Praised Gaelic newspaper collapses

Feb 20 2008 by David Williamson, Western Mail

AN IRISH language newspaper held up as an example for future Welsh publications is on the verge of collapse.

Heritage Minister Rhodri Glyn Thomas earlier this month announced an extra £200,000 a year to support Welsh language media and praised the record of Gaelic daily Lá Nua saying, “Therefore, if there is anyone out there who wishes to establish a Welsh-language daily newspaper, this would be possible.”

Lá Nua’s 10 staff have been given redundancy notices and the tabloid is expected to close at the end of the month.

Plans to launch a Welsh- language daily, Y Byd, were abandoned last week. The team which had been planning the launch said it was “absolutely clear to the Government that an annual grant of as little as £200,000 would be insufficient to establish a Welsh-language daily newspaper”.

Concubhar Ó Llatháin, editor of Lá Nua told the Western Mail, “We need £100,000 to carry on printing to the end of the year.  This is because of a shortfall in advertising revenue due, in the main, to a ban on advertising in the Irish language by the Northern Ireland Executive.”

Describing the funding arrangement with cross-border Irish language-promotion agency Foras na Gaeilge, he said, “The newspaper received £200,000 per year in a contract which began on December 1, 2006, and was scheduled to end on December 31, 2008.”

An Assembly Government spokesman said Lá Nua was not a model for a new Welsh language publication.

He said, “The Welsh Assembly Government has a clear commitment to supporting a new news service in the Welsh language. Any venture will need to have a strong business case, which outlines how more people can be encouraged to read in Welsh – particularly young people.

“The sustainability of any venture is dependent on developing a product that has the potential for gaining popular appeal. WAG’s policies on developing the sector are not based on Lá Nua’s experience.”

Referring to a report commissioned by the Welsh Language Board which said Y Byd would need a minimum grant of £600,000, the spokesman added, “Dr Toni Bianchi’s report referred to Lá Nua’s calls for extra funding. We were aware of this situation, which is why we need to make sure that any new venture approved by the Welsh Books Council has a sound business case.”