Inside the Newspaper
211 Newspaper's Income
It is legal for anyone who wants to to start an online or paper newspaper or magazine.
• Could I, Mr F, start one & get people to read it?
• It costs money to start a newspaper or magazine. Even well-established publications have to fight for survival. The Swedish children's magazine called Kamratposten was established in 1892 and is still going strong, but most magazines and newspapers don't last long. Many newspapers in small towns have closed down.
• More and more people read or watch their news online. Fewer pay for their newspaper. Therefore, many newspapers have closed down. The Swedish authorities want more newspapers to survive. Therefore there is a system of press support (presstöd) to help the less widely read newspapers. They recieve press support even if the politicians don't like what they write.
• Like any other business, newspapers have income (money coming in) and expenses (money going out/ making its exit).
· Income is primarily from advertisers & readers. Certain newspapers also receive a bit of press support.
· The main expense is salary to newspaper employees. (Salary is paid to reporters, photographers and culture journalists, to sports jounalist, editorial page writers and letter-to-the-editor editors, and even to foreign correspondents, columnists, management, etc.)
â–º Who owns Swedish newspapers?
â–º What are a newspaper's two largest sources of income? (not press support)
â–º What are a newspaper's largest expense?
â–º Dagens Nyheter is Stockholm's (& Sweden's) largest quality newspaper. Where does DN get money?
â–º Svenska Dagbladet is Stockholm's second largest quality newspaper. How does it get money? (Note! Remember to include press support in your answer.)
â–º What is an advantage of press support?
â–º How do you think that Swedish press support differs from "press support" in countries where a dictator runs the country. (A dictator is someone who "rules by the sword," by violent means or by threat of violence.)
