mutual-flourishing/ADPA/bills/PBFPA.md

Public Broadcasting & Free Press Protection Act (PBFPA)

118th Congress, 2nd Session
H.R. _____ / S. _____

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A BILL

To protect and strengthen the independence of public broadcasting and press freedom, prevent government interference in media operations, and ensure diverse, independent journalism.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

Section 1. Short Title

This Act may be cited as the "Public Broadcasting & Free Press Protection Act" or "PBFPA".

Section 2. Definitions

For the purposes of this Act:

• "Journalist" means any person who regularly gathers, prepares, photographs, records, writes, edits, reports, or publishes news or information for dissemination to the public, including:

  • Traditional media employees
  • Independent journalists
  • Citizen journalists
  • News bloggers
  • Photojournalists
  • Documentary filmmakers

• "State-sponsored content" means content that is:

  • Directly funded by a government entity
  • Created by state-owned media
  • Produced under government direction
  • Distributed through government channels

• "Market share" calculation includes:

  • Percentage of total media revenue in market
  • Audience reach metrics
  • Digital platform penetration
  • Content distribution channels

Purpose and Findings

Congress finds that:

• A free and independent press is essential to democracy
• Public broadcasting provides vital educational and cultural programming
• Recent attempts to control or influence media threaten press independence
• Digital misinformation poses new challenges to accurate reporting

Title I: Protection of Public Broadcasting

Section 101: Funding Protection and Security

Funding Mechanisms

• Establishes Constitutional Press Freedom Trust Fund (CPFTF)
• Trust fund protected by same legal framework as Social Security Trust
• Automatic funding through dedicated revenue stream (0.1% digital ad tax)
• Requires supermajority (3/4) Congressional vote to access for non-media purposes

Emergency Provisions

• Creates $10 billion emergency reserve fund
• Automatic triggers for emergency funding release:
  • Natural disasters affecting infrastructure
  • Cyber attacks on media systems
  • State-level press freedom crises
  • Market collapse threatening local news

Contingency Planning

• Mandatory alternative funding sources identified
• State-level matching fund requirements
• International cooperation agreements for crisis support
• Public-private partnership frameworks
• Establishes 10-year advance funding for public broadcasting
• Creates an independent trust fund immune from annual appropriations
• Requires supermajority (2/3) Congressional vote to reduce funding
• Implements automatic inflation adjustments

Section 102: Editorial Independence

• Prohibits government officials from attempting to influence content
• Establishes firewall between funding and editorial decisions
• Creates independent oversight board with diverse representation
• Mandates transparent disclosure of editorial policies

Section 103: Digital Innovation

• Provides dedicated funding for digital platform development
• Supports creation of fact-checking and media literacy resources
• Enables public broadcasters to expand online presence
• Requires development of anti-misinformation tools

Title II: Press Freedom Protections

Section 201: Journalist Safety

• Creates federal protections for journalists covering protests
• Establishes criminal penalties for attacking reporters
• Provides emergency funding for threatened news organizations
• Requires federal agencies to protect press during civil unrest

Section 202: Source Protection

• Establishes federal shield law for journalists
• Protects confidential sources except in matters of national security
• Creates legal framework for protecting digital communications
• Limits government surveillance of journalists

Section 203: Access Rights

• Guarantees press access to government proceedings
• Strengthens Freedom of Information Act compliance
• Prohibits selective exclusion of media outlets
• Requires streaming of public meetings

Title III: Anti-Monopoly Provisions

Section 301: Media Ownership Limits

• Caps market share of media companies at 30%
• Requires diverse ownership in local markets
• Prevents cross-ownership of multiple media types
• Mandates disclosure of ownership structures

Section 302: Platform Neutrality

• Prevents tech platforms from discriminating against news content
• Requires transparent content moderation policies
• Establishes fair compensation for news content
• Creates appeals process for content decisions

Title IV: Digital Age and Emerging Technology Protections

Section 401: Online Press Freedom

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Section 402: Misinformation Prevention

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Section 403: Artificial Intelligence and Synthetic Media

• Requires clear labeling of AI-generated content
• Establishes verification system for synthetic media
• Creates legal framework for AI content liability
• Mandates transparency in AI content creation
• Requires preservation of original source material
• Establishes right to human journalist oversight

Section 404: Cross-Border Digital Content

• Establishes international cooperation frameworks
• Creates protocol for cross-border content disputes
• Protects against foreign interference
• Maintains content sovereignty principles
• Requires transparency in international content flow
• Establishes digital content reciprocity agreements

Section 401: Online Press Freedom

• Protects digital journalists and bloggers
• Establishes right to record public officials
• Creates safe harbor for news aggregation
• Prevents domain seizures without due process

Section 402: Misinformation Prevention

• Requires platforms to label state-sponsored content
• Creates verification system for news organizations
• Funds research on misinformation spread
• Establishes rapid response fact-checking network

Title V: Enforcement

Section 501: Oversight Commission Structure and Independence

Commission Composition

• 9 commissioners serving staggered 7-year terms
• No more than 4 from any political party
• Required expertise mix:
  • First Amendment law
  • Digital technology
  • Journalism
  • Public broadcasting
  • Civil rights

Appointment Process

• 3 appointed by judicial branch
• 3 appointed by bipartisan congressional committee
• 3 appointed by journalism organizations
• Requires Senate confirmation
• Cannot have worked in government for 7 years prior
• No direct media ownership interests allowed

Operational Independence

• Independent funding through CPFTF
• Protected from executive branch interference
• Required transparency in all proceedings
• Public comment periods for major decisions
• Annual independent audits
• Whistleblower protections for staff
• Creates independent Press Freedom Commission
• Empowers investigation of violations
• Establishes complaint resolution process
• Requires annual report to Congress

