|
The 51 new joint newspaper delivery centers set up under compromised new press laws earned a mere W130 million (US$1=W931) in fees this year, although the government spent W10 billion in taxpayers¡¯ money to establish the centers. The centers, which handle delivery of some newspapers, and have been criticized as sweeteners for pro-government newspapers. When sacking the former Vice Minister of Culture and Tourism Yoo Jin-ryong, Cheong Wa Dae cited his failure to promote the establishment of such centers as a reason. The newspapers using the centers declined to spend any money on them due to their parlous financial state.
Ostensibly designed to give residents of remote rural areas better access to choice of newspapers, the Newspaper Circulation Service set up most centers in Seoul and the well-supplied capital region. The government asked for a budget of W35 billion next year for the establishment of 223 new delivery centers. But the parliamentary Special Committee on Budget and Accounts on Sunday said that was excessive and asked the government to cut the budget by W25 billion.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
|
