Lillan Hedlund, editor-in-chief at Länstidningen i Södertälje (LT), has just concluded a meeting that the magazine should lay off staff. She has had to agree to let the entire editorial board go down to 80 percent instead of 100.

- It feels pretty absurd, and as a paradox. We have never been more important than today. We have never had a large influx of readers who come to us for relevant local journalism. At the same time, we need staff down to succeed in the future, ”says Lillan Hedlund to the Culture News.

Forced to leave

In March, LT lost 40 percent of its advertising revenue. A survey by the industry organization Tidnings publishers (TU) shows that Swedish news media will lose about as much, or more, in April.

- We had a lot of booked event ads because very fun things would happen here in Södertälje in March and April. It is clear that all such things are set in this situation, says Lillan Hedlund.

"The support is not enough"

On Friday, Minister of Culture and Democracy Amanda Lind (MP) announced that the government will increase the media support by SEK 200 million and facilitate news media to live up to the requirements that are required to receive the support.

But Jan Fager, acting CEO of TU, ​​is skeptical.

Is it enough?

- No, it does not. SEK 200 million corresponds to an advertising loss of one month, as the situation is right now, says Jan Fager to the Culture News.

Flexible advertising rules

But not everyone is disappointed. Casten Almqvist, CEO of TV4, thinks that the measures make the current situation easier to handle.

- It is very welcome that the Minister of Culture will come up with more flexible advertising rules. This is important for the media diversity in Sweden in the short and long term. We look forward to a continued dialogue to ensure good conditions for free publicity, Casten Almqvist writes in an e-mail to the Cultural News.