Finnish print media faces problems due to strike, Russia-Ukraine conflict

HELSINKI, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Newspapers in Finland may be forced to stop printing within a few weeks due to a serious shortage of paper, the Finnish Media Association said on Wednesday.

The situation has arisen due to an ongoing strike in the only Finnish paper plant producing newsprint, as well as the discontinuation of paper imports from Russia.

"The printing of newspapers could be challenged within a few weeks," Jukka Holmberg, CEO of the Finnish Media Association, told national broadcaster Yle on Wednesday.

PRINT MEDIA VS. DIGITAL MEDIA

Finnish paper industries, traditionally a source of newsprint for the rest of Europe, have been reducing their output in recent years.

Currently, only the Jamsankoski plant of United Paper Mills (UPM) produces newsprint, but it has been closed since January due to a strike by the Paper Workers Union.

The publication of printed newspapers is particularly important in times of crisis, Tero Koskinen, head of preparedness in media resilience at Mediapooli, told the Journalist Union newspaper Journalisti this week.

Mediapooli serves as a network of Finnish media companies that supports other media organizations in preparing technically and otherwise for various threats.

"Digital media supply connections are vulnerable. If we think of a situation where digital services do not function, it would be important to get printed papers delivered," Koskinen said.

Given the current global situation, it is particularly important that the printing of newspapers should continue as normal, he added.

THREAT TO SUPPLY OF PRINTING PLATES

As a first indication of the current challenging circumstances, Helsingin Sanomat, the largest newspaper in Finland, has reduced the size of its weekend editions.

Besides the paper shortage, the printing industry also fears that problems could arise in the supply of printing plates. The principal component of contemporary printing plates is aluminum, of which Russia is the third-largest producer globally.

Juha Laakkonen, CEO of the Oulu-based newspaper Kaleva, told Journalisti this week that they have a supply of plates until the summer. However, the situation after that time is uncertain.

CHALLENGE TO PAPER SUPPLY

Paper supply problems in Europe had already begun before imports from Russia were reduced.

However, the shortage of paper in Europe has been described by Intergraf, the advocacy organization for European printing industries, as "unprecedented."

Intergraf said on March 10 that paper prices have increased by 45 percent on average in the last six months, even up to 80 percent for newsprint.

With digitization expected to continually reduce demand for newsprint, European manufacturers have been closing paper plants.

In Finland, the last major plant producing newsprint closed in the summer of 2020, and it was thought that newsprint production in the country would cease entirely.

However, the plant's owners United Paper Mills subsequently converted a smaller plant so it could produce newsprint. However, this plant has been affected by the Paper Workers Union strike, which is set to continue until at least mid-April.