Iran’s Culture Ministry seeking to save national press in current recession
TEHRAN.(Iranart) – Deputy Culture Minister for Press Affairs Mohammad Soltanifar said on Sunday that the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance is seeking to save the newspapers, which are at the risk of closure in the wake of the current economic recession.
Over the past few weeks, the high price and shortage of newsprint paper and a reluctance by firms to advertise in the press have led to the closure of several newspapers, including Hambastegi.
“A committee has been established by the Press Department to nullify the effects of the paper crisis on the press and help pull the newspapers out of the current recession.
“Unfortunately, we are witnessing the silent closure of the press due to financial problems and the deep economic recession. This is a regrettable path. The press is not just a cultural field on its own. It is linked and adversely affected by many economic factors,” he lamented.
Soltanifar further said that the advertisements are good sources of income for the press but they can only exist when the economy is flourishing.
“Advertisements from the public and private sectors are the main source of income for the newspapers and these sectors have also faced problems due to the current adverse economic atmosphere,” he concluded.