15:27 Jun 11 2014 Germany, European Union
The German working group for mid-sized publishers (AMV) criticized new regulations agreed upon by the national press wholesaler Presse-Grosso, which distributes the majority of the country’s print media. The new regulations were agreed upon this February, but the AMV only announced its criticism of the changes in June.
The regulations allow for retailers to remove print media from shelves if they appear bimonthly or less frequently and do not sell well. Print media retailers with high turnover also do not have to offer any new titles unless the media invest considerably in advertising – promising potentially higher sales. Media that continually do not sell well can also be excluded from a retailer’s range more quickly under the new regulations.
The AMV has criticized that the regulations will result in retailers giving preference to media from large publishers, and excluding titles from mid-sized or small publishers. Representatives of Presse-Grosso have defended the regulations, saying they will make media retail more attractive to readers.
From: http://mediafreedom.ushahidi.com/reports/view/121