Editors and publishers in South Sudan are complaining of higher printing costs of their papers, which in turn is forcing some papers to increase their sale prices.
Over the last week, some of the newspapers in Juba started to raise the price per newspaper to 5 SSP from 3 SSP.
Editors citied the increase in the price of printing, which they find difficult to afford. “Newspaper printing is very expensive,” said an editor at the Arabic daily Sout al Shaab.
They also complained of low distribution as the number of buyers are decreasing owing to the deteriorating economy, as well as the falling value of the local currency against the dollar, according to one editor at the Arabic daily Al Rai.
“Low distribution of papers is also affecting us the vendors,” one newspapers seller said.
Among the English newspapers, only the Juba Telegraph still sells at 4 SSP. This newspaper is run by a senior official in the Office of the President.