If you go to a city or town in Kerala today, you may be able to collect your copy of the day’s newspaper directly from the hands of a politician or a well-known literary figure or a member of the Indian Youth Congress, Nair Service Society, Christian youth organisation or a residents’ association. Failing that, try the local church, or a stall outside the newspaper’s office. What you’ll not find is newspapers being delivered to your doorstep in the usual way — that is, by vendors on bicycles.
Since March 20, the people of Kerala have been hard-pressed to get their daily dose of news. This is particularly hard on a populace that reportedly reads an average of three newspapers a day and gets into heated discussions on the latest moves of the UN Security Council and other headlines of the day, at the corner tea shop.
This is the state of affairs during a strike called by 1.5 lakh newspaper agents and distributors under the umbrella of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions-backed Newspaper Agents Association. Members’ demands include 50 per cent of the cover price as trade discount and special discount for distributing additional supplements etc. The agents have also demanded that the number of pages per issue be limited to 16, which would mean that the newspapers will have to discontinue supplements.
Rajesh Pattimattam, general secretary of the Ernakulam district unit of the association, says the average commission works out to be only 26-27 per cent. “We can’t distribute all the copies, but have to engage distributors at our own expense. We have to remit the amount equivalent to two months’ subscription in advance which works out to around Rs 200. The interest on this nominal. The average net earning of an agent with 500 copies is Rs 5,000-6,000 per month. How can we survive? And we never have a holiday — we cannot stop distribution even if our mother dies...”
But their demands, and the strike, has not attracted much sympathy, be it from the reader or from the newspaper management. The newspaper owners’ association, the Indian Newspaper Society, has condemned the strike and the demands, saying Kerala has the highest trade discount in the south. The average earning of an agent while selling one copy of the newspaper is Rs 32.50 monthly and he gets 25 per cent discount on other publications like periodicals. Among the newspapers, the response has been divided. While five of the state’s leading publications — Malayala Manorama, Mathrubhumi, Kerala Kaumudi, Deepika and The Hindu — are adamant about not giving into the agents’ demands, even withdrawing from a discussion convened by state labour minister Shibu Baby John, other newspapers such as Indian Express, Deccan Chronicle, Mangalam, Madhya-mam and Metro Vartha have settled the issue individually with the agents association and agreed to give a discount of up to 40 per cent. “We are now distributing these papers. We are ready to withdraw the strike if the commission is enhanced to 40 per cent,” says Rajesh.
However, vendors have not stopped the distribution of papers which are under the control of political parties. So the distribution of Deshabhimani (CPI[M]), Veekshanam (Congress), Chandrika (Muslim League), Janmabhoomi (BJP) and Janayugam is not affected so far. This is double standards on the part of the agents, says Sabu Paul, an IT professional who used to read two dailies a day.
More From This Section
To survive the strike, residents’ associations in some parts are delivering papers to houses. Celebrities who have been involved in distributing newspapers as a mark of protest include former justice VR Krishna Iyer, literary critique MK Sanu, minister for social welfare MK Muneer, and the deputy mayor of Kochi. Others, like Joy Thomas, have sensed an opportunity in the strike. The college student began distribution to make a quick buck — Rs 500 daily as commission since the company gives him Rs 1.50/ copy and takes back the unsold copies. “But I am afraid of an attack any time from the striking agents, which has happened in several parts of the state,” says Thomas. Some readers say they will not subscribe to newspapers once the strike is withdrawn. “I am getting the news from TV. So why should I spend money on newspapers? I will stop subscribing,” says Sudhish, a small tea shop owner.
The courts too have got involved. The Kerala High Court, in response to a petition filed by the Malayala Manorama, has said that distribution of papers by individuals and organisations should not be stalled by the striking agents. The agents have the right to strike, but not to hinder the distribution by force. In several parts of the state, newspapers were burnt in bulk and distributors attacked.
