Letter From Senator Kerry

One Bowdoin Square Tenth Floor Boston, MA 02114 April 17, 2009 To the Boston Globe family, Unquestionably, these are difficult times for the Globe, as well as newspapers across the country. In recent months, we've seen the Rocky Mountain News shuttered and the Seattle Post Intelligencer move to an all online format with a significantly downsized staff. America's newspapers are struggling to survive and while there will be serious consequences in terms of the lives and financial security of the employees involved, including hundreds at the Globe, there will also be serious consequences for our democracy where diversity of opinion and strong debate are paramount. I am writing to let all of you know that I am committed to your fight, committed to your industry and committed to ensuring that the vital public service newspapers provide does not disappear. The Globe has a remarkable track record of holding powerful interests accountable and providing a voice to the people and causes those interests would otherwise ignore. The increase in media conglomerates has resulted in an increase in agenda-driven reporting and over time, if those of us who value a diversity of opinion and ideas and are unafraid to be confronted with pointed commentary and analysis do not act, it is a situation which will only get worse. To that end, Boston, the Commonwealth and the country can not afford to lose you. In the coming months, as your efforts to preserve your newspaper intensify, please consider me and my staff a resource if there is anything you feel we can do to help. I will also be holding hearings in the Senate Commerce Committee on April 30th on the problems facing the newspaper industry. As I've said before, it's difficult to imagine Massachusetts without the Globe so I'm not even going to try; I'm just going to what I can do to make sure no one in Massachusetts has to face the unthinkable reality. Sincerely,

John F. Kerry