Support for local journalism was introduced in February this year to overcome the problem of so-called white spots, areas of non-existent or weak journalistic coverage.

Eva Burman is editor-in-chief and responsible publisher for Eskilstuna-Kuriren, Södermanland News and Katrineholms-Kuriren. With the help of the support, they have been able to project three people who will work with the guard in Flen, Oxelösund and Vingåker. She believes that the grant will make a difference, also sees problems with the support, which was paid out in June, was meant to be used retroactively from the beginning of the year.

- We couldn't afford to start hiring people before we knew if we would get the support. After all, money is not something we sniff out of the nose right away, ”says Eva Burman.

Her hope is that in future the support will instead be able to be applied for two periods to make it easier to plan.

- Which newspaper houses today can afford to chance and hope for support and hire on feel six months before the grant is granted? We would like to continue after the turn of the year, but if the aid is granted and paid only in June, I do not see how it should be possible in the spring. We do not know for sure that we will receive the support, says Eva Burman.

No need to spend time driving a car

In Norrland, one of the challenges for local journalism is the long distances. Erik Isberg is editor-in-chief at Folkbladet Västerbotten and together with Västerbottens-Kuriren they can now with the help of local journalism hire a reporter responsible for monitoring Storuman and Sorsele.

- These municipalities have previously been monitored by our editorial staff in Lycksele. Now, the Lyckseleredaction does not have to spend time driving a car and can instead devote itself to “their” municipalities. In this way, one can say that resources are also released for other municipalities in the inland of Västerbotten, says Erik Isberg.

Had hoped for greater support

Ralph Rentzsch, editor-in-chief of Jämtland's newspaper, says that the flow of news from the municipalities Bräcke, Berg and Krokom has increased since they received the support, but that they had hoped for even more support.

- We received about 70 per cent of the funding sought, which means that we cannot go fully as we had hoped. Instead of three full-time editors, it has become part-time from 50 to 70 percent, says Ralph Rentzsch.