Y Byd (The World) was an attempt to launch the first
Welsh language daily newspaper. It was scheduled to be published five days a week, from Monday to Friday, as of Monday 3 March 2008. However, on 15 February 2008, the proposed newspaper's owners, Dyddiol, abandoned the plans, citing 'insufficient' funding from the
Welsh Assembly Government.
Publication was initially held up by the need to find sufficient subscribers, causing several delays to proposed launch dates. Prior to the cessation of its plans, £300,000 worth of subscriptions had been placed and staff were being employed. The company was hoping to attract 5,000 subscribers ahead of the planned launch. The paper was due to employ 24 people from headquarters in
Machynlleth and receive funding from
Powys County Council.
The editor for
Y Byd was due to be Aled Price, a former
BBC Cymru journalist, with Catrin Rogers, a local newspaper editor in London, deputising. (Editors' names for
Y Byd),
BBC News Online, 28 November 2006
The paper would have cost
70p daily, with Friday's copy — which would have included a weekend supplement — retailing at £1.20.
Y Byd abandoned
On 5 February 2008, the Welsh Assembly minister for the Welsh language, heritage and culture
Plaid Cymru's
Rhodri Glyn Thomas, announced a subsidy grant of £200,000 to Welsh language newspapers and magazines every year for the next three years.,
BBC News Online, 5 February 2008 However, the grant was...
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