Private media asks state for €3.2 million less after Postimees rejection
The Estonian Media Enterprises Union (Eesti Meediaettevõtete Liit/EML) has reduced the sum asked from the state by 40 percent or €3.2 million, after Postimees, Estonia's largest daily newspaper, rejected private media state aid, citing independence concerns.
In mid-April, the EML proposed to Prime Minister Jüri Ratas (Center), who is also head of the emergency situation, that the state organize large-scale campaigns in all private media channels through to year-end. EML asked for the state to purchase advertising space in the Estonian press, to the tune of around a million euros per month for a total of eight million euros.
"Postimees does not want our journalistic independence to be called into question," paper's editor-in-chief Mart Raudsaar said then.
On April 28, EML boardmember Merle Viirmaa-Treifeldt proposed to the Prime Minister that the campaign cost €600,000 per month, for a total of €4.8 million until the end of the year.
"Our initial wish has been reduced by 40 percent, as Postimees Grupp decided to reject the campaigns. Other members of the EML wish to continue negotiations for channeling social campaigns into our publications," she explained.
In EML's vision, the state would distribute the means equally between various ministries and EML would take upon itself the techical aspect of arranging such campaigns. "This would mean a 20-30 percent mitigation on lost advertising revenue," Viirmaa-Treifeldt explained.
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Editor: Anders Nõmm
