Press association calls for help

MEDAN, North Sumatra: The North Sumatran chapter of the Association of Newspaper Publishers (SPS) is calling on the government to save five weekly newspapers here that are on the brink of bankruptcy due to the skyrocketing price of newsprint.

"Please listen and save us, as we are small newspaper publishers," chairman of the local SPS and managing directors of the five weeklies said in a joint statement yesterday.

Signed by the chairman of the province's SPS chapter, Fauddin Daulay, and the managing directors of the five ailing weeklies, the statement was sent to SPS headquarters in Jakarta, the office of the minister of trade and industry, the information minister, PT. Aspex Paper, and the provincial administration.

The five ailing weeklies are Demi Masa, Dobrak, Bintang Sport Film, Taruna Baru, and Persada.

After a lengthy and tough negotiation, the Indonesian Pulp and Paper Association (APKI) and SPS agreed last month to set a new price of newsprint at about US$550 per ton.

The rupiah's sharp depreciation against the dollar is the main reason for the price hike, and SPS has said that APKI was "too selfish in determining the price".

The five ailing weeklies have agreed to stop publishing until the economic difficulties can be overcome and will stop distributing free copies to civil and military offices. (mds)