SIR TONY O’REILLY, chief executive of Independent News & Media, believes that the newspaper industry should mobilise itself to counteract copyright theft over the internet, writes Brian Carey.

O’Reilly has raised the possibility of the European Newspaper Publishers Association bringing a “Napster-style” action against those who breach newspaper copyright. He said that he raised the issue with other publishers and believed that the print media would have a strong case.

“I can see the newspaper industry getting together the same way as the recording industry got together, except in a more effective way,” said O’Reilly. “A journalist’s work is valuable, it needs to be protected.”

In an interview with The Sunday Times, the newspaper publisher dismissed the notion that the print industry was a “sunset industry”.

“It is a sunrise industry,” said O’Reilly. “Newspapers are tactile, hugely cheap, reliable, go with a cup of coffee. You can trust newspaper writers. Can you trust a blogger?” O’Reilly said that the newspaper industry would also challenge the rise of the internet as an advertising medium. A whole range of goods would not be congenial to be advertised “on a PC”, he said.

There were also signs that PC penetration was levelling off, which had implications for online advertising.

O’Reilly also indicated that he will more than likely see out his three-year contract as chairman of Eircom, despite speculation that he would step down in the coming months.

Eircom last week announced that it plans to purchase mobile operator Meteor for €420m.