MISA-Zimbabwe Alert

7 November 2008

Zimpapers suspends the circulation of its publications

The Zimbabwe Newspapers group (Zimpapers) has reportedly stopped the circulation of its two publications, the monthly magazine Trends and the weekly Matabeleland vernacular tabloid Umthunywa due to critical shortages of newsprint.

The newsprint shortages have also forced the group to scale down its operations resulting in other newspapers within the stable to print fewer pages.

Other newspapers within the stable include the Herald, the Chronicle, the Sunday Mail, the Sunday News and Kwayedza.

Suppliers of newsprint said that they were operating under harsh conditions due to the shortage of raw material, fuel and the erratic electricity supplies.

A tonne of newsprint at one of the country’s leading newsprint manufacturers, the Mutare Board and Paper Mills (MBPM) is settled in coupons amounting to 740 litres.

The rise in cost the of newsprint has affected the cover prices of most newspapers in the country, thereby negatively affecting newspaper sales that are influenced by the daily Z$500 000 limit.

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