This article explores Finnish press subsidies during the second half of
the twentieth century, tracing their development as a mechanism for
supporting democratic principles. The article shows how subsidies have
been provided, how the mechanisms of support changed during the period,
and the effects of subsidies on the newspaper industry. The study shows
that support rose significantly in the 1970s and 1980s but declined in
the 1990s. Nevertheless, the cost of support in 2000 was 28 per cent
higher than in 1970. The study reveals that despite €2.5 billion in
support (at constant prices) between 1951 and 2000, only 6 per cent of
the newspapers maintained political affiliations by the beginning of the
twenty-first century and that state funds subsidised only 10 per cent
of total newspaper circulation by 2000. The research revealed that
papers representing dominant political parties have been the primary
recipients of aid.