August 22 (NMG) Two Burmese dailies controlled by the State Myanma Alin (the Burmese version of The New Light of Myanmar) and The Mirror newspapers cut their circulation up to 30 per cent each started on August 8 because of lack of paper supplies, staffs from two papers said.

Some critics commented that the reason to reduce circulation of newspaper might be because of lack of newspaper paper supplies. A female staff, who wants to be in anonymity, working at the official English daily “The New Light of Myanmar”, said that the NLM was yet to reduce its circulation and the other newspapers had to reduce due to lack of paper supplies.

“We, the New Light of Myanmar (NLM) do not reduce the circulation though I heard that Myanma Alin and The Mirror (Kyay Mon) have to reduce its circulation due to lack of paper supplies,” she said.

However the circulation had cut off only to street sales, she said. “The circulation do not reduce to the contracted distributors. It only effects on vendors who are earning with selling newspapers on the streets such paperboys on traffic lights and railways stations” she explained.

However, the news from Myawaddy confirmed that peoples were receiving in less quantity of all newspapers including the New Light of Myanmar although the newspaper officials said they did not reduce the circulation for nationwide distributors. The normal distribution of two Burmese dailies was around 43,000 copies previously for nation wide.

When NMG asked directly to the Myanma Alin and The Mirror offices, the dailies admitted that they had to cut off its circulation up to 30 per cent after they got directives from the Information and Periodical Headquarters and they were not informed whether there was shortage of paper supplies.

In early August, United State issueed a strong sanction against Burma (Myanmar) including money transfer which may affect the import of newspaper papers.

Network Media Group