Slovenska Posta offers to sell subscriber databases to publishers

Jaroslav Dobrotka, director general of state postal company Slovenska Posta proposed to publishers of periodical press that the company will sell them databases of their subscribers. He maintains that they have the right to administer their subscriber databases. Mr. Dobrotka met on Thursday with representatives of the Slovak Association of Periodical Publishers and Minister of Transport, Postal Services and Telecommunications Pavol Prokopovic. The main point on the meeting’s agenda was Slovenska Posta’s intention to sell its 100-percent subsidiary, newspaper distributor to

households Postova Obchodna Novinova Spolocnost (PONS). Recently information was leaked that Mediaprint Kapa, a company with a monopoly on newspaper distribution to newsstands and retail outlets, is trying to buy from Slovenska Posta its subsidiary that provides newspaper distribution to household subscribers. Periodic press publishers do not want anyone to hold a monopoly on the distribution of their products. According to them, one solution would be to set up their own distribution company.

The Slovenska Posta director general further made an offer that his company would continue to secure delivery of subscriber fees next year to secure continuity. However, Slovenska Posta is not against the publishers’ initiative to found their own company to administer and deliver subscription fees, sheltering both of these activities next year.

Parties involved will prepare calculations for both alternatives at meeting to be held soon. In late October publishers warned Mr. Dobrotka of potential danger of unauthorized manipulation with subscriber databases