Indian Journalists Union Body Slams Newsprint Duty In Central Budget

BENGALURU: The National Executive Committee of Indian Journalists Union (IJU) held at Bengaluru on July 6 and 7 had expressed deep concern at the imposition of a crippling duty of 10% on paper used by newspapers and magazines in the Central Budget.

The IJU leadership said that this hardship came at a time when the print media is facing stiff competition from digital media and advertising is low. This duty will wipe out whatever hopes there were for revival of small and medium print media, he said.

“Freedom of speech is not only for publisher’s writers and journalists but also for everyone as the key to opening windows for knowledge, innovation, challenging the stagnation and progress for economy and the society” the IJU stated.

It further stated that at a time when the newspapers were looking for some assistance from the government to tide over the financial problems due to declining advertisement revenues and increasing expenses, the duty is very unfortunate.

English newspapers that get good advertising support from government and private industry in the form of display and tender advertising can perhaps absorb this hike but tiny, medium and moderate sized language newspapers that now are spread all over the country will suffer the most, the journalists union said.

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