Do you buy a daily newspaper?
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has asked the public to “add one small thing” to their to-do list and buy a newspaper as the press grapples “with the biggest existential crisis in its history”.
The newspaper business has come under increasing strain amid the coronavirus pandemic, with falling advertising revenue and declining circulation.
Two of the UK’s biggest publishers have cut wages for staff in the latest round of measures to mitigate the impact of the crisis.
The Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT), which owns the Mail, Metro and the i newspaper titles, has imposed a pay cut on all staff earning over £40,000 a year.
And Reach, owner of the Mirror and Express papers, said all staff will see a pay cut of at least 10% due to heavy falls in advertising and circulation.
Writing in The Times, he said: “Despite the massive disruption the coronavirus lockdown is causing to the production and distribution of news, those working in the industry have shown a dogged determination to keep the show on the road.
“Right now the news industry is doing a vital public service by giving important information to people as the pandemic unfolds.”
He added: “As the country fights our greatest national emergency since the Second World War the press is grappling with arguably the biggest existential crisis in its history.
“National, regional and local newspapers are under huge financial pressure, largely because of plummeting commercial advertising on their printed pages and websites.
Mr Dowden said an irreversible decline in news publishing would have “far-reaching implications for democracy in our country”
“Newspapers are at heart of the British media and essential to its vibrant mix. People across the country are rising to the coronavirus challenge and I suggest we all add one small thing to our to-do list: buy a paper.”
Do you buy a daily newspaper? Do you have one delivered to your door? Or do you read your news online?
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We don't tolerate swearing, and reserve the right to remove any posts which we feel may offend others... let's keep it friendly!
Never go into ordinary people s problems.
Owned by big business and working against the ordinary people.
I'm amazed that people still read these tags, especially The Scum in the North of England!
Replies welcome
They harass people hound people, report lies, all the media needs to take a long hard look at themselves
Freedom of speech not just in word
But also in print
I may not agree in all that I read
But I am clad that I have the freedom to be able to choose
Only get one on Saturdays for the tv programmes. Usually
a neighbours gets it for us.
increases in the paper price ( Daily Telegraph ). I will start buying again when the price is more reasonable.
Newspapers such as the Guardian or Daily Mail are too biased.
I also buy a local newspaper to keep up to date on community news.
Thus I came to know about some things that really amazed me that others had obviously not noted or seen.
I will not promote my preferred publication as trying to change someones choice of it would be akin to trying to persuade me to change from Islay Malt to Navy Rum; not going to happen.
Apart from going stir crazy, I hope all SilverSurfers are fit and well.
Usually catch the daily news on the BBC
Never let the truth get in front of a good story.
Mind you, the free papers are good if you are decorating and need something to covers the floors etc. 😉
If I'm to spend money on newspapers that's what I want. Not mindless drivel more suited to an ill-educated and culturally illiterate mob.
Online there are many sources of news and for everyone. Blogs are also quite useful for reading other opinions.
Besides which paper copy is far too expensive and now quite unsuitable for wrapping such a noble dish as fish and chips.
This present crisis is a clear example. Wall to wall opinion from journos. Too many people engaged in vox pops, hungry for their five minutes of fame.
In a nutshell, form over substance.
I used to buy two or three quality weekend papers mainly looking for a good read and a cross section of intelligent opinions so as to help to form my own hopefully, but firstly this is too costly nowadays, and secondly they are failing in this ,and also full of surplus material, adverts, fashion etc that are totally irrelevant for anyone with a life outside London.
I find that browsing through the various News channels on the TV are more enlightening these days.