House of Burgess

A long time ago on this very blog, I suggested that we as a country institute mandatory newspaper subscriptions for everyone in the country with a net, after-tax income of $30,000 a year.
Now, after seeing the following story today, I feel somewhat vindicated:

French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced on Friday that France will offer free newspaper subscriptions to teens, in an effort to increase readership among the young and give a boost to the ailing print industry.

Sarkozy plans to offer French citizens who have just turned 18 their pick of any of the nation’s major news publications for a year; the publishers will provide the papers, and the state will absorb delivery fees.

The measure is intended to encourage young people to embrace print. In a speech to publishers Sarkozy asserted, “The habit of reading the press is learned very young.” The French president hopes the move will give falling newspaper sales a boost and give the industry time to adapt to the “changing media landscape,” according to the Associated Press. The government is also increasing its support of delivery fees and will spend more on newspaper advertisements.

Some are skeptical of Sarkozy’s motives, citing his personal ties to the media industry. In France, he is known as the “télé-président” because of his preoccupation with how he is portrayed publicly, as well as his apparent influence over certain media sectors.

In October, Sarkozy launched a crusade to save the French press, which included loosening restrictions on ownership. At the time, he was criticized for attempting to curry favor with the media giants such as the CEO of France’s largest private TV channel, who happens to be Sarkozy's close friend.