Impact of Customs Duty on Newsprint

The episode highlights the impact of the government's customs duty on foreign-made newsprint on the newspaper industry. The reintroduction of this tax in 2019 led to increased costs for publishers, already struggling with declining readership and disrupted operations due to the pandemic. While the government halved the tax to 5% in response to industry representations, it remains in place to protect domestic newsprint manufacturers from dumped imports. Despite stabilizing newsprint costs and anticipated growth in print media advertising, the industry continues to face challenges in maintaining profit margins amidst customs duties.