Press distribution system on the brink of extinction

The situation for ​​distribution of printed media continues to deteriorate, forcing the best-selling newspaper editors to meet in the Zerkalo newspaper office on Friday and discuss ways of overcoming the crisis.

     The editor of Yeni Musavat, Rauf Arifoglu, said that the new kiosks, which appeared in the central streets of Baku, practically do not sell newspapers, and are engaged in the sale of refreshment and alcoholic drinks, cigarettes, etc.

     The traditional monopoly of the market - the company GASID is on the edge of bankruptcy and about 150 stalls of this company have been withdrawn. GASID cannot pay the editorial offices for the newspapers sold.

      "Sales of our newspaper by GASID reduced from 5,000 to 2,500 and we lose 8,000 manat a month," he said.

     The same situation occurs with the company Metbuat Yayim, which distributes periodicals in the regions. The sale of independent newspapers in the subway stations has been almost suspended by the Metroservis firm.

     The only independent firm engaged in press distribution - Gaya continues to lose its kiosks in Baku and Sumgait. It has also suffered serious losses in the delivery of newspapers by subscription.

     All subscriptions are now concentrated at the company Caspian, which is patronized by the head of the socio-political department of the Presidential Administration Ali Hasanov. According to some reports, almost all state-budgetary organizations are forced to use the services of this company and make a prepayment. The firm’s annual revenue from subscription has reached nearly 8 million manat.

     The editor of the newspaper Azadlig (No 2 in the volume of the sale), Rahim Hajibeyli, also complained of the worsening situation. He noted that the Department of Commerce of the City Hall of Baku prohibits street vendors to sell Azadlig and Yeni Musavat.

     Azerbaijan has fewer news stalls per capita than most other developed countries. According to the Najaf Najafov Research Fund, in developed countries, a kiosk typically serves 1-2 thousand readers, and in Azerbaijan there is one kiosk per 15,000 people.

    In 4,762 villages of the country there are almost no newspaper kiosks. In the entire country, there are about 600 stalls and newspaper retail outlets, or only 60 stalls for every million people. In Russia the figure is 333, in the U.S. it is 600, and in Europe it is 1,000 to 1,250.

     In October a group of media leaders sent a letter to President Ilham Aliyev in connection with the situation on the dissemination of publications. The editor asked the President to intervene to solve these problems, but there was no answer.

     At today's meeting in the Zerkalo editorial office it was decided to meet with the head of the socio-political department of the Presidential Administration Ali Hasanov, to discuss the problem. The editors are ready to submit their draft vision for ways out of the crisis. -0 –