Information bill: Certain articles “may be revised” to comply with amended Constitution

APS: Monday, 29 February 2016 15:13
ALGIERS- Minister of Communication Hamid Grine on Monday in Algiers announced that certain articles of Information bill “may be revised” to comply with the provisions of the amended Constitution, which consolidate freedom of expression.

The minister was speaking to the press on the sidelines of a conference on journalism and technological mutations, organized as part of training courses for journalists.

Answering questions related to the financial difficulties which threaten the survival of some newspapers, following the decline in advertising revenues, the minister said that this situation resulted in “the reduction of both public and private advertisers.”

In this regard, he added the National Publishing and Advertising Agency (ANEP) “is only a means” of distribution of advertising “according to the volume” it receives from advisers.

“Those who own private newspapers had to have a minimum of background as managers rather than depend only on state support and advertising from ANEP,” he said.

Inviting “those who are engaged in intellectual adventure to assume their responsibility,” the minister stressed the availability of state to “help quality press.”

Concerning the designation of the new president of the Authority of Audiovisual Regulation (ARAV), Grine stressed that it falls within the “powers” of President of the Republic Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

He said that he “proposed” some personalities to replace Miloud Chorfi appointed at the National Council.

Grine announced that the vote of the Ethics and Deontology Council will take place in next May.