The National Newspapers of Ireland has demanded Public Expenditure and Reform Minister Brendan Howlin rethink a last-minute amendment he wants to make to the Freedom of Information bill.

Budding journalists of the future were honoured yesterday at the inaugural awards ceremony for an educational project devised by the National Newspapers of Ireland.

The Irish Examiner has attracted an extra 8,000 readers over the last 12 months, cementing the newspaper’s dominance of the Munster newspaper market where it has more readers than the Irish Times and Irish Independent combined.

The National Newspapers of Ireland yesterday urged the Government to scrap the €15 fee payable for freedom of information requests and called for proposed changes to FoI law to be expanded to allow for more openness and transparency.

Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte has slapped down a bid by his Cabinet colleague Alan Shatter to introduce tougher privacy laws for the media.

THERE is a fight under way that will have an enormous bearing on the future of the news industry in Ireland.

Irish Examiner sports writer Ewan MacKenna has been named as Sports Reporter of the Year at the annual National Newspapers of Ireland awards ceremony in Dublin yesterday.

Three Irish Examiner journalists are in the running for prestigious prizes at the National Newspapers of Ireland annual awards.

Reading newspapers at the back of the classroom won’t be frowned on in some schools any more as thousands of students will soon take part in a major initiative to encourage them to read a daily title while also improving their literacy skills.

The ability of newspapers to act as an appealing and intellectually engaging medium for advertising was highlighted at an awards ceremony in Dublin last night.

The Irish Examiner was the only broadsheet newspaper in Ireland to increase its readership last year.

The Government was criticised for failing to publicly endorse its own expert report on alcohol.

THREE Irish Examiner journalists have been shortlisted for the inaugural National Newspapers of Ireland (NNI) Journalism Awards.

A CALL for the appointment of a specialist minister for media — with a remit encompassing all media outlets — was made by the National Newspapers of Ireland (NNI) last night.

THE Irish newspaper industry is in “a good place” and not in danger of being consumed by digital media, according to the sector’s representative body.

THE Irish Mail on Sunday has said it will not be repeating last weekend’s stunt of selling copies of the paper using the Sunday Tribune’s masthead and design.

RTÉ executives have dismissed as “unfair” accusations that the broadcaster’s online content represents improper competition to the newspaper industry.

THE future of the Irish newspaper industry is threatened by public service broadcaster RTÉ’s dominance of the advertising market, the Oireachtas communication committee was informed yesterday.

THE National Newspapers of Ireland has called on the Government to implement existing EU and Irish legislation to ensure RTÉ is not allowed to use state funding to finance the broadcaster’s commercial services.

SOARING unemployment and population decline have been blamed for a slight drop in newspaper readership over the past year.

THE body representing most of the country’s newspapers has condemned the decision to grant additional advertising airtime to independent TV channels on the basis that all sections of the media are feeling the effects of the economic downturn.

THE print media’s national representative body, National Newspapers of Ireland (NNI), with the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland (IBI) has strongly criticised proposals aimed at increasing the amount of advertising allowable on commercial television.

CONTROVERSY erupted yesterday when the former lover of murder accused Eamon Lillis was allowed to use a secure underground entrance to the Criminal Courts of Justice complex in Dublin to avoid photographers.

Cork: The National Newspapers of Ireland (NNI) has announced an expansion of its membership to include the 36 local and regional newspapers owned by its member publishers.

NATIONAL Newspapers of Ireland has reported an increase in spend on press advertising last year to €367 million.

THE readership of daily newspapers in Ireland has jumped by almost 6%, according to the latest Joint National Readership Survey (JNRS).

THE appointment of a national press ombudsman has been welcomed by the newspaper industry.

CITIZENS wronged by inaccurate reporting in newspapers and magazines should find it easier to obtain apologies or clarifications once a regulatory system takes effect later this year.

YESTERDAY’S announcement, naming the members of the first Irish Press Council, is a welcome and long-awaited milestone in the evolution of how Irish society and Ireland’s print media interact.

TÁNAISTE Michael McDowell yesterday gave his full backing to the independent press ombudsman and press council proposed by the print media and journalists.

NATIONAL Newspapers of Ireland (NNI) has launched a creative initiative entitled The Essential Pleasure Of My Newspaper.

NEWSPAPER advertising sales hit €331 million in 2005, an increase of 15% over 2004.

ADVERTISERS spent over €244 million in national newspaper advertising during the first three-quarters of this year, marking an increase of 16.9%.

THREE homegrown companies picked up almost €3 million in free advertising yesterday as the country’s national newspapers rewarded creativity in advertising.

A SURGE in advertising sales at the Irish Examiner helped fuel a 20% increase in first-half advertising revenue in the country’s major national newspapers.

THREE indigenous food and drink brands are to be marketed in a €2.7m newspaper advertising campaign at no cost to the owners.

THE National Newspapers of Ireland (NNI) creative advertising awards Grand Prix award has been won by the Chemistry agency.

STRONG advertising sales at the Irish Examiner helped push advertising revenue at member titles of the National Newspapers of Ireland (NNI) ahead by almost 18% during the first quarter of 2005.

AN increase of 13.5% in spend pushed advertising in national newspapers to a record €287 million in 2004.

National Newspapers of Ireland (NNI), the umbrella group representing the newspaper industry, will admit British newspapers with Irish editions to its membership from next month.

IRISH national newspapers’ advertising revenues rose 12.6% to €142.6 million in the first six months of the year.

THE Irish Examiner's readership base remains rock solid in the face of intense competition, the latest figures from the Joint National Readership Survey (JNRS) reveal.

ADVERTISING in Irish newspapers got a welcome shot in the arm in the final quarter of 2003.

The National Newspapers of Ireland (NNI), which represents the country’s leading newspapers, has called for a press council based on the independent Swedish model rather than one based on statutory regulations being advocated by the Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, who has proposed the council be comprised entirely of government nominees.