4 July 2002

Alert

Cover price of government-owned newspaper cut in half




(WAN/IFEX) - In a 3 July 2002 letter to Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski, WAN and the World Editors Forum (WEF) expressed serious concern over a 50% reduction in the cover price of the government-owned "Vecer" newspaper in the run-up to elections.




According to reports, the publishing house Nova Makedonija, in which the government owns a 70% stake, has reduced the cover price of the daily "Vecer" from 10 MKD (approx. US$0.16) to 5 MKD (approx. US$0.08). While accepting that price reductions may form a valid part of publishing strategy, WAN and WEF expressed their concern that Nova Makedonija, one of the country's biggest loss-making companies, may in effect be "dumping" "Vecer" at the tax-payers' expense simply to increase pro-government coverage in the run-up to elections. The two organisations noted that the "Vecer" price cut has occurred in difficult economic conditions; indeed, many privately-owned publishers reportedly feel that prices must rise to cover increasing costs.

Recommended Action


Send appeals to the prime minister:
- calling on him to ensure that government funds are not used to finance the price cut of "Vecer" and that in future Nova Makedonija competes with privately-owned publishers on a level playing field

Appeals To


The Right Honourable Ljubco Georgievski
Prime Minister of Macedonia
E-mail: office@primeminister.gov.mk

Please copy appeals to WAN.





Source:

World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers
96 bis, rue Beaubourg
75003 Paris
France
alison.meston (@) wan-ifra.org
Phone: +33 14 742 8537
Fax: +33 14 278 9233
 

Stay on top of free expression news.

Sign up to receive the weekly IFEX Communiqué.


Macedonia

IFJ supports campaign for independent journalism and pluralism 8 July 2011 IFJ calls for A1TV network to be allowed to continue broadcasting following political and judicial pressure 2 February 2011 Premises of A1 TV headquarters allegedly blocked by police in Skopje 29 November 2010 IFJ condemns television call for violence against journalists 19 May 2010 "Shqip Media" newspaper journalists stopped and searched by police on their way to cover election campaign 12 March 2009 See all alerts: Macedonia


 
The International Freedom of Expression eXchange (IFEX) is a global network of 95 organisations working to defend and promote the right to free expression.
Permission is granted for material on this website to be reproduced or republished in whole or in part provided the source member and/or IFEX is cited with a link to the original item.