Spanish press asks for government intervention

Posted by Soraya Kishtwari on March 3, 2009 at 1:37 PM

The Spanish media has rallied together in an effort to gain government support to save the country's television, radio and press from demise, with newspapers seeking generous tax breaks.

The various branches of the communications industry have each put together their own list of proposals, which have since been presented to the government.

As well as fiscal incentives, Spanish newspapers have asked the PSOE administration to look at ways it may be able to boost newspaper readership among the country's younger residents, and secure financial assistance in order to modernise newsrooms.

During a presentation of the report, Pilar de Yarza, president of the Asociación de Editores de Diarios Españoles (AEDE), referred to examples of state intervention in other countries, naming help with news circulation, financial aid in updating technological resources and subsidised rail and postal transportation as some of the measures taken.

One country currently in the media spotlight for having done precisely this is Nicolas Sarkozy's France. Last month, Sarkozy unveiled a rescue plan to the value of 600 million euros. The plan demonstrates the government's commitment to saving and promoting its national newspapers, with those coming of age given the option to access newspapers for free for a period of 12 months. This is one similar measure the Spanish press is keen to introduce back home.

According to the draft overseen by the AEDE, the precise social function of the communications industry justifies its right in asking for public assistance. Not everyone, however, agrees. The majority of the comments left by readers on El Pais.com indicated that when it comes to siphoning public funds, at least, the Press does not necessarily have the public's backing, with one reader, Mosen, saying: "Those who risk and innovate should be rewarded, not those who hang onto archaic business models." This seemed to be the main concern, with many people also worried about the knock-on effect that could arise from singling out one industry as the main benefactor of such assistance: "Public taxes to be paid to the media? The media industry is made up of companies like any other industry, let them solve things out for themselves."

Newspaper advertising revenues in Spain fell 20% in 2008 and circulation figures dropped to 6.6% nationally. Of the eight major national dailies analysed, three titles, however, appear to have better resisted the recession's downward pull, with la Vanguardia and el Mundo dropping 3.2 and 2 percentage points respectively. The ABC was the only paper with an increase in sales.

Sarkozy's bailout plan formed the basis of the requests put forward by the Spanish press, but unlike the French government, Zapatero's administration has, as yet, made no sign of responding quite so favourably, confirming only that it will "study" the report's recommendations.

Sources: Cotizalia , el Pais.com , la Vanguardia.es , Confidencial , ABC.es
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