Is Help on the Way? Senate to Hold Newspaper Hearings

Senate Foreign Relations Chairman John Kerry is wading into a fierce national debate next week by holding hearings on the future of newspapers. In a letter to the "Boston Globe family," Kerry wrote about his determination to help save newspapers. Excerpts of the letter were released by the Globe today.

"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"

This isn't the first attempt by the government to help restructure the newspaper industry. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Maryland) introduced legislation in March to make media companies into non-profit organizations to ensure survival.