Advertising, Estonia, Internet, Markets and Companies

From Monday, Postimees ceased full publication of its articles in the internet; Eesti Päevaleht is planning to do the same in autumn.

At the end of the year 2009, Postimees might start charging fees for reading the paper version's articles on its website. "I do not know exactly when this will happen, but we are planning to charge money for the use of the archive and reading of the paper versions," said the editor-in-chief of Postimees Merit Kopli.

Since June, Eesti Päevaleht has also restricted full access to one article of its issues in the online version. Editor-in-chief of Eesti Päevaleht Lea Larin noted that the newspaper will in autumn impose further restrictions to the volume of its articles on the website.

Managing director of the Estonian Association of Newpapers Toomas Leito commented that the newspapers are struggling economically. "Advertising revenue, including internet advertising revenue, has fallen by a third and more. It is clear that the economic situation is one of the causes why such solutions are searched," he explained.

Õhtuleht will decide in near future whether it will leave all of its articles in the internet to be read free of charge or go along with the trend.