From coast to coast, a wave of new laws is quietly rewriting the rules of news publishing. Subscription models are under fire, state-level taxation schemes are threatening ad revenues, and postal costs are climbing at unsustainable rates. The chaos isn’t coming — it’s already here. But while most publishers are focused on survival, the News/Media Alliance is walking the halls of Congress and state capitols, fighting back on your behalf. In this exclusive interview, Vice Presidents Holly Lubart and Emily Emery reveal what's really happening behind closed doors and what every publisher needs to know now.
Postal rate hikes push publishers to the brink
Postal delivery costs continue to skyrocket, and for news publishers — especially smaller, rural ones — the strain is approaching a breaking point. Holly Lubart, vice president of government affairs at the News/Media Alliance, painted a sobering picture of the U.S. Postal Service’s finances and its impact on journalism distribution.
“In fiscal year 2024, they lost $9.5 billion — with a B — and in fiscal year 2023, they lost $6.5 billion,” Lubart said, explaining how the USPS’s ongoing restructuring under the Delivering for America plan has done little to improve service. “Since August of 2021, news and magazine publishers are seeing price increases that are 254% of the rate of inflation.”
At the same time, delivery standards are slipping. “They’re reducing service standards and not even coming close to meeting service targets,” Lubart said. The Alliance is calling for a pause in planned July rate hikes and the broader restructuring effort until a new Postmaster General is appointed, adding, “We’ve asked for congressional leadership and the Postal Service Board of Governors to put a pause on those July rate increases.”
A flood of auto-renewal bills across state legislatures
If postal pricing weren’t enough, state lawmakers have zeroed in on subscription models with a surge in proposed auto-renewal regulations. Lubart noted that 20 states have introduced bills this year alone, with some advancing language that could “frustrate consumers rather than empower them.”
The News/Media Alliance is attempting to mitigate the damage with model legislation and ongoing negotiation. “We’re seeing some provisions mandating multiple redundant notifications, separate consent pop-ups and restrictions that prevent businesses from providing consumers useful information about their accounts,” she explained. “Some are even dictating font sizes, which would require website redesigns, payment system overhauls and marketing changes.”
She flagged several states as particular concerns, including Connecticut, Georgia, Texas and West Virginia, while noting that New York — though active — has shown “some favorable movement” that could indicate opportunities for compromise.
Tax reconciliation looms large in Washington, D.C.
At the federal level, tax policy remains a focal point. Emily Emery, also a vice president of government affairs at the Alliance, warned of a looming $4.3 trillion tax increase if certain provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act are allowed to expire.
“These are major provisions that many publishers take advantage of,” Emery explained. “That’s been one core piece of advocacy we’ve been doing on the front lines — to ensure these business-friendly, pro-growth provisions are re-extended.”
Among the provisions on the line is advertising deductibility, which Emery says is a critical issue for both print and digital publishers. “The ability to treat advertising as a normal business expense — that’s huge to all publishers,” she said. “And we’re glad to say we have bipartisan support for preserving it.”
Digital ad taxes are no longer a coastal issue
State-level digital ad taxes are gaining traction — not just in progressive coastal states. Emery noted that while Maryland remains the only state to have enacted such a tax, 13 others considered similar proposals in 2024 — including traditionally conservative states like South Dakota and Montana.
“These are not good. These are not pro-growth policies,” Emery said. “But if these legislatures decide they need this as a revenue line, it’s critical that news media be exempted.” Maryland’s bill, she pointed out, includes specific exemptions for both print and broadcast outlets.
To fight these proposals, the Alliance collaborates closely with the National Association of Broadcasters, state press associations and state broadcaster associations. “It’s critical that we work arm in arm,” Emery said. “The news media exemption in Maryland covers both print and broadcast, and that’s something we want to replicate.”
The privacy compliance maze grows deeper
While many states have already passed privacy laws, Emery said the story isn't over — far from it. “We have 19 or 20 states, depending on how you count it, that have passed comprehensive privacy legislation,” she said. “But rather than just sit and say we’ve set the standard, lawmakers are coming back and creating new thresholds.”
She noted that states like California, which pioneered privacy laws in 2018, are still evolving their frameworks. “It’s a fast-moving landscape,” she said, “and even the states that set the initial standard are iterating.”
The patchwork of rules is especially difficult for publishers with operations in multiple states. “It’s particularly burdensome for small businesses and family-owned publishers,” she said. Compounding the challenge is the growing threat of litigation — not just from privacy laws but from older statutes like wiretapping provisions. “You really do have to look up and see what’s happening at your state level, both from a compliance perspective and a risk mitigation perspective,” she warned.
Local voices remain key in the policy fight
Despite the intensity and complexity of policy issues facing publishers, both Lubart and Emery emphasized that the voices of local news leaders remain the most powerful tool in advocacy efforts.
“Lawmakers want to hear from their constituents in their district,” Lubart said. “They’re making daily decisions that impact publishers’ bottom lines.”
Emery echoed the sentiment, adding that while she and Lubart may be the policy experts, local publishers are the persuasive force lawmakers respond to. “That special expertise that local publishers have is huge and persuasive — both at the state and the federal level,” she said. “We really appreciate the opportunity to work with local publishers and carry that message.”
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