Norway has opened a public tender for local newspaper delivery in areas without commercial distribution networks, aiming to ensure that residents can continue receiving printed newspapers at home. The new state-funded contracts are scheduled to begin on 1 July 2027.
The Ministry of Transport (Samferdselsdepartementet) announced on 16 October that it is seeking companies to deliver newspapers on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, prioritising the days when most local newspapers publish their print editions.
According to the government’s announcement, bids must be submitted by 17 November 2026. The contracts will initially last one year, with the possibility of extending them for three additional one-year periods.
Unlike ordinary letter delivery, newspaper distribution can be provided by several operators. The government must therefore award the contracts through a competitive tender rather than directly assigning them to a single company.
Local newspaper delivery as a public service
The initiative reflects Norway’s approach to maintaining access to local journalism in communities where commercial distribution is not economically viable.
Transport Minister Kamzy Gunaratnam stressed that local newspapers provide information and opportunities for public participation that national media cannot always replace.
Local newspapers are important for giving people the opportunity to express themselves and stay informed about what happens in their communities.
Gunaratnam argued that local journalists are particularly close to the social, geographical and political realities of their communities. They report on developments and decisions that might otherwise receive little or no coverage.
The policy also follows recommendations from a government-appointed postal services committee, which proposed in 2024 that everyone should have access to printed newspaper deliveries at least three days a week.
Saturday newspaper deliveries will lose state funding
While the new contracts will maintain deliveries on three weekdays, the government does not intend to renew state-funded Saturday newspaper distribution when the existing arrangements expire on 30 June 2027.
Currently, Posten Bring handles deliveries on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays in areas without commercial networks, while Aktiv Norgesdistribusjon provides the Saturday service.
The decision to discontinue Saturday funding has already attracted political scrutiny.
In September, Remi Sølvberg, a member of parliament from the Red Party (Rødt), questioned the government about whether Saturday deliveries would remain available after summer 2027. His party had previously proposed making newspaper delivery a legal obligation six days a week, including in areas without commercial services.
In her response on 2 October, Gunaratnam defended the government’s focus on three fixed weekdays, noting that most local newspapers publish no more than three print editions per week. She also acknowledged that printed newspaper circulation had fallen by 7.3% in 2025, while stressing that print revenues remain important to Norwegian newspapers and that some residents still lack access to digital services.
The new tender therefore continues Norway’s public support for local newspaper distribution, while narrowing that support to the three weekdays the government considers most relevant for local journalism.
