Algerian Grine: Public press lacks aggressiveness

Public press, whether written or visual, "lacks aggressiveness and must change reflexes without neglecting its public service mission," minister of Communication, Hamid Grine said Tuesday in Algiers.
"Public press lacks aggressiveness. Sometimes, it censors itself but it neither insults nor denigrates. Besides, public press does not disrespect," Grine, who was guest at the daily “Liberté” forum, said.
Public press, either written or audiovisual, is expected to "support the government's agenda and to be read and followed", stressed Grine, adding that public press must also carry out its mission of public service, pursuant to "professionalism and ethics rules."
In addition, Grine recalled that the ministry of communication’s current priority is to "upgrade and professionalize the press", through the setting up, soon, of the regulatory authorities of the press broadcasting activity, the Board of ethics and the Committee issuing the professional card for journalist.
For Grine, a professional press is a "responsible press" that must have "sound profitability" and whose managers must "reasonably pay the journalistic staff and ensure them social security and training."
He added, in the same context, that forty implementing legislation and bills are being finalized, including advertising and survey ones.
In response to a question about the distribution of newspapers to the interior and southern regions, the minister announced a project to create a distribution network of public and private papers that will be finalized by mid-August.