OREANDA-NEWS. April 17, 2008. As resumed the participants of the joint Session of Committee on Information Policy, Information Technology and Communications and the RF Public Chamber Commission on Communications, Information Policy and Free Speech in mass media. The meeting was devoted to subscription for periodicals held in State Duma, reported the press-centre of Russian Post.

V. Yazev, Vice Chairman of State Duma, V. Komissarov, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, Information Technology and Communications, P. Gusev, Chairman of RF Public Chamber Commission on Communications, Information Policy and Free Speech in mass media, A. Maslov, State Secretary, Deputy Minister for Information Technologies and Communications of RF, D. Panishev, Deputy Head of Rossvyaz, A.I. Kazmin, General Director of FSUE Russian Post participated in the Session. Heads of publishing houses, central and regional newspapers, public organizations, publishers and distributors of printing production also visited the Session.

The participants discussed wide range of problems on periodicals subscription and noted the importance of subscription to provide citizen for information access.

The participants of subscription market , evidently, should concentrate joint forces and actions to keep single information area.

Due to tariff rates restriction for periodicals delivery beginning with 2006 and discounts for different categories of subscribers FSUE Russian Post losses of the service made up 1,2 bln rubles in the second half year of 2006, 3,2 bln rubles in 2007. As forecasted, the enterprise would lose 4,2 bln rubles in 2008. As noted A.I. Kazmin, FSUE Russian Post kept discounts for all regional and urban editions for the second half year of 2008 at the same level, however, further subscription campaign is impossible at the expense of the enterprise.

Given the present tariff rates don’t cover Russian Post’s expenses for rendering the service, the participants confirmed that subscription campaign needs state financial support. They decided to appropriate Russian Post subsidy to cover losses of subscription services for 2008 – 2010, аlso losses in 2006 – 2007.