In his presidential address at the 59th annual general meeting of the Indian Newspaper Society (INS) here today, Vijay Darda said advertising revenues, a major source of sustenance, have been far from buoyant in recent times because of sluggishness in the economy, liquidity in the market and diversion to the ever-expanding electronic media.

Darda said INS has represented to the government to withdraw the levy of 5 per cent customs duty on newsprint (it had been brought down from 10 to 5 per cent in the union budget this year).

He said INS contended that even this level of duty on newsprint was an aberration since the Supreme Court, in past, has struck down levies on newsprint on the ground of being unconstitutional.

"Such a levy amounts to a tax on knowledge and is an anachronism in theinformation age," Darda said adding it had again represented to the government to withdraw the levy altogether. The erosion in the value of rupee vis-a-vis the dollar had further affected the price of imported newsprint and increased the burden on the newspaper, he said.

Referring to freedom of the press, Darda said, "we have viewed with grave concern the high-handed actions of the authorities against leaders of the industry and pressmen."

Stating that INS was committed to safeguarding the freedom and independence of the press, Darda said the press has to remain united in "condemning such arbitrary actions by the authorities who have, on many occasions, misused their powers".

He said while INS shared with the Press Council of India the commitment to preserve the freedom of the press, "we have felt perturbed about some actions which, in our view, are beyond the purview of the council."

Mammen Mathew elected INS president

Mammen Mathew, editor and managing director, "Malayala Manorama", wason Friday elected president of the Indian Newspaper Society (INS) for 1998-99. He succeeds Vijay Darda of Lokmat Group of Publications.

Mathew is a member of the Press Council of India and chairman of the Commonwealth Press Union, India section.

Following are other office-bearers elected at the 59th annual general meeting of the society here:

Shobha Subrahmanyan (Ananda Bazar Patrika) deputy president, Vijay Kumar Chopra (Hind Samachar) vice-president, Paresh Nath (Woman's Era) honorary treasurer, RM Cama (Bombay Samachar), Tuhin Kanti Ghosh (Northern Indian Patrika), Pravinchandra V Gandhi (Janmabhoomi), Mahendra Mohan Gupta (Dainik Jagran), Naresh Mohan (Hindustan Times, Patna), R Lakshmipathy (Dinamalar), Vishwa Bandhu Gupta (Daily Tej), BS Adityan (Vaaraantari Rani), Vivek Goenka (Indian Express, New Delhi), Vijay Darda (Lokmat), SD Bhambri (The Tribune), Shobhana Bhartia (Hindustan Times, New Delhi, Mohini Bhullar (India Today), Ramesh Chandra (Navbharat Times), Abhay Chaajlani (Nai Dunia), SunilDang (Day After) and Sakti Dasgupta (Bartaman)