KPA joins coalition to fight newsprint tariffs
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Kansas Press Association has joined a coalition of the printing, publishing and paper-producing industries in the United States to fight proposed countervailing duties and anti-dumping duties on imports of Canadian uncoated groundwood papers including newsprint and other papers.
These preliminary duties, which were assessed by the Department of Commerce in January and March, respectively, are the result of a petition filed by one company, North Pacific Paper Company (NORPAC), an outlier in the paper industry that is looking to use the U.S. government for its own financial gain.
The STOPP coalition is concerned that these tariffs, which range up to 32 percent combined, will saddle U.S. printing and publishing businesses with increased costs and threaten thousands of American jobs.
The industry provides more than 600,000 jobs in the U.S.
The Coalition is asking the International Trade Commission (ITC) and the U.S. Congress to reject these newsprint tariffs and protect U.S. jobs. With the announcement, STOPP has launched a new website, www.stopnewsprinttariffs.org, and is inviting other interested parties to join in the fight to overturn these tariffs.
Members of the STOPP coalition include: American Society of News Editors, Association of Alternative Newsmedia, Association of American Publishers, Association for Print Technologies, Book Manufacturer’s Institute, Catalyst Paper, Inland Press Association, Kruger, Local Search Association, National Newspaper Association, News Media Alliance, Printing Industries of America, Quad Graphics, Rayonier Advance Materials, Resolute Forest Products, Southern Newspaper Publishers Association, Trusted Media Brands (formerly Readers Digest Association), Valassis Communications, and Worzalla
The impact of these tariffs on newspapers, paper producers, book publishers and others has the potential to be devastating to entire industries.
“Newsprint is the second largest expense for small newspapers after human resource costs,” explained Susan Rowell, publisher of the Lancaster (SC) News and president of the National Newspaper Association. “A decision by the federal government to impose tariffs on our paper supply would imperil our news-gathering missions and put jobs in jeopardy at our newspapers and at many other organizations and companies in our communities that rely upon a healthy newspaper.”
“Publishers are already feeling the negative consequences of a tighter newsprint market and higher prices because of these preliminary newsprint duties,” stated David Chavern, president and CEO, News Media Alliance. “We will turn over every stone to fight these duties so that there is no disruption in the flow of news and information to the citizens who rely upon printed newspapers throughout the country.”