Christian media outlets in Norway struggle financially

The Christian radio channel P7 Kristen Riksradio reported last autumn that it was necessary to cut costs due to a failure in income. Laying off employees and terminating contracts were some of the measures the board considered necessary to get back on track, reports the Norwegian daily Dagen.

Furthermore, the radio station will reduce its DAB distribution in certain areas to reduce expenses. This means it will be more difficult for listeners in some regions of Norway to receive the channel. However, in practice, most people will not notice anything: "Listeners will, in practice, receive many of our same programs through the new concessionaire", managing director Ole Kristian Sameien says to Dagen.

Waters

The Christian magazine Agenda 3:16 is also in stormy waters financially. To survive, the magazine is dismissing three of its six employees. This means that the staff will be reduced already after the first year of operation for Agenda 3:16 as a separate limited company. The business was separated from the Lutheran missionary organisation Normisjon last year.

"For us, this is very sad, but at the same time, we see it as important that the magazine should survive. We have been in rather rough waters; it has been extremely demanding. Therefore, we had to take action to survive", says chairman Eidsaa to the Christian press agency KPK. According to Eidsaa, the magazine will be slimmed down since two journalists must leave the editorial office.

Eidsaa claims that price increases due to the war in Ukraine have created what he calls "a toxic cocktail" for the magazine. "The costs of paper and distribution have been challenging, and although we have had high subscription numbers, the development has not gone in the right direction either."