“We view this possibility with concern, hoping it is merely an intention and a pressure tactic by the company to achieve other goals,” stated João Lobo in statements to Lusa.
The administration of Vasp, citing financial difficulties, announced it is assessing the need to make adjustments in the daily distribution of newspapers in the districts of Beja, Évora, Portalegre, Castelo Branco, Guarda, Viseu, Vila Real, and Bragança.
“We are monitoring and following the development of this situation closely, because if, for any reason, Vasp’s intention becomes a reality, we will need to act to anticipate this situation and find a balanced solution for these regions,” said the President of the Proença-a-Nova municipality.
According to João Lobo, this situation raises two significant concerns: limiting access to diverse information for a large part of the national territory and adding further strain on the economic sustainability of print publications already struggling to remain in the market.
João Lobo emphasized that Beira Baixa will certainly take the necessary measures to help curb or reverse this situation, should it prove to be more than mere pressure.
On Thursday, Vasp announced it is evaluating the need to make adjustments in daily newspaper distribution in the districts of Beja, Évora, Portalegre, Castelo Branco, Guarda, Viseu, Vila Real, and Bragança.
In a statement, Vasp mentioned it is currently experiencing a particularly challenging financial situation due to the continuous decline in press sales and a significant rise in operational costs, which put the sustainability of the current daily press distribution coverage under severe pressure.
This situation has a direct impact on the viability of daily press distribution at sales points, especially in the interior regions, forcing the company to reassess its operational and logistical model, stated Vasp – Distribution and Logistics, on the day Correio da Manhã reported that “eight districts are at risk of having no newspapers starting January.”
The geographical scope of CIM Beira Baixa, the new Territorial Statistical Unit of level III (NUT III) Beira Baixa, includes the municipalities of Castelo Branco, Idanha-a-Nova, Oleiros, Penamacor, Proença-a-Nova, Sertã, Vila de Rei, and Vila Velha de Ródão, encompassing a population of 98,799 inhabitants (2021 census).
