Media

Here are the major media companies that received coronavirus relief loans

Dozens of media companies received coronavirus relief loans from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) over the past several months, according to data released Monday by the Small Business Administration and Treasury Department.

The lending program, established by Congress in late March to buoy small businesses during the pandemic, has distributed about $521 billion in loans that are forgivable so long as they are used for payroll, mortgage interest, rent and utilities.

Though the funding was largely intended for businesses with less than than 500 employees, some loans were claimed by major corporations like Shake Shack, prompting public backlash that led several companies to return their loans.

Some media outlets also returned funding, even though they met the program’s qualifications. Axios returned its $4.8 million loan, citing the political polarization around the program and questions over whether media outlets should accept funds from the federal government. Other media companies that received loans have kept the funding to stay afloat as advertising revenue has dried up during the pandemic.

In the figures released Monday, the federal government listed the dollar range for each loan, instead of specific amounts. The list included some recipients who said they later returned the funds.

Here is a list of major media outlets that received at least $150,000 from the PPP.

Alaska Public Media Inc. in Anchorage, Alaska ($350,000 to $1 million)

The American Prospect in Washington ($150,000 to $350,000)

Anchorage Daily News LLC in Anchorage ($1 million to $2 million)

BDG Media Inc., which publishes Bustle, in New York ($5 million to $10 million)

Boone Newspapers Inc. in Tuscaloosa, Ala. ($2 million to $5 million)

Capital Community News Inc. in Washington ($150,000 to $350,000)

Cascade Public Media in Seattle ($1 million to $2 million)

Channel 5 Public Broadcasting Inc. in Reno, Nev. ($350,000 to $1 million)

Chicago Public Media Inc. in Chicago ($2 million to $5 million)

Christianity Today International in Carol Stream, Ill. ($350,000 to $1 million)

Connecticut Public Broadcasting in Hartford, Conn. ($1 million to $2 million)

Courthouse News Service in Pasadena, Calif. ($2 million to $5 million)

Cowles Publishing Company, which publishes The Spokesman-Review, in Spokane, Wash. ($2 million to $5 million)

Crain Communications Inc., which publishes Autoweek and Modern Healthcare, in Detroit ($5 million to $10 million)

The Daily Caller News Foundation in Washington ($150,000 to $350,000)

The Daily Caller Inc. in Washington ($350,000 to $1 million)

FiscalNote Holdings Inc., which publishes CQ Roll Call, in Washington ($5 million to $10 million)

Florida West Coast Public Broadcasting Inc. in Tampa, Fla. ($350,000 to $1 million)

Forbes Media LLC in Jersey City, N.J. ($5 million to $10 million)

Fortune Media Group Ltd. in New York ($2 million to $5 million)

Foundation for National Progress, which publishes Mother Jones, in San Francisco ($1 million to $2 million)

Future Media Group Inc., which publishes W magazine, in New York ($1 million to $2 million)

Harper’s Magazine Foundation in New York ($350,000 to $1 million)

High Country News in Paonia, Colo. ($150,000 to $350,000)

Kos Media LLC, which publishes the Daily Kos, in Oakland, Calif. ($1 million to $2 million)

KQED Inc. in San Francisco ($5 million to $10 million)

Maine Public Broadcasting Corporation in Lewiston, Maine ($1 million to $2 million)

MDE City Paper Holdings LLC, which publishes the Washington City Paper, in Washington ($150,000 to $350,000)

Media Matters for America in Washington ($1 million to $2 million)

Metropolitan Indianapolis Public Media Inc. in Indianapolis ($1 million to $2 million)

Michiana Public Broadcasting Corporation in South Bend, Ind. ($150,000 to $350,000)

New York Public Radio in New York ($5 million to $10 million)

News Media Corporation, which publishes more than 150 publications in nine states, in Rochelle, Ill. ($2 million to $5 million)

Newsday LLC, which publishes Newsday, in Melville, N.Y. ($5 million to $10 million)

Newsmax Media Inc. in Boca Raton, Fla. ($2 million to $5 million)

Newspapers of New England Inc. in Concord, N.H. ($2 million to $5 million)

Newsweek Magazine LLC in New York ($350,000 to $1 million)

North Texas Public Broadcasting Inc. in Dallas ($1 million to $2 million)

Northwest Indiana Public Broadcasting Inc. in Merrillville, Ind. ($150,000 to $350,000)

Philadelphia Tribune Co. in Philadelphia ($350,000 to $1 million)

The Poynter Institute for Media Studies Inc. in St. Petersburg, Fla. ($350,000 to $1 million)

Prairie Public Broadcasting Inc. in Fargo, N.D. ($350,000 to $1 million)

The Public Broadcasting Council of CNY Inc. in Syracuse, N.Y. ($350,000 to $1 million)

Public Broadcasting of Colorado Inc. in Englewood, Colo. ($2 million to $5 million)

Public Broadcasting of Northwest Pennsylvania Inc. in Erie, Pa. ($150,000 to $350,000)

Public Media Group of Southern California in Burbank, Calif. ($2 million to $5 million)

Rocky Mountain Public Media Inc. in Denver ($1 million to $2 million)

The Salt Lake Tribune Inc. in Salt Lake City ($350,000 to $1 million)

Seattle Times Company and Subsidiaries in Seattle ($5 million to $10 million)

Semanal Media LLC, which publishes LA Weekly, in Irvine, Calif. ($350,000 to $1 million) 

Snopes Media Group Inc. in San Diego ($150,000 to $350,000)

Southern Newspapers Inc. in Houston ($2 million to $5 million)

St. Louis Regional Public Media Inc. in St. Louis ($1 million to $2 million)

Sun-Times Media Productions LLC, which publishes the Chicago Sun-Times, in Chicago ($2 million to $5 million)

Texas Public Broadcasting System Inc. in Corpus Christi, Texas ($150,000 to $350,000)

Texas Tribune in Austin, Texas ($350,000 to $1 million)

Times Holding Company, which publishes the Tampa Bay Times, in St. Petersburg, Fla. ($5 million to $10 million)

Union Leader Corp., which publishes the New Hampshire Union Leader, in Manchester, N.H. ($1 million to $2 million)

Virginia Foundation for Public Media in North Chesterfield, Va. ($1 million to $2 million)

The Washington Times LLC in Washington ($1 million to $2 million)

Wehco Media Inc., which publishes the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, in Little Rock, Ark. ($350,000 to $1 million)

WGTE Public Broadcasting in Toledo, Ohio ($150,000 to $350,000)

WHYY Inc. in Philadelphia ($2 million to $5 million)

WNIN Tri-State Public Media Inc. in Evansville, Ind. ($150,000 to $350,000)

WXXI Public Broadcasting Council in Rochester, N.Y. ($1 million to $2 million)

Updated at 4:28 p.m.

Tags Advertising Coronavirus COVID-19 Journalism newspapers Pandemic Paycheck Protection Program ppp

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