MEDIA MARKET DATA - World Association of Newspapers

Fair CompetitionKorea, Republic ofThe Fair Trade Commission (FTC) is poised to crack down on unfair business practices ofsome newspaper companies. The anti-trust regulator’s probe will likely be focused onallegations of free newspaper subscriptions and gifts such as bicycles being given away tolure more subscribers, according to an FTC director general Tuesday. In an interview withPBC Radio, FTC director general Kim Byung-bae said, "We are making inquiry intoallegations that some newspaper companies are giving away copies free-of-charge to theirdistribution offices." Kim said free copies and gifts are being distributed in some areas,including newly-built apartment complexes, though the reported number of rule-breakingcases is smaller compared to the past years. "As part of efforts to encourage more reports onthese gift-giving instances, we plan to raise the maximum reward for reporting media’s unfairpractices to 10 million won, up from the current 5 million won," he said. However, it remainsto be seen whether such practices are actually declining or the newspapers are using moresubtle ways of promotion, as the newspaper market is facing prospects of dwindling thanks tothe emergence of new platforms of news delivery. The practices had been rampant among bigvernacular newspapers, such as the JoongAng Ilbo, the Chosun Ilbo and the Dong-a Ilbo, inan attempt to boost their subscriptions and attract more commercial ads. The three newspapersaccount for roughly 75 percent of newspaper subscriptions in Korea. The media firms wieldconsiderable influence and play the role of watchdog, enabling them to go unpunished foranti-competition practices. The FTA’s decision is expected to further prod them to brace forstrict market rules. http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=42744; April 11, 2006 LABOUR & EMPLOYMENTJob CutsFranceSome 50 France Soir employees organized by trade unions demonstrated outside the FrenchCulture Ministry to ask the government to intervene over the planned job cuts. Thenewspaper's new owners, real estate developer Jean-Pierre Brunois and sports journalistOlivier Rey, envisioned to cut half of the 112 employees and relaunch France Soir as apopular newspaper focused on sports, horse racing and show business gossip. France Soir onFriday ran a special edition, with the word "Resistance" crossing the front page and thepolitics and culture pages left blank to reflect the planned closure of both departments, as wellas the photography and research services. Founded in 1944, France Soir, once a bignewspaper passing the million-copy in 1960s has seen its circulation shrink to just 50,633copies in 2005. The paper entered bankruptcy proceeding on Oct. 27 due to financialdifficulties. It re-published in February the 12 controversial cartoons of the ProphetMohammad after their publication in Denmark and Norway.http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-04/15/content_4425956.htm; April 14, 200675