Newspaper price to increase soon

The price of the newspaper tabloid in Cameroon which is currently 400 CFA francs could be increased in the coming months, to 500 CFA francs, says media owners.

This possible increase in paper was communicated as a concern from the Federation of newspaper publishers (FEDIPRESSE) who doubled up initiatives with the customs administration, of the national communication Council (NCC) and the exclusive distributor of newspapers, MESSAPRESSE.

Editors believe, by adding 19.25 percent VAT (value added tax) on the paper, "this commodity will be inaccessible, reason why we believe that the Government must intervene so that the press houses do not die in Cameroon”, they indicated. The main concern of the publishers is the fact that media companies do not have a financial base to deal with a new increase in inputs, as the print media (press)sector is doing badly in Cameroon".

Following the last increase in the price of newspapers which took place less than ten years ago, from 300 CFA francs to 400 CFA francs, the publishers assert that "this increase did not benefit them on the contrary, it make their paper affordable to just a few people , the larger number of people who couldn't afford simply walked away; So instead of gaining, we made losses”