ROME – “The Federation of newspaper publishers has asked Agcom – the Italian Communications Authority – an exemplary and urgent measure to suspend Telegram, based on an analysis of the increase in the illicit circulation of newspapers on the a platform that, during the pandemic, reached intolerable levels for a rule of law “: to announce it was the president of FIEG, Andrea Riffeser Monti, who recalls how recently the undersecretary for publishing, Andrea Martella, has expressed his concern .
Ten monitored channels, dedicated exclusively to the illicit distribution of newspapers; 580 thousand total users (+ 46% of subscribers in the last three months) and an 88% increase in the number of newspapers published. The analysis conducted by the Fieg offices also simulates the effects of rebound of the pirated copy on platforms external to Telegram, both in relation to data traffic and the possible risks of slowing down the network, and on the quantification of the damage.
“The estimate of the losses suffered by publishing companies is alarming,” warns Riffeser. “In a highly conservative hypothesis, we estimate 670 thousand euros per day, about 250 million euros per year: a figure in front of which I trust that the sector Authority wants to intervene firmly and promptly”. “To the risk of the consolidation of an illegal practice, that of reading for free the illicitly distributed newspapers via chat, adds – concludes Riffeser Monti – that of seeing the work and investments of the thousands of people who keep the print production chain alive : from publishers to journalists, from polygraphs, distributors and newsagents, all committed, among many sacrifices, to guaranteeing the continuity of a primary good, such as that of information, which, never as at this moment, is called to fulfill the its highest function of constitutionally guaranteed law “.
