Question 1312 — press and books

Summary

Mr. José Beaurain draws the attention of the Minister of Culture to the fluctuations in public subsidies to the press and their distribution, in particular in the case of local and regional newspapers. He questions him about the correlation between the continued decline in the distribution of certain titles and the significant increase in public aid from which they benefit. For example, the newspapers L'Aisne Nouvelle and L'Union/L'Ardennais illustrate this situation. In 2015, according to ministry figures, L'Aisne Nouvelle distributed 3,457,315 copies and received 41,894 euros in public aid. In 2023, despite a drop in circulation to 2,600,927 copies, subsidies were multiplied by more than five to reach 221,490 euros. For their part, L'Union and L'Ardennais saw their cumulative circulation drop from 29,186,393 copies in 2015 to 22,119,081 copies in 2023, while the public aid allocated to them has tripled, from 378,439 euros to 1,082,385 euros. These figures show a growing gap between readers' interest in these newspapers and the subsidies they receive. Although this aid aims to support the pluralism of the local press, it is legitimate to question the adequacy of these subsidies with the evolution of readers' expectations and the capacity of these titles to offer pluralistic and quality information, essential in democracy. Faced with this situation, the MP would like to know the criteria used for the allocation and increase of aid to the press in a context of declining circulation. Furthermore, he questions him on the measures envisaged to guarantee that these subsidies remain in line with developments in the press market, particularly in the face of the emergence of digital technology and to encourage these newspapers to adapt to new reader expectations.

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