Scottish papers may be handed out free to 17-year olds

Posted by Soraya Kishtwari on June 2, 2009 at 8:49 AM

According to the Press Gazette, the Scottish government is set to back an initiative aimed at boosting newspaper readership among the young.

The proposed scheme was first suggested by the Menzies Group, a newspaper distributer, who contacted Scotland's enterprise minister, Jim Mather, with the idea. While the group is still waiting on a response, it is expected that the government is likely to react favourably.

A government spokesman told the Press Gazette that it was looking at ways it could "breathe fresh life" into the industry. The Scottish newspaper scene has seen a steady decline of circulation and advertising over the years - today at just half the levels it was a decade earlier.

"There is an absolute shared conviction that newspapers still have an important role to play in the economic and democratic fabric of Scotland," said the spokesman.

He added: "Mr Mather has had a series of meetings with various stakeholders from the newspaper industry to discuss specific challenges that the industry is facing and forthcoming initiatives."

The plan to offer 17-year olds a free newspaper subscription was inspired by a similar idea originally presented by Nicolas Sarkozy's government at the beginning of the year. The French President said that free newspapers would be made available to every 18-year old in the country, as part of his 600 million euro bail-out plan to stimulate the French press.

By taking a proactive stance, the Menzies Group has demonstrated that newspaper groups and distributers need not wait for the government to come and "save" them. While the industry is in need of as much help as it can get, intervention should start from within, so this is a good step in the right direction. Whether or not it is a case of too little, too late, only time will tell.

Source: Press Gazette