Source: Hueiyen News Network
Imphal, January 03 2008:
THE DISAGREEMENT between the newspaper publishers and the newspaper distributors over the hike of commission for the distributors went on for the fourth day today.
The distributors/hawkers did not carry newspapers today also.
Meanwhile, the Newspaper Publishers Forum, Manipur had stated that the price of eight-page newspapers printed in colour has been increased to Rs 3 per copy due to the excessive increase in the prices of the materials required in bringing out newspapers, and the distributors are paid Re 1 as commission per copy.
However, since the distributors say that the commission is not much and not upto their expectation, they have stopped distributing the newspapers from January 1 this year.
Paying Re 1 as commission in distributing a copy of a news paper of which price is Rs 3 is quite reasonable.
But it is not right on the part of the distributors to trample the right to information of the people by stopping distribution of newspapers, the Forum stated.
Even though the distributors have stopped distributing newspapers, publication of the newspapers is still continuing.
Readers may come to the offices of the press and collect the newspapers, the Forum stated and informed the distributors not to obstruct when readers come to collect the newspapers from the press.