Culture minister calls for stepping-up of financial aid to media houses

Culture minister Josè Herrera has called for the stepping-up of financial support to mainstream media, which he said is suffering from a drop in revenue.

Herrera expressed his worries on the future the mainstream media is facing in parliament on Wednesday.

The drop in revenue stems from a sharp decline in advertising income the mainstream media is dealing with due to companies suffering the brunt of COVID-19.

“We should be ashamed if a day comes when our papers no longer exist,” Herrera said.

The culture minister called on government entities to buy newspapers in order to sustain print media, telling businesses to advertise their products on the medium.

Pointing out that this medium of news has been in decline long before the pandemic due to the arrival of social media, Herrera said the two mediums should co-exist, not replace one another.

He stated that social media is not “professional media”, with journalists at newspapers having to abide by ethics and regulations.

After meeting representatives from several media houses, the culture minister said he could vouch for the challenges and threats faced by journalists, stating he felt duty-bound to make the appeal, even after having been in the firing line for multiple times.

“Nonetheless, such criticism is part of the media, and is the fourth pillar of democracy,” he said.

He also explained how local media has evolved, with reporters now shifting towards the role of investigative journalists.

The culture minister concluded by calling for further financial help, over and above the monetary support already being given during the pandemic.