Government issues a decree on media support

On 23 March 2023, the Government issued a decree on discretionary government grants for supporting communications and news media in 2023.

The aim of the discretionary government grants is to support comprehensive and socially important communications, and versatile and diverse news operations. In addition to national media operations, the aim is to ensure adequate regional and local media services and to prevent the emergence of news wastelands. The discretionary government grants would be targeted especially at local operators.

The government grant is used to support media sector operators that have suffered from major changes in the operating environment. The grant may be awarded for the payroll costs of persons engaged in journalistic work and for freelancers’ fees.

Grants can be awarded to news media that have an editor-in-chief and produce their own editorial material. The decree specifies in more detail the conditions under which a discretionary government grant may be awarded and the amount of the grant. The government grant is non-recurrent and discretionary.

The supplementary budget proposal for 2023 includes a reservation of EUR 7 million for discretionary government grants to support communications and news media in 2023.

What's next?

The decree will enter into force on 1 April 2023. Grants can be applied for from the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, which acts as the government grant authority.

Inquiries:

Fanni Thessler, Senior Officer, tel. +358 50 353 5515, fanni.thessler(at)gov.fi

Sara Vänttinen, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 50 473 0277, sara.vanttinen(at)gov.fi