CPNE hails government's new method of advertisements' payment

The Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE) has welcomed the notification of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for introducing new payment procedure of the govt advertisements to newspapers, periodicals and TV channels.
In a joint statement here on Saturday, CPNE President Arif Nizami and Secretary General Dr Jabbar Khattak said it was a long-standing demand of the CPNE with the federal government to give 85 percent share of the advertising dues to the newspapers directly through Press Information Department (PID) and remaining of 15 percent share as commission to the related advertising agency.
The CPNE has also welcomed the decision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and Special Assistant on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan to pay 100 percent payments of the classified advertisement to the newspapers and periodicals directly.
The CPNE President and Secretary General said the decision of direct payments would provide immediate relief to the newspapers, media houses, journalists and other media workers.
They further demanded that the relevant stakeholders should implement in letter and spirit the government's decision/notification immediately.
Arif Nizami and Dr Khattak recalled that the media industry is still waiting for the implementation of government's circular dated February 03, 2017 envisaging attachment of Original Bill/Invoice of Publications with each advertisement Claim in addition to agencies' own invoices.
The CPNE leaders expressed their concern over unfair distribution of government advertisements to regional newspapers and hoped that the Federal Ministry of Information would do away the present unfair distribution of the government's advertisements to local medium & small newspapers through transparent and a legitimate share of public.
They further said the governments support to their institutions during the time of severe economic crisis therefore, our government has to play its role to bring out country's print media including local small & medium newspapers from this crisis.-PR