WORLD PRESS TRENDS - World Association of Newspapers

COSTA RICA
Research
Circulation is audited by: CECILIANO & CÍA (ARTHUR
ANDERSEN) for La Nación and Al Día
Readership is measured by: Urban & Associates for La Nación and
Al Día, Unimer Research Intl. for La Nación and Al Día,
Optimum Media Direction for La Nación and Al Día
Taxes
VAT on: sales 13% advertising 13%
newsprint 0 plant 13%
(standard VAT rate 13%)
There is a 1% Journalists Association stamp tax on revenue.
All companies are subject to 30% tax on profits.
Discounts
on: post 0 rail 0 phone 0 telegraph 0 telex 0
Ownership
Does any law exist governing publishing house ownership, or the
registration of shares in newspaper publishing companies No
Is there any law prohibiting or restricting foreign companies or
individuals from owning shares, and in particular, the majority of
shares, of domestic daily newspapers The law that requires media
companies to publish the names of their shareholders once a
year used to have a provision that prevented foreigners from
owning newspapers and radio and TV stations. But some years
ago this provision was declared unconstitutional.
Is there any law prohibiting daily newspaper or periodical publishers
from operating radio or television stations in the same locality No
So as to guarantee disclosure and transparency in the capital structure
and to avert silent partnerships, is there a law or rule making it possible
to determine who actually owns a publishing company Media
companies are required to publish the names of their
shareholders once a year.
Is there an antitrust law limiting concentration in the daily press
The ‘Law for Promoting Competition and the Defence of
Consumers’, passed in 1994, forbids monopolies, with a few
exceptions under government control. Concentration is
considered a monopolistic practice, and therefore illegal, when:
- one company has the power to fix prices
- one company has the power to substantially restrain supply
- there are entry barriers that prevent other companies from
supplying the market
- one company has special access to raw materials.
Are there plans to legislate on media concentration No
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WORLD ASSOCIATION OF NEWSPAPERS - WORLD PRESS TRENDS 2003