The ANMP is closely monitoring the objections of municipalities and local populations, urging the government to ensure the means and mechanisms necessary for the delivery of print media across the entire national territory.
Last week, VASP’s administration announced the possibility of halting daily newspaper distribution in the districts of Beja, Évora, Portalegre, Castelo Branco, Guarda, Viseu, Vila Real, and Bragança.
The company attributes this potential decision to its current financial challenges, citing a decline in sales and a significant rise in operational costs.
In a statement sent to Lusa, the ANMP claims that this move “will jeopardize access to information, as there will be areas in the country excluded from the press distribution routes, which are currently covered nationwide.”
“The ANMP absolutely disagrees with this type of action, as it compromises the access to information for all citizens regardless of their place of residence, further penalizing low-density areas that already suffer from additional problems compared to others, due to the continuous reduction of essential services to the populations,” it states.
The ANMP further warns that if this decision isn’t reversed, “it will undermine the right to information and the full exercise of citizenship.”
“It will exacerbate territorial inequalities at a time when we must increasingly promote social and territorial cohesion,” it concluded.
