Government support for newspaper distribution would "undermine local media independence"
- States reject funding request from Iris Freight for Channel Chieftain V newspaper ferry service
- Company currently transports 25,000 newspapers weekly from Jersey to Guernsey, half its original volume
- States cite structural industry challenges and concerns about media impartiality as reasons for rejection
- The Guernsey Press, Jersey Evening Post and Bailiwick Express all have financial links to national newspapers getting to people's homes
The States has turned down a bid for financial support to help ensure national newspapers are delivered in Guernsey.
It came from Iris Freight, the company that ferries national newspapers from Jersey to Guernsey - but had implications beyond that because of the distribution relationship with companies within the same groups as the Guernsey Press, Jersey Evening Post and Bailiwick Express.
Iris Freight currently transports about 25,000 newspapers to Guernsey each week, approximately half the volume it carried when operations began a decade ago.
This year, the company approached both the States seeking "significant" financial support to continue operations. The company holds a contract with KPS, the Jersey-based printer of national newspapers, to transport the publications to Guernsey.
KP Services is itself owned by All Island Media, the parent company of the Jersey Evening Post and Bailiwick Express.
In 2018, The Guernsey Press took over the on-island wholesale distribution of national newspapers like The Times and The Daily Telegraph.
Iris Freight has indicated that the future of printed newspapers was essential to its business model. It also transports other freight, pets and occasionally passengers between the islands.
“While we recognise and value the service Iris Freight has provided over many years, the challenges it faces are structural and industry‑wide," said Economic Development President Sasha Kazantseva-Miller.
"Government intervention in the newspaper distribution market would not address those underlying issues and would likely require significant, ongoing and growing public subsidy and would not be a one-off request.
"In addition, the Committee concluded that Government financial support intended to subsidise newspaper distribution would risk undermining impartiality of the local media and would therefore not be appropriate. For those reasons, the Committee agreed that it was not able to provide financial support.
"The Committee understand that this decision can lead to significant changes in the national newspaper distribution market and may create a time of uncertainty.
"The Committee is very mindful that the Guernsey Press, as the only organisation responsible for newspaper distribution, is better placed to consider any future arrangements.
"Notwithstanding, the Committee remains open to working with all stakeholders in the media and distribution market, if needed and considered appropriate by the industry."
The Quarry is a completely independent, members funded organisation.
Q&A
Q: Why did the Guernsey States reject the funding request?
A: The States cited structural and industry-wide challenges that government intervention wouldn't address, concerns about ongoing subsidy requirements, and potential risks to media impartiality from government support for newspaper distribution.
Q: How much has newspaper transport volumes declined?
A: Iris Freight now carries about 25,000 newspapers to Guernsey each week, which is approximately half the amount it transported when the service began a decade ago.
Q: What other services does the Channel Chieftain V provide?
A: Beyond newspapers, the vessel has transported more than a million bread rolls, 520 tonnes of shellfish, 187 tonnes of mail, 3,000 passengers and more than 100 pets, plus medicines to hospitals on both islands over the past decade.
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