Sýn ends broadcasts, leaving Iceland with one evening news show

Justice Minister Þorbjörg Sigríður Gunnlaugsdóttir has warned that Sýn’s decision to stop broadcasting its evening news leaves Iceland with only one television news programme. She made the comments in an interview with mbl.is.

“I am saddened that we have reached the point where there is only one television news programme,” Gunnlaugsdóttir said. She added that Iceland had already reached the point where only one printed newspaper remained.

“This is not healthy, it is not healthy for public debate,” she said. In a small and homogeneous society, she argued, the situation could be even more dangerous than in societies with more diverse viewpoints and voices.

Sýn’s final evening news broadcast was aired on Monday.

Gunnlaugsdóttir said she had valued having two evening news programmes and considered it important for more daily newspapers to be published. At the same time, she said it was clear that people’s sources of news and the age distribution of audiences were changing, pointing to social media.

“And if social media are beginning to be on a par with the media, that brings obvious challenges and obvious dangers,” she said.