The Welsh Language Board has commissioned a report on the viability of Y Byd (The World), the Welsh-language newspaper which will be part-funded by public money from the Welsh Assembly.
The Shaping the Future of Newspapers blog said that Dr Tony Bianchi has been hired to look at the Welsh press ahead of the paper’s launch, expected some time this year, costing the Assembly in the region of £1m.
Bianchi’s report said: “The viability of a Welsh-language daily newspaper has not been fully demonstrated nor can it be fully demonstrated on the basis of market research or the performance of comparable initiatives elsewhere
“However, it has made a strong case in principle, can point to high levels of interest across its target market … and offers a cost/benefit ratio broadly consonant with other minority language publications of similar scale.”
The paper was set for launch in March last year but was postponed pending this report.
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