Since August 2001, the Mercator Centre at the University of Wal

aware that many minority papers share similar problems, and were very keen to
discuss them.
One of the central ways of ensuring the success of these papers is to have a core of
subscribers. Subscription will normally be for a period of one year through an up-
front payment. There are many advantages to subscription. In the case of some papers,
it is significantly cheaper to buy them through subscription as the price for occasional
purchase is higher. Other papers offer free cinema tickets, along with discounts for
other popular goods and activities.
Technology also plays a leading role in the running of these papers. Although they are
printed on paper, many of the production processes are highly computerised, e.g. the
subscription system. It is also possible for journalists to send their work effectively
and efficiently via e-mail, with readers in Finland using the Internet to send
photographs of their children to the newspaper.
To safeguard the papers, there is often a wide ownership. This prevents powerful
individuals or groups, who may not be interested in the paper, its language or
community, from taking over the newspaper. In the case of Flensborg Avis, the daily
newspaper for Danes in Germany, 1,500 out of a population of 50,000 are
shareholders. Also, if any shares in the newspaper are sold, the editor must approve
the buyer.
Apart from Mercator’s initial input into the European Society of Minority Language
Press, it was not possible for Wales to take any further part in it as there is no daily
Welsh language newspaper. Wales has a population of a little under 3 million and
according to figures in the last census (2001), 16.3% (457,000) of the population are
able to speak, read and write the language. 575,000 say they can speak the language,
whilst 797,000 say they can understand the language.
As there is and never has been a daily Welsh language newspaper, much of the
research has focussed on learning whether the people of Wales would welcome such a
publication. Independent research was undertaken whereby people were asked