An association representing newspapers and other news content providers plans to launch a political action committee to press for guarantees that its members can work together without running afoul of federal antitrust law, the news site Axios reported Tuesday.

The News Media Alliance will use the PAC to persuade Congress to grant antitrust "safe harbor" protections for media companies, according to Axios. The industry believes the protections will allow news providers to better compete with Facebook and Google for audience and advertising dollars.

The alliance has been pushing for safe harbor protections since at least 2017. In a guest column published in the Wall Street Journal on Monday, CEO David Chavern argued that Facebook and Google constitutes a duolopy that is sucking up most digital ad revenue, depriving newsrooms of the money they need to produce quality journalism.

"Some voices on the left and right are calling for Google and Facebook to be regulated as utilities," Chavern said. "But there is an easier solution: exempt news publishers from certain aspects of antitrust regulation." http://bit.ly/2F96R6W

Chavern said that news organization should be able to work together to negotiate better deals with technology companies that want access to their content. He noted that an upcoming bill sponsored by Rep. David Ciclline (D-R.I.) would ease that restriction. http://on.wsj.com/2CPg2nL

MORE CEO DATELINE

• CUNA leaders meet Trump during fly-in
• Report: Meetings industry generates billions for U.S. economy
• Venture capital group releases guidelines for addressing sexual harassment
• Firearms association issues statement on Florida school shooting
• Association events at Trump properties come under scrutiny