AAN has joined the Newspaper Association of America, American Society of News Editors, and Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press in filing comments with the Federal Communications Commission to encourage the FCC to maintain an open Internet. The comments were submitted in response to tentative changes to “net neutrality” rules put forth by the FCC in May.

The letter, which can be read in full here, begins:

Since the nation’s founding, newspapers and other publishers have played an important role in sustaining a well-informed public and a healthy democracy. Today, consumers are increasingly turning to online sources for news and current events, and media organizations are responding by creating new online business models and services that present news stories in new and dynamic ways. Maintaining an open and sustainable Internet—where publishers can continue to distribute important content serving the public interest without restrictions imposed on the ability of the public to receive that content—is essential to ensuring the role of media organizations in maintaining an informed public.