Brendan Smith urges zero VAT on newspapers to protect journalism
Brendan Smith spoke on 21 Sep 2022 about the financial pressures on print and digital newspapers and urged the government to reduce the VAT rate to zero in the budget. He cited submissions from Newsbrands Ireland and Local Ireland and warned that the viability of publications and jobs is at stake.
Readership and publisher data
The speaker highlighted figures from Newsbrands Ireland and Local Ireland, saying the journalism produced by their member publishers is read by 82% of the population, roughly four out of five adults at present.
VAT reduction appeal
He called for the VAT rate on print and digital newspapers to be cut to zero in the upcoming budget to support the continued viability of newspapers and preserve jobs in the sector.
Named titles and sector scope
He referenced national and regional newspapers by name, mentioning titles such as the Anglo-Selt and Northern Standard, and stressed the importance of both national and local news brands.
Risks of reliance on social media
He warned that without action the public could become dependent on unregulated social media for information, increasing the risk of misinformation and fake news and weakening the role of professional journalism.
Budgetary call to action
He concluded that government must act in this budget to help ensure the continued viability of the newspaper sector and protect its contribution to democratic, social, cultural, sporting and economic life.
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Ireland is one of the few countries that imposes a high tax on print and digital newspapers news brands Ireland and local Ireland representing our national region newspapers such as the Anglo-Selt and Northern Standard have outlined very cogently the absolute need to reduce the VAT rate to zero for newspapers print and digital newspapers despite our differences with them at times contribute enormously to the democratic social cultural sporting economic and business life of our country the journal The journalism produced by the member news publishers of news brand and local Ireland is read by 82% of the population very significantly four out of five adults at present the viability of publications and jobs is at stake government must act in this budget and help to ensure the continued viability of this sector and not have people subjected to a reliance on unregulated social media for information or news or a menu in many instances misinformation and fake news Thank you I can call that Deputy Smith I fully agree with you can I cite as an example to back up that argument particularly the last argument made that if we just become reliant on on a social media feed where you only hear from people who have the same view it just deepens a sense of division it coarsens society it leads to a disparaging of other people in a way that's not actually good for our health our soul our future Mike Ryan from the World Health Organization was at conference speaking yesterday saying he's never felt as threatened as he has in recent periods during the COVID period but in the wider sense of how stories are told in the sense of threats that exist within that social media environment if it is not a space for regulated journalism that actually asks the hard questions provides a different perspective presents different information in a way that's mediated by professional journalists communist journalists thank you that's what our newspapers do that's why it's important they survive and continue to develop provide this critical role in a democracy I support your millennia
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