Bernese government to review free newspaper subscription for 18th birthday
The Bern cantonal government intends to examine whether young adults should receive a one-year newspaper subscription as a gift on their 18th birthday. It recommends that a corresponding postulate be adopted.
Kurt Zimmermann (SVP/Frutigen) had submitted the motion together with members of the Grand Council from the SP, FDP and SVP. On the one hand, the editorial media were under increasing pressure. On the other hand, the younger generation is reading newspapers less and less.
This is to be remedied by a voucher that young people receive at the age of 18. It would allow them to receive a newspaper (online or print) for one year, which would also report on local and regional events in the canton of Bern as a fixed component. The new offer is to be financed by lottery money as well as by the canton and the municipality of residence.
The cantonal government considers the idea worth examining, as it writes in its response published on Monday. Two concerns could be linked in a simple way: Media promotion and the promotion of political education.
Canton cannot, lottery fund must not
However, in view of the tight budget, there is hardly any scope for new cantonal tasks at the moment. In addition, the lottery fund does not have the legal basis to finance the issue.
The government wants to shed more light on the topic with the revision of the Information Act, which was initiated by the Grand Council last year.
In November 2019, the cantonal parliament voted in favor of indirect media funding. The Council is examining measures that take into account the "great importance of independent, diverse quality journalism for the functioning of the democratic state". (SDA)
