KL News Network
Srinagar
Kashmir Editors Guild (KEG) Monday welcomed the various measures announced by the government for improving the functioning of the media units operating in the state.
In a statement issued here, KEG said that the government’s decision to increase the advertisement tariff by 50 percent will go a long way in addressing various concerns of the print media Industry.
The government’s decision is in tune with the Industry requirement as the printing cost had gone up manifold over the past three years. The media units in the state were finding it hard to cope with the increased cost of printing and the ever increasing market demands, the hike will also help the sector grow better, KEG said.
The KEG thanked the Chief Minister Ms Mehbooba Mufti for her decision of addressing the rate anomalies across different categories of newspapers.
Pertinently, KEG in a detailed meeting with the state Chief Minister held last month had raised the issues of inflation, cost escalation and the rate anomalies prevalent among the various newspaper categories empaneled for government advertisements.
The Editors body also hailed the government for announcing to set up an Aiwaan-e-Sahafat (Kashmir Press Centre) by the end of March this year.
“The setting up of a Press Centre was a vital demand put forth by KEG and the government’s decision to set up this vital institution will ensure a healthy growth of media in the state,” the statement added.
The KEG also welcomed the government’s announcement of modernizing and reviewing various age old laws governing the media industry.
“KEG hopes that the new laws formed will envisage the new and modern media and will truly explain the freedom of the speech enshrined in the constitution”.
The editor’s body also hailed the efforts of the government to bring clarity and transparency in the state’s press accreditation system and make it in tune with the modern and improved system.
KEG wishes to keep on record the serious efforts that J&K’s finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu made in understanding the issues that media is confronted with.
