Production Grants for News and Current Affairs Media
Production grants shall contribute to maintaining diversity in news and current affairs media characterised by high quality and independent journalism, including media in markets that are too small to be sustainable and alternatives to the leading media in major markets. The new support scheme, which was implemented in 2014, is platform-neutral, meaning that aid is awarded regardless of how the content is distributed. The objective is to stimulate digital publishing and new production and distribution strategies for newspapers which receive direct grants.
Subsidies are given to media which contain a broad range of news, current affairs and debate content from different areas of society.
Contrary to the former press subsidy scheme, cf. Norway's first report, news and current affairs media are eligible for grants regardless of the method of distribution (i.e. print or digital). Also, the grant is calculated based on circulation and frequency on all platforms, and not strictly on the basis of the circulation of print newspapers. News media are grouped according to their circulation, publication frequency and local competitive environment. There are two main groups of recipients: 1) Leading and sole media that publish at least one edition per week and have an average net circulation of between 1,000 and 6,000 copies. 2) Secondary media that publish at least one edition per week and have an average net circulation of at least 1,000 copies. The distribution of funds between the groups defined in the regulations is determined by the Ministry of Culture each year, based on the economic development within the different groups.
Maintaining a vital and pluralistic media sector in the future by removing barriers against digital publishing and innovation in the newspaper industry.
USD 36 565 420 (NOK 313 million) in 2016.