…raked in over $50M in gov’t ads for 2019
…had refused state advertising over debts

STABROEK News has received more than $50M in payments for ads from the Department of Public Information (DPI) thus far for 2019, far in excess of even the state owned Guyana Chronicle.

The DPI made the disclosure on Sunday, in response to an article published in the Sunday Stabroek, headlined ‘DPI cuts state ads in Stabroek News.’ In that article, it was alleged that the DPI has significantly cut the placement of state advertisement with the Stabroek News and Editor-in-Chief, Anand Persaud, believes it is a clear attempt to “muzzle” the newspaper.

But hours after the article was published, the DPI refuted the claims made. “DPI advises the public that the article is wholly erroneous, misleading and mischievous. DPI rejects the article,” said the department.

In addition to receiving payments of over $50 million, several government entities have booked advertisements directly with Stabroek New, putting the figure significantly higher, DPI said.

“It was in fact Stabroek News, of its own volition, which took the unprecedented action of formally writing to DPI stating that the newspaper will refuse to take government advertising, thereby effectively blocking government advertising from the newspaper,” the DPI explained.

The DPI said it is preparing a thorough and comprehensive response and presentation of all the unvarnished facts. These facts, it said, will be released to the public today, Monday, September 30.

Stabroek News has reported that an analysis of the ads placed in the four daily newspapers over the last six months has shown a sharp decline in the number of state ads placed per column inches in Stabroek News as of June 2019. The publication said there has been no corresponding decline in the Guyana Chronicle or Kaieteur News but a decline has been noted in the Guyana Times.

According to Persaud, on May 22, 2019, Guyana Publications Inc (GPI), publisher of the Sunday Stabroek and Stabroek News, wrote the DPI about a large outstanding debt for state ads and advised that no new placements would be accepted until there was a substantial settlement of the amount outstanding.

After the substantial reduction of the debt, the GPI wrote the DPI in July, advising that the normal flow of advertising could resume. According to Stabroek News, it, however, did not.

The publication said some government ads were placed in the newspaper in the period since but those were only because those advertisers insisted specifically on Stabroek News.
Social Activist and Radio Station Owner, Mark Benschop, in a letter to the editor, said ads to Stabroek News were not withdrawn, they were cutback.

“Unlike what Jagdeo and the corrupt PPP did when they were in office. Actually, when Jagdeo withdrew all ads from you, I joined in protesting against his vindictive act. However, I see absolutely nothing wrong with the government scaling back on feeding you with ads. After all, such is not an automatic entitlement to any newspaper or media house,” said Benschop.

Although he does not support any media house being deliberately starved of ads from any government, regardless of how anti-government they may be, Benschop said there are clear journalistic misconduct and mischief being perpetrated by the ‘high level political actors” at the Stabroek News.

“Yet, the David Granger Government continues to handout millions of dollars in ads every month to the very Stabroek News, Guyana Times and the Kaieteur News,” said the social activist.

Meanwhile, other media houses like Channel 9 TV/radio, Prime News, Capital News, News Source, Benschop Radio and others get “crumbs” or “nothing at all.” “Sadly, it looks like Stabroek News wanna eat out de pepperpot, and others must starve to death. And when they can’t continue eating the big chunk, dem ah cry foul,” said Benschop. He, however, called on Government to remove the DPI as the agency which is responsible for the placement of Government ads.