Community centers and neighborhood centers in Brabant can now apply for a free regional newspaper. This newspaper will be delivered starting November 1. It is a trial that lasts for 2 years. The opportunity for the free newspaper comes thanks to a motion from the SP. Irma Koopman is happy that the registration is now really starting. “We hope that everyone, from school children to the elderly, will enjoy it.”
Visitors of community centers and neighborhood centers can read a free regional newspaper starting in November. The Province of North Brabant makes a maximum of €160,000 available for this. In the community centers and neighborhood centers, there will be a regional newspaper every day for 2 years that the province pays for. DGP Media, publisher of the Brabant regional newspapers, provides the newspapers at a reduced rate. This will be the newspaper that is widely read in that region. It could be the Eindhovens Dagblad, BN de Stem, the Gelderlander, or the Brabants Dagblad.
With free newspapers in the community center or neighborhood house, we want to ensure that everyone has access to reliable information and news from their own environment.
Marc Oudenhoven, provincial executive
Marc Oudenhoven, provincial executive of North Brabant is charmed by the initiative: “The community center or neighborhood house is ideally a place to meet and discuss the news of the day. By offering newspapers for free, we want to ensure that everyone has easy access to reliable information and news from their own environment.”
Research Radboud University
The Province of North Brabant allocates money for this, following the provinces of Gelderland and Overijssel. Earlier this year, those provinces decided to extend a trial with the Gelderlander for two years. Research from Radboud University Nijmegen has already shown that people feel more connected to their environment after receiving a free subscription. They are more aware of what is happening in their region, which leads to greater involvement in society and the news.
With this project, DPG Media aims to make news accessible to as many people as possible. Also for Dutch people who do not have the financial means for it. Allard Besse, director of AD and the regional newspapers at DPG Media, says: “It is great that more and more provinces are embracing this initiative. By making newspapers available in village and city houses, we bring news even closer to people and together reduce the growing illiteracy and the gap in news consumption.”
Irma Koopman from the SP agrees. “A free newspaper for neighborhood and community centers has several goals: to better inform people of all ages, and to involve them in discussions about the news, but also to bring people together in their community center.”
Registration
The kick-off of the recruitment took place in community center MCF Oelbroeck in Sint Anthonis during National Neighbor Day. Community centers and neighborhood centers in North Brabant can register for a free newspaper until October 12. This can be done via the website of ’t Heft, a platform that represents the interests of Brabant community centers and supports them. There you will also find the conditions for participation.
