COVID-19: Tunisia rolls out support package for media

The Tunisian government Wednesday unveiled a support package to help media cope with ripple effects of the ongoing covid-19 pandemic.
A cabinet meeting, with media on top of its agenda, discussed ways to enable newspapers and other media outlets to continue generating advertisement revenues and help them continue publishing amid the ongoing pandemic given their role in strengthening democracy and the freedom of speech.
The cabinet pledged to cover 50 per cent of all charges related to broadcasts from private televisions and radios this year provided that the channels pay costs before June 30.
The government and public institutions will subscribe for media digital content to the tune of MD1.7 million (about $500,000).
In addition, the cabinet announced the creation a MD5 million-fund to be lodged at the presidency and used to support awareness campaigns.
The package also includes the allocation of MD5 million from the national budge to endorse the rehabilitation plan of the media sector and digital transition.