Free access to news makes a difference for people with limited budgets: “Better informed and more involved in society” | News

People with a limited budget who receive free access to HLN not only feel better informed after one year, but also more connected to society. This is evident from a large-scale study by Windesheim University of Applied Sciences, conducted on behalf of DPG Media, into the project in which 5,000 free subscriptions were donated to people with a limited budget.

For the study, 126 readers of ‘Het Laatste Nieuws’ and the Dutch daily newspaper ‘Het Parool’ were followed up for a year. They completed an extensive questionnaire three times: before the start of their subscription, after six months and again after twelve months. The conclusion is clear: participants experience more access to news, understand the news better and feel more able to participate in discussions about what is happening in the world.

Positive effects are also visible in the longer term. In this way, many participants grow in confidence in their own abilities and feel more connected to their environment and society. There are also indications that trust in institutions is also increasing, although the researchers emphasize that this requires longer research.

Striking: the subscription did not necessarily lead to more news consumption. Many participants were already interested in current affairs, but did not have access to quality journalism due to financial reasons. This is precisely where the free subscription appears to make a big difference.

DPG Media started the project several years ago with the Dutch daily newspaper ‘De Gelderlander’, but expanded it to other newspapers in 2024, including HLN. Every year, 5,000 free subscriptions are distributed through organizations such as the Armoedefonds Foundation, Quiet and Netwerk tegen Poverty.

Even before the project ended, DPG Media decided to continue it. “Although news is not free, we believe it should remain accessible to everyone,” says CEO Erik Roddenhof. “This project shows that access to reliable journalism helps people feel more connected and involved in society.”