Press subsidies

The Ministry of Transport and Communications is responsible for matters concerning discretionary subsidies given to newspaper publishing. The granting of subsidies is decided by the Government on a proposal of the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Discretionary subsidies can be granted for newspapers published in national minority languages and for corresponding online publications, as well as for supplements of existing papers in minority languages. Subsidies are also granted to Swedish-language news services. Other matters relating to the press are not the responsibility of the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

The freedom of the press is regulated by the Act on the Exercise of Freedom of Expression in Mass Media (460/2003). The Act falls under the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice. VAT matters relating to the press, on the other hand, are the responsibility of the Ministry of Finance.

Press committee

The press committee set by the Ministry of Transport and Communications is a strategic forum for cooperation where questions of both printed and electronic publications are discussed among the operators in the sector. The task of the committee is to examine the importance of the Finnish press as a promoter of democracy and freedom of speech and as a diverse developer of media environment. The committee also follows the development of newspaper delivery costs and its impact on the newspapers' finances.