That’s a pretty freedom of speech…
- 1.12.2008, 14:16
The regime has created very strange conditions for independent newspapers “Nasha Niva” and “Narodnaya Volya” to be returned into the state system of distribution.
The newspapers can be thrown out from the distribution network any moment, and the number of copies in sale can be limited endlessly.
As “Nasha Niva” informs, according to contracts, “Belsayuzdruk” and “Belposhta” are to charge 55% of the cost price.
“It is much more difficult to create and publish a newspaper than to buy it. Trade margin for foodstuffs is limited, and here the price is speculative. The contract is drawn up in the way that newspapers can be thrown out of the distribution system any moment, and the number of copies in sale can be limited endlessly,” the newspaper notes.
According to the newspaper, there are three points in the contracts:
1) Contract can be cancelled if distribution would be profitless (can you imagine profits when 55% are charged?), but there are no criteria of profitability offered.
2) Contract can be cancelled if more than 30% of print run would be returned (last year there was a leak of information that 50% of state-run newspapers are returned, however, all of them are still sold in kiosks).
3) If more than 10% of newspapers are returned, “Sayuzdruk” has a right to cud down circulation taken for sales.
Return is a term for calling number of unsold newspapers. There is no way to check reliability of the information about the return of newspaper.
“We have been hoaxed for three years, we were told about “economic inexpedience of contract”, and who will believe them now?” the editorial office of “Nasha Niva” asks.
By the way, “Belsayuzdruk” took for sales limited number of copies, for instance, only 2,500 copies of “Narodnaya Volya” will be sold in Minsk, and 1,400 copies of “Nasha Niva”. It means about 4 copies in one kiosk. They would be distributed unequally, from 20 to 2 in one kiosk.
“Narodnaya Volya” to be issued two times a week, on Tuesday and Friday.
Contracts foresee that it would be possible for it to be published daily. There are no details about accreditation of reporters, possibilities of distribution through shops and other conditions of normal work of mass media.
“NN” will return to kiosks starting from the next issue. At the same time there is no confidence that it will appear in all regions simultaneously. The code of the newspaper is to appear in subscription catalogues.
As we have informed, newspapers “Novy Chas”, “SN. Plus” (subscription). “Tovarishch”, “Borisovskie Novosti”, “Vitsebskiy Kurjer-M”, “Volnae Hlybokae”, “Gazeta Slonimskaya”, “Hantsevitski Chas”, “Intex-press” (Baranavichy), “Gazeta dlya vas”, “Babrujski kurjer”.