Cost of national newspapers may face an increase

CAIRO – 8 August 2018: Head of the Egyptian Press Syndicate and Chairman of Al-Ahram, Abdel Mohsen Salama, confirmed that there is a possibility that prices of national newspapers will increase.

A meeting with the boards of national newspapers and editors of private press institutions will be held on Wednesday to discuss the increase in the price of paper and printing at the authority’s headquarters.

Head of Egypt’s National Press Authority, Karam Gabr, added that all the proposals will be compiled and evaluated for a collective decision regarding these current conditions.
Salama hoped that the government would help support the press as it is an important industry in Egypt.

"In this particular situation, we need to preserve the press industry. The press is an instrument of society enlightenment and we have to make sure it continues,” said Salama.
Salama added that there is a possibility the daily national print newspapers will cost LE 3. Meanwhile, weekly papers will cost LE 4.

Private newspapers are also going through a difficult phase in light of the increased cost of paper and printing. It is a daily challenge between providing services to readers and having to bear the heavy financial burdens placed on them. Hence, this causes them to increase the price of the print copies.

Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Printing and Publishing House, Saad Selim, said that the meeting will discuss ways to rationalize distribution expenses as well as increasing paper prices.

Selim pointed out that the increase in paper prices is a concern for press organizations, especially after the 100 percent increase.

The National Press Authority pointed out that this comes within the framework of preserving the long history of Egyptian press and trying to look for alternative solutions that can help preserve this industry.

Khaled Salah, chairman of the board of directors and editor-in-chief of Al-Youm Al-Sabaa Newspaper; Abdel-Moneim Saeed, chairman of Al-Masry Al-Youm; Adel Hamouda, editor-in-chief of Al-Fajr newspaper; Essam Kamel, editor-in-chief of Al-Dostour Newspaper; and heads of the boards of national press organizations will attend the meeting.

Mostafa Bakri, a member of the House of Representatives and the editor-in-chief of El-osbo'a said: “Everyone is suffering from this crisis and the printing press is threatened to stop and its journalists are threatened with homelessness.”