A Small Press in a Shrinking Market

Talk by Mai Vöörman at the invitation of the Finnish association for Investigative Journalism in Helsinki on the 14th of January 1999

I would like to divide my presentation into two parts: in the first I would like to make some comments on the article by Antti Halinen, which gave an overview of the Estonian media and which is available in Internet (link on this site, unfortunately only in Finnish), and in the second part I shall give some thoughts on the problems concerning Estonian-Finnish relations and prospects of cooperation between journalists.

1.

The problem of the two leading daily newspapers of Estonia, Eesti Päevaleht and Postimees has been the fact that they have been spending too much time on outsmarting each other and on raking in trifles, and too little time on developing an original newspaper.

I hope that this year, I mean in the situation of an economic downturn the attitude of daily newspapers will change and Postimees as well Eesti Päevaleht will understand that the only way out is to make a better product and to sell it professionally.

The tabloids of two competing concerns, Sonumileht and Öhtuleht, have been much better at their mutual relationhip. They have also developed a clearer image. So has Eesti Ekspress.
This year will be difficult for newspapers. The advertising market is shrinking and the pressure of saving forces people to re-evaluate their expenses and set their priorities of the family budget. Economy in everything - that the most popular slogan in Estonia now.

Hard times have already started: at the beginning of this year three magazines have been closed down: so called all family magazine Favoriit and two car magazines, Autorevnn ja Autopluss. But it might be only the beginning. So the hardened economic situation does not concern daily newspapers only, but also other newspapers and magazines, including Luup.

Now some words about the newspapers more precisely. The latest development to be observed has been the disappearance of a bordeline between a news article and a feature in Estonian journalism. There are many timeless stories about children, the elderly or why not even about dogs. Human intrest is the key word to reach the reader. Why not? But lets ask the next question: do the newspapers give their readers all the necessary information for example about the lawmaking process which all in all influences the life of every person?

The business of the Riigikogu and the government get more coverage in case some kind of intrigue or conflict is involved. A specific example is the amendment to the Land Act which was repealed by President Lennart Meri in January, and which found very little coverage in papers. All the same, it was an amendment which would have created a privileged position upon purchase of free agricultural land for certain group in the society.

There is relatively a lot of boosting of minor matters, and sometimes also needless spurning of hysteria.