Gov’t working to curtail popping Newspapers

ESAT News

February 05, 2014

In an attempt to restrain some popping up newspapers in Ethiopia, the Government Communications Affairs Office is distributing questionnaires to media outlets and traders claiming that it is aimed at ‘correcting the distribution of newspapers and magazines’, sources state.

The preliminary findings for this study attest “distributors of newspapers and magazines have illegally controlled the market to increase press outputs that the government does not want”. The study is funded by the United Kingdom (UK) government.  Following the findings of the study, major wholesalers that have been distributing press outputs so far may be prosecuted for legal issues such as taxation and the distribution work could be passed on to Small and Medium Enterprises.

Insiders say the government plans to indirectly control the distribution and kick other outlets out of the market under administrative pretexts. The questionnaire poses about the process of distribution, returned newspapers and magazines and problems in distribution. The Office is also studying ways of giving ‘sustainable subsidy’ to press outputs that the government considers are ‘not threats’ to the regime.

Lately, the government has been connecting some press outputs with ‘extremism’ and some pro government social media groups that are supported by the government are accusing them of getting support from Ginbot 7 Movement. Fearing that the government may be preparing to close magazines that it considers ‘dangerous’, journalists are airing their opposition.