A total of 79 applications for operational support have been submitted to the Swedish Agency for Press, Radio and Television next year. Of these, six newspapers do not currently have operational support, but are now applying for it. Among them are Sydsvenskan, Upsala Nya Tidning, Norrbottens-Kuriren and Vestmanland Läns Tidning.
If the applications of the six magazines are granted, it would mean that operating aid will increase by SEK 100 million - from today's 424 million, to 524 million, the authority writes in a press release.
The authority also writes that it "means that the funds that remain to be distributed to local journalism as well as to innovation and development are reduced as they support the distribution 'as far as available funds'."
- 2018 was the worst year ever for the Swedish daily newspaper market. The fact that editions will continue to decline in 2019 is extremely worrying. With falling editions, more and more newspapers are entitled to operating support. There is an obvious risk that support for the important local journalism and innovation and development will be greatly reduced, while the need will increase, says Charlotte Ingvar-Nilsson, the authority's director general in the press release.