and tiring.
Your donation HERE helps to fund the ongoing mission of The Poet by Day in support of poets and writers, freedom of artistic expression, and human rights.
Poetry rocks the world!
FEEL THE BERN
For Peace, Sustainability, Social Justice
The Poet by Day officially endorses Bernie Sanders for President.
The New New Deal
Link HEREfor Bernie’s schedule of events around the country.
“Democracy is not a spectator sport.” Bernie Sanders
“Every pair of eyes facing you has probably experienced something you could not endure.” Lucille Clifton
Thank you for sharing your love of words. Comments will appear after moderation.
“A copy of each verse I retain in my own handwriting, after this, they are copied in a book by my husband. I beg your kind consideration of the plain, simple verses herein: I do not seek Wealth, Fame or Place, ‘among the great ones of my race.’ ” Myra Viola Wilds in her Preface to Thoughts in Idle Hours, 1915
What kind of thoughts now, do you carry
In your travels day by day
Are they bright and lofty visions,
Or neglected, gone astray?
Matters not how great in fancy,
Or what deeds of skill you’ve wrought;
Man, though high may be his station,
Is no better than his thoughts.
Catch your thoughts and hold them tightly,
Let each one an honor be;
Purge them, scourge them, burnish brightly,
Then in love set each one free.
– Myra Viola Wilds
Poem-a-Day (Academy of American Poets) published this poem, which is in the public domain. I’d never heard of the poet so I went on a hunt. She’s a folksy poet and there’s nothing significant to be found online. Her book is not included in the Gutenberg Project, but it is included HERE in the Internet Archive. If you haven’t explored this wonderful site, you must.
Good resource for poets, writers, researchers.
The Internet Archive “is building a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Like a paper library, we provide free access to researchers, historians, scholars, the print disabled, and the general public. Our mission is to provide Universal Access to All Knowledge.
“We began in 1996 by archiving the Internet itself, a medium that was just beginning to grow in use. Like newspapers, the content published on the web was ephemeral – but unlike newspapers, no one was saving it. Today we have 20+ years of web history accessible through the Wayback Machine and we work with 625+ library and other partners through our Archive-It program to identify important web pages.” MORE
Your donation HERE helps to fund the ongoing mission of The Poet by Day in support of poets and writers, freedom of artistic expression, and human rights.
FEEL THE BERN
For Peace, Sustainability, Social Justice
The Poet by Day officially endorses Bernie Sanders for President.
The New New Deal
Link HEREfor Bernie’s schedule of events around the country.
“Democracy is not a spectator sport.” Bernie Sanders
“Every pair of eyes facing you has probably experienced something you could not endure.” Lucille Clifton
Thank you for sharing your love of words. Comments will appear after moderation.
“He would give every penny he has (such is the malignity of the germ) to write one little book and become famous; yet all the gold in Peru will not buy him the treasure of a well-turned line.” Virginia Woolf,Orlando
CALLS FOR SUBMISSIONS
“THE BeZINE” CALL FOR SUBMISSIONSthebezine.com is open for submissions to the upcoming March issue, deadline March 10, themed Waging Peace. Please forward your submissions to bardogroup@gmail.com No odd formatting.Submit poems and narratives in the body of your email along with a BRIEF bio. Art and photography may be submissed as attachements. Work submitted via Facebook or message will not be considered for publication. We are also devoting the BLOG POSTS THROUGHOUT FEBRUARY to work addressing illness and disability. Submissions of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, feature articles, art, photography, and music videos and anything that lends itself to online posting. There are no demographic restrictions. Please forward your submissions to bardogroup@gmail.com. No odd formatting.Submit poems and narrative in the body of your email along with a BRIEF bio. Art and photography may be submitted as attachements. Work submitted via Facebook or message will not be considered for publication. We encourage you to submit work in your first language, but it must be accompanied by translation into English. Further details HERE.
BROKEN PENCIL is open for submissions to its quarterly magazine that publishes news pieces, how-to and resource guides for creators, investigations, thematic spreads, political screeds and other features and pieces that appeal to its community of talented and politically engaged zine/comic/DIY creators, supporters and aficionados. Details HERE.
ENTROPY MAGAZINE announces that it is “currently and indefinitely open for submissions of Reviews (collaborative reviews, video reviews, & nontraditional reviews are welcome), Interviews/Conversations, Discussions/Roundtables, & Articles/Essays/Notes/Rants/Lists/Writings related to or falling into any of the following categories: Creative Nonfiction, Lyrical Essay, Personal Essay, Literature, Experimental Writing, Small Presses, Translation, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Games (Video games, board games, computer games), Science, Digital & Interactive Literature, Travel, the Paranormal, Television, Film, Music, Food, Culture & Art.” Details HERE.
POETS READING THE NEWS publishes original poetry about current events from around the world. The editors are open to submissions 365 days a year, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Details HERE.
ZINGARA POETRY REVIEW, A Space for Practicing Poets publishes themed poetry each month. For Poetry Month (April) there is no them. Details HERE.
COMPETITIONS
KALISTO GAIA PRESS has an open call for its 2020 Contemporary Poetry Chapbook Prize with the deadline extended through 01/20/2020 Cash award $800 + $300 travel stipend to Austin Texas, twenty copies to the winner, publication by Kallisto Gaia Press, and twenty copies sent to reviewers. Send 28-48 pages of contemporary poetry and a $20 entry fee. All who enter receive a copy of the winning chapbook. 2018 Texas Poet Laureate, Carol Coffee Reposa will judge. Further details HERE.
PURAZM PAKISTAN AWARDS is a communication campaign and PurAzm Awards is a national competition by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of Pakistan, which seeks to acknowledge young storytellers chronicling Pakistan’s resilience against violent extremism. Competition themes: Interfaith Harmony, Peace Over Violence, Resilience Against Extremism, Stop Supporting Terrorism. This competition invites a range of media platforms: film making, photography, news stories, profile stores and offers cash awards, fellowship, showcase on television. Details HERE.
FELLOWSHIPS
THE MARTH’S VINEYARD INSTITUTE OF CREATIVE WRITING offer educators, writers of color, parent-writers, and authors/poets with financial need the opportunity to attend the Summer Writers’ Conference every year. Through generous donations, we are able to offer a wide range of full and partial tuition/lodging fellowships. Information and application instructions HERE.
NEW YORK FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS 2019-20 award cycle is open now through January 22, 2020 at 11:59 PM (EST). The following categories will be reviewed: Craft/Sculpture, Digital/Electronic Arts, Nonfiction Literature, Poetry, Printmaking/Drawing/Book Arts. Residency requirement. Details HERE.
RESIDENCY PROGRAM
A POETS’ AGORA RESIDENCY is a two week residency scheduled for May 2020 and located in Plaka, Athens, Greece. Deadline for applications: January 31st. Details HERE.
Your donation HERE helps to fund the ongoing mission of The Poet by Day in support of poets and writers, freedom of artistic expression, and human rights.
FEEL THE BERN
For Peace, Sustainability, Social Justice
The Poet by Day officially endorses Bernie Sanders for President.
The New New Deal
Link HEREfor Bernie’s schedule of events around the country.
“Democracy is not a spectator sport.” Bernie Sanders
“Every pair of eyes facing you has probably experienced something you could not endure.” Lucille Clifton
Thank you for sharing your love of words. Comments will appear after moderation.
The BeZine thebezine.com
Jamie Dedes' THE POET BY DAY Webzine 