35,000 subscribers may lose Saturday newspapers

NewspapersNewspapers.Photo: Pixabay

The consequences will be huge for several newspapers, and for many subscribers, when Kvikkas takes over distribution from Posten on Saturdays.

‘This is critical for Norwegian newspapers. One-third of the number that so far go out with Posten on Saturdays, will disappear’, says chief editor Espen Egil Hansen in the newspaper Aftenposten.

At least 35,000 Norwegian newspaper subscribers appear to lose the newspaper on Saturdays from November when Kvikkas acquires Saturday distribution’, the newspaper said.

In July, Kvikkas was awarded the Saturday newspaper distribution concession for subscribers in rural areas.

The latest calculation is based on figures from Media Businesses’ Association (MBL), and the so-called ‘whole home networks’ for delivering newspapers. The latter covers approximately 85 percent of addresses.

‘This is not Norwegian newspapers’ error, but the Ministry of Transport. One wonders if they have given tender to a company that has offered too little, and was not realistic,’ said Hansen.

At a meeting with the ministry last week, MBL gave a clear message that the restructuring may have serious consequences for those who previously received Saturday newspapers distributed by Posten.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today