Interest in journalism has probably never been greater. The need for information in corona times is enormous, and most media, including SVT Nyheter Värmland, sees a large increase in the number of visitors online.
The irony is that while interest in journalism is increasing, the opportunity for the newspapers to survive has never been worse.
According to the newspaper publishing industry, advertising revenue has fallen by between 30 and 50 percent as a result of the corona epidemic.
Raging in social media
The newspapers are not only dependent on advertising revenue, but also on subscribers. That has always been the case. If you have wanted to read a newspaper, you have had to buy a subscription. Or buy a ransom number in a kiosk.
But now, when more and more subscriptions are digital, and most of the reading takes place on the mobile, it is no longer as obvious to pay for what you read. In social media, people are furious that articles are locked. Especially articles about corona. The arguments are often a bit unclear, but for the most part, journalism is so important that it must be free.
No money - no journalism
And really it's just the opposite. Journalism is so important that it cannot be free. A newspaper has expenses, not least the salary of those who write. And the money for the salary comes from advertising revenue and subscriptions. Without this money there will be no journalism. As simple as that.
Anyone who has come this far in this chronicle also pays to read it, though the design for public service is a little different. Everyone who pays tax also pays a fee every year so that we at Sweden's Radio, Sweden's Television and Education Radio can continue to do TV and radio programs and have a good news and sports coverage. Not least, it applies to local news.
Renewed my subscription
But even though we at SVT Nyheter Värmland think that we are very good at local journalism, we will never be able to do it as extensively as our colleagues at the local newspapers. The local newspapers are the basis of local journalism, have more employees and are located in more places than we do in public service. Without them, much of local journalism, the backbone of a democratic society, would be lost.
I myself have had a break during a period when my wife has studied and we have had to review our costs. I have enjoyed reading the newspaper at work. But now she is fully educated and today I have revived my subscription again.
So - if you have the finances for it and think local journalism is important. Stop whining or start paying.
Tomas Skoglund
Editor-in-Chief and responsible publisher
SVT Nyheter Värmland