Should Sarkozy's measures be copied in the UK?

I am not really sure what to make of the French presidents attempts at reviving the newspaper industry announced yesterday afternoon.

Briefly Sarkozy has pledged 600m euro to prop up the industry and announcing that every 18 year old will get a free subscription to a newspaper of their choice.

The obviously negatives to this are that it will be seen as an interference in the media by the French government rather along the lines of the influence that his counterpart in Italy wields.

However like other industries it is in trouble and what is the difference between propping the media as opposed to propping up say the car industry.

Is it a model for this.Well we already to a certain extent subsidise broadcasting but is this a viable way of supporting local and regional news?

With the industry continuing to shed jobs there is a possibility that certain areas of information essential to maintain the democratic process may simply disappear.Should therefore the government decide that maintaining the democratic process is as important as supporting the banks.

Without information to engage in democracy,democracy in itself becomes undermined.