Logi: “Bad and sad news”

Iceland’s culture, innovation and higher education minister, Logi Már Einarsson, described Sýn’s decision to end its television news broadcasts as “bad and sad news” and a return to an earlier era.

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These are, of course, bad and sad news.

Sýn’s final television newscast will air tonight. The company will also stop producing and broadcasting Ísland í dag, while laying off more than 20 employees.

Einarsson said the decision came at a time when edited and reliable media were especially needed to counter misinformation, half-truths and misleading messages spreading through social media and artificial intelligence. He recalled growing up when Iceland’s State Broadcasting Service held a monopoly in radio and television, but said opening the media sector to competition had been a successful change.

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In the strange times we live in, there has naturally never been a greater need for strong, edited and reliable media that push back against the information disorder, half-truths and misleading messages that have increased through these unconventional ways of gathering news, such as social media and even artificial intelligence.

The minister said Iceland’s media market had been fragile for years and criticized the failure to intervene sooner. He said his ministry had sought more support for privately run media, submitted an action plan at the end of last year and secured funding for it. He added that further changes might be needed as the market develops quickly.

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It is first and foremost sad that action was not taken earlier to try to find ways to strengthen the media.

Einarsson also called for greater public awareness of the role of the media, more encouragement for companies and institutions to place advertising with domestic outlets, and stronger incentives for people to pay for subscriptions. The ministry is still preparing bills needed to fully implement the action plan, reviewing media legislation and preparing a new service agreement.

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It was naturally a very successful step when the media world opened up to competition, and this is a disappointing return to that time.