The viability of local newspapers, including the one that you are reading now, is being challenged by the proposed newspaper tariff on the import of uncoated groundwood paper from Canada - the type that is used to print this newspaper and others across Pennsylvania.

Simply put, newspapers in the commonwealth cannot absorb the additional financial burden this proposed tariff is sure to create. If passed, the resulting hardship could lead to thousands of job losses in the newspaper industry. We are at an important juncture right now, and our role of getting real news to you on a daily or weekly basis matters more than ever. A credible news source that has a vested interest in community-based news and information is the bedrock of our principles as a free nation.

Pennsylvania is home to 76 daily newspapers and more than 150 nondaily newspapers - many of which serve small, rural communities. We are you. We are Pennsylvania. We are local businesses.

As president of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association, I am reminded time and time again about the important and vital impact newspapers have on the communities they serve. Readers rely on newspapers to provide credible information about what matters most to them - news about local people, local government, local happenings, local businesses and important public notices that can impact a community.

Newspapers and newspaper associations are uniting against newsprint tariffs. This is not only a print industry concern but could ultimately affect other business segments in the United States.

Please help us protect the future of newspapers by contacting the Pennsylvania Department of Commerce, Sen. Bob Casey, Sen. Pat Toomey or your local U.S. Congress representative and letting them know that you oppose the proposed newsprint trade tariff.

A free press is more important than ever, and newspapers have always been at the forefront of serving our communities. We remain steadfast in our commitment of continuing to do so.

Editor’s note: Mark Cohen is the president of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association.