FK Distribution ties local papers to weekly advertisements

Residents who want local newspapers delivered will also have to receive advertisements, DR reports, after FK Distribution takes over distribution of many local papers and adverts on November 1.

The distributor says it is too costly to deliver local newspapers on their own. In a letter to households, it has asked people to select five different advertisements for weekly delivery. Anyone who does not make a selection will receive the full package. Households can also opt out of both the newspapers and advertisements together.

Mike White of Aalborg, who says he only wants his weekly newspaper, called the arrangement “almost mafia methods”. He said he had originally agreed to receive the paper alone and did not consider it his job to rescue the distributor’s finances. White said he was now leaning towards giving up the paper.

Hanne Jensen, also from Aalborg, said receiving five advertisements to get one newspaper was a waste of resources. She does not want the adverts delivered only to throw them away, citing environmental concerns.

In North Jutland, the Nordjyske Media House, which distributes the free newspaper ligeher.nu among other publications, has previously handled much of the delivery. Its chief executive, Lars Guldbrandsson, said the company disagreed with FK Distribution’s decision and feared some people would cancel their newspapers. That could also mean advertisers would not reach those households, he said.

FK Distribution chief executive Bjarne Munck said in a written response that local newspapers are under heavy pressure and that, in the current market, distributing them alone is not realistic. He said households had been notified directly and could change their choices or opt out completely.