INS cautions print media against 'price wars'

[icernet-admin at listserv.cddc.vt.edu]

Cautioning against "price wars" and "undesirable trends" like predatory 
pricing, the Indian Newspaper Society (INS) outgoing president Abhay 
Chhajlani on Friday told the print medium to ensure that competition 
remained healthy and "does not become cut throat in nature". Asserting 
competition had become the watch word in the era of liberalisation, he 
said, "needless to say, while we have to gear ourselves to deal with the 
competition from the electronic media, we must also recognise that there is 
competition for space within the print medium. "We must, however, ensure 
that such competition remains healthy and does not become cut throat in 
nature."

On competition within the print medium, he said that at various 
centres, "price wars" relating to cover prices of newspapers were being 
witnessed. "In some cases, cover prices have been brought down so 
drastically that it even weakens our case when we approach the government 
to seek relief on issues like customs duty on newsprint". Over the years, 
he said, the society had successfully negotiated many hurdles 
and "apparently we are sailing smoothly in placid waters. Beneath the 
surface, however, there are undesirable trends gaining strength, like 
predatory pricing to eliminate healthy competition".

Source:
http://www.newindpress.com/Newsitems.asp?ID=IEK20030919132423