Swedish journalist subsidy plan debated

Published: July 21, 2008 at 1:25 PM
Order reprints
STOCKHOLM, Sweden, July 21 (UPI) -- Sweden's journalists union is accusing the European Union of colluding with a giant media firm to do away with the country's system of subsidizing newspapers.

The union argued Monday in Dagens Nyheter that the EU Commission has joined with international media firm Bonniers to help push for reductions in support for major Swedish newspapers from the current level of 65 million kronor ($10.7 million) to 17 million kronor ($2.85 million) over a five-year period. The article also accused Swedish EU Commissioner Margot Wallstrom of making proposals to stifle public debate of commission business in general.

In particular, the union of journalists says it has been denied access to documents. Included was a letter from Bonniers to the commission and a 2006 report criticizing the press subsidy system, titled "A costly failure," as well as 2007 memorandums titled "The subsidized profit machine" and "The newspaper Svenska Dagbladet and the Swedish press subsidies."


© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.



The almanac (30 min)
Panetta: Congress not told of CIA program
Biden goes on the road to defend stimulus
The two-edged sword of online games
Rio Tinto employees face spy charges
Ghana prepared to greet Obama
ATVs aren't toys, parents should supervise
fark
NY Times thinks their website users would pay five bucks per month. Listen, for the last time, no...
Fewer calories allow monkeys to live longer. Good thing you're not a monkey
"Resident found out it's not OK to shoot raccoons and gerbils...He told police that he and his neighbors...
Thousands homeless after China Quake. Quisp unavailable for comment
Ugly-ass okapi born at Denver Zoo. In fact, "okapi" means "ugly-ass" in Swahili
If you find a live grenade in your newly purchased vehicle, you probably shouldn't wait a month...