Section 502: Penalties

• Sets fines for interference with press freedom
• Creates private right of action for violations
• Establishes whistleblower rewards program
• Provides attorney fees for successful cases

Title VI: Education and Training

Section 601: Media Literacy

• Funds media literacy programs in schools
• Creates public education campaigns
• Supports journalist training programs
• Establishes research grants

Section 602: Innovation Support

• Funds local journalism initiatives
• Supports transition to digital platforms
• Creates innovation grants program
• Establishes journalism incubator network

Title VII: Federal-State Relations

Section 701: Federal Preemption and State Authority

• Federal law sets minimum standards for press protections
• States may exceed but not diminish federal protections
• Creates coordination framework for multi-state issues
• Establishes federal-state task force for implementation

Section 702: State Implementation Support

• Provides federal grants for state-level programs
• Creates technical assistance office for states
• Establishes state-level oversight requirements
• Requires annual state compliance reports

Section 703: Interstate Commerce Provisions

• Regulates cross-state media ownership
• Establishes standards for multi-state broadcasts
• Protects interstate digital content flow
• Creates dispute resolution mechanism

Title VIII: Constitutional Framework

Section 801: First Amendment Alignment

• Explicit recognition of First Amendment precedents
• Narrow tailoring of restrictions to pass strict scrutiny
• Clear governmental interest justifications
• Preservation of editorial discretion

Section 802: Due Process Protections

• Detailed appeal procedures for enforcement actions
• Clear standards for regulatory decisions
• Transparent adjudication processes
• Right to counsel in enforcement proceedings

Section 803: Equal Protection Compliance

• Non-discrimination requirements in implementation
• Fair access provisions for all media types
• Protection for minority-owned media
• Language access requirements

Title IX: International Coordination

Section 901: Treaty Compliance

• Alignment with international press freedom agreements
• Framework for international cooperation
• Protocol for cross-border enforcement
• Recognition of foreign press credentials

Section 902: International Standards

• Adoption of global best practices
• Participation in international press freedom initiatives
• Support for international journalist protection
• Cross-border content standards

Section 903: Foreign Interference Prevention

• Protections against foreign ownership manipulation
• Screening of foreign media investments
• Countering foreign propaganda efforts
• International cooperation on disinformation

Title X: Fiscal Implementation

Section 1001: Funding Sources

• Digital advertising tax framework (0.1% rate)
• Platform revenue contribution requirements
• Merger review fees for media consolidation
• International cooperation funding mechanisms

Section 1002: Cost Analysis

• Detailed implementation cost projections
• Annual budget review requirements
• Economic impact assessment
• Cost-benefit analysis framework

Section 1003: Revenue Allocation

• Distribution formula for various programs
• Emergency fund maintenance requirements
• State grant allocation criteria
• Innovation fund investment guidelines

Title XI: Implementation Oversight

Section 1101: Progress Monitoring

• Quarterly implementation milestones
• Performance metrics and evaluation
• Independent progress audits
• Public reporting requirements

Section 1102: Adjustment Mechanisms

• Framework for regulatory updates
• Technology adaptation provisions
• Emergency response protocols
• Periodic review requirements

90 Days:

• Establish Press Freedom Commission
• Begin funding protection implementation
• Issue initial journalist safety guidelines

180 Days:

• Complete digital platform guidelines
• Begin media literacy programs
• Implement ownership restrictions

1 Year:

• Full implementation of all provisions
• Complete regulatory framework
• Begin effectiveness assessment

Reporting Requirements

• Annual report to Congress on press freedom state
• Quarterly updates on implementation progress
• Public database of press freedom violations
• Regular assessment of program effectiveness

Title XII: Local Journalism Support

Section 1201: Local News Sustainability

1. Tax Credits and Financial Support

   • Federal tax credits for local news subscriptions (up to $250 per taxpayer)
   • Grants for community journalism initiatives
   • Low-interest loans for local news startups
   • Antitrust protections for local news cooperatives

2. Community Journalism Programs

   • Funding for local journalism training programs
   • Support for community correspondent networks
   • Grants for local investigative reporting projects
   • Technical assistance for digital transition

Section 1202: Foreign Influence Prevention

1. Enhanced Foreign Media Disclosure

   • Mandatory registration for foreign-funded media entities
   • Real-time disclosure of foreign financial support
   • Public database of foreign media investments
   • Enhanced penalties for undisclosed foreign influence

2. Foreign Propaganda Countermeasures

   • Detection systems for foreign propaganda campaigns
   • Public education about foreign influence operations
   • Coordination with allies on foreign influence threats
   • Protection for journalists reporting on foreign influence

Section 1203: Media Consolidation Prevention

1. Enhanced Antitrust Enforcement

   • Stricter merger review standards for media companies
   • Breakup authority for excessive media concentration
   • Market share limits for dominant media companies
   • Protection for local news ownership diversity

2. Local Ownership Incentives

   • Tax incentives for local media ownership
   • Support for employee-owned news organizations
   • Grants for minority-owned media companies
   • Protection against predatory media acquisition practices

Section 1204: Digital Platform Accountability

1. News Content Compensation

   • Mandatory compensation for news content use by platforms
   • Transparent algorithms for news content distribution
   • Protection against discriminatory content moderation
   • Appeals process for content moderation decisions

2. Platform Transparency Requirements

   • Public disclosure of content recommendation algorithms
   • Regular audits of news content treatment
   • User control over news feed algorithms
   • Protection for news content creators