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APNS says federal government owes Rs1.6b to newspapers in advertising liabilities
JournalismPakistan.com | Published: 11 September 2018
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The All Pakistan Newspapers Society has alerted Prime Minister Imran Khan about the dire circumstances facing the newspaper industry due to unpaid advertising liabilities. The Rs1.6 billion owed by the government is crucial for the survival of many small newspapers.Summary
ISLAMABAD – The All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) on Tuesday attempted to draw the attention of Prime Minister Imran Khan to the bleak situation of the newspaper industry.
Through an advertisement published in leading national dailies titled ‘Newspapers are dying, Mr Prime Minister, on your watch,’ the APNS said the federal government owed a staggering Rs1.6 billion to newspapers in advertising liabilities.
It said currently the government advertising is at a standstill, which is affecting the overall newspaper industry.
It pointed out that the small and regional newspapers are getting more affected because they rely solely on government advertising. “They are facing the maximum brunt of it to the extent that most of these are on the verge of closure.”
The APNS said this will lead to unemployment of thousands of employees. It said that the Pak Rupee to US dollar parity has gone up and the rate of newsprint has doubled in the past six months. “All this has contributed to the bleak situation of the newspaper industry in Pakistan.
“To implement your vision for Naya Pakistan, the media needs your immediate attention towards the crisis that will help the traditional media survive and flourish."
Key Points
- APNS claims the federal government owes Rs1.6 billion to newspapers.
- Government advertising has come to a standstill, affecting the industry.
- Small and regional newspapers are particularly vulnerable to closure.
- Rising newsprint costs have doubled in the last six months.
- The crisis could lead to significant unemployment in the media sector.
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