followthemedia.com - a knowledge base for media professionals
ftm Tickle File

 

 

The Tickle File is ftm's daily column of media news, complimenting the feature articles on major media issues. Tickle File items point out media happenings, from the oh-so serious to the not-so serious, that should not escape notice...in a shorter, more informal format.

We are able to offer this new service thanks to the great response to our Media Sleuth project in which you, our readers, are contributing media information happening in your countries that have escaped the notice of the international media, or you are providing us information on covered events that others simply didn't know about. We invite more of you to become Media Sleuths. For more information click here.

Week of July 16, 2018

Much more than three billboards this time
no lapdog

Press freedom only occasionally makes the agenda for meetings of world leaders and never among autocrats. With that understood there are places where press and media freedom are admired and lauded as necessary for democratic cohesion. Along the route followed by US president Donald Trump and Russian Federation president Valdimir Putin to their big meeting there were about 300 reminders that Finland is quite proud of its press freedom legacy.

Billboards announced in English and Russian: “Mr. President, welcome to the land of free press.” They were provided by Finland’s biggest newspaper, Helsingin Sanomat, with support from publisher Sanoma, ad agency TBWA/Helsinki and outdoor companies Clear Channel and JCDecaux. The posters were installed over the weekend, reported media trade publication Markkinointi&Mainonta (July 16). (See more about media in Finland here) Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF) has ranked Finland in the top five countries in its World Press Freedom Index each year this decade, placing 4th in the 2018 Index along with Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

“This is a statement on behalf of critical and high quality journalism,” wrote senior editor Kaius Niemi. “As we welcome the presidents to the summit in Finland, we want to remind them of the importance of free press. The media shouldn’t be the lapdog of any president or regime.

"We want to show our support to those colleagues who are struggling daily in increasingly difficult circumstances both in Russia and in the United States. Our goal is to raise the importance of freedom of the press around the world."

Accountants thrilled by digital transition, others not so much
when paper is the brand

Digital transition means many things to many people. For newspaper publishers it means fewer newspapers printed. There is no point printing a slew only to have them sitting around collecting dust. The accountants noticed.

For Spanish daily ABC this has also meant a considerable cash savings, reported Dircomfidencial (July 11), quoting figures from publisher Vocento. The bulk newsprint budget has fallen from €15.9 million in 2008 to €3.1 million in 2017. Costs attributed to producing supplements dropped from €8.2 million to under €2 million across the same period. Not to be forgotten distribution costs - trucks and drivers - fell from €19 million to €11 million. Adding it all together, that is a savings, if you will, of about €25 million, a figure every accountant would notice. (See more about media in Spain here)

It has been a tough decade for newspaper publishers, those in Spain are not alone. Dircomfidential adds more details: Ad revenue for ABC dropped from €55 million (44% of total revenue) to €27 million (50% of total revenue), average circulation fell from 250 thousand in 2008 to about 80 thousand in 2017.

US newspaper publishers, particularly local and modest, became inadvertent targets of recently imposed tariffs on some Canadian paper products in the ongoing trade wars. The World Trade Organization (WTO) determined the tariffs on uncoated paper were unfair in early July and the US Department of Commerce revoked the tariff the next day. US-based paper products producer Verso dropped its complaint about lower costs of Canadian producers. Newsprint prices in the US have increased 25% since the tariffs were announced, reported Montana (US) daily The Missoulian (July 10).

Previous weeks complete Tickle File

copyright ©2004-2018 ftm partners, unless otherwise noted Contact UsSponsor ftm