وزارة الثقافة والإعلام

Press and Publications Council

Introduction:

The documentation of the status of press and publications in Sudan began in the early 1920s. The Press and Publications Department was initially established by the intelligence officer at that time and was attached to the Liaison Office. It operated under temporary orders issued by security authorities until 1930 when the first law regulating the work of the press and publications was issued as part of security operations. The executing authority was the administrative secretary at that time. After independence in 1965, the responsibility moved to the Ministry of Interior (Political Administration). There was a committee called the Press and Publications Committee headed by the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior, whose duties focused on the following:

Approving the issuance of publications and bulletins.
Licensing local news agencies.
Licensing printing presses.
Monitoring and banning publications entering Sudan.

This committee continued to perform its role until the approval of the Press and Publications Law in 1973 on May 10, 1973. This law granted the Minister of Culture and Information the authority to oversee and implement the law and provided for the formation of the Press and Publications Council appointed by the President of the Republic. The council’s duties and functions were defined, and the first council was formed on July 10, 1973, chaired by the Minister of Culture and Information, with the membership of the Minister of Interior and others representing various disciplines.

The first structured position for the council was established within the general structure of the Ministry of Culture and Information with the title of Deputy Undersecretary, named as the Secretary-General of the Council, in July 1983. This became the first official responsible for the council's executive work under the minister. The role of implementing the Law on Control of Visual and Audio Recordings was also assigned to the council in 1984 until the amendment of the Literary and Artistic Works Law, which transferred those functions to the Council for Literary and Artistic Works.

Following the recommendations of the Conference on Media Issues, the Press and Publications Law of 1993 was issued, making the council an independent body with legal personality under the patronage of the President of the Republic. It was named the National Press Council, comprising twenty-one members, including the Council Chairman and the Secretary-General. This was followed by the issuance of the Press and Publications Law in 1996.

Objectives:

Formulating general policies in the field of journalism, guided by the values of society and in accordance with the general guidelines of the constitution and state strategies.
Working on enhancing the journalism profession and raising the professional level of its workers to provide satisfactory journalistic services to readers.
Supervising the overall performance of journalistic institutions, companies, publishing houses, printing presses, press service centers, and news agencies, and reviewing their professional performance.
Supervising the training of journalists in coordination with journalistic institutions.
Assisting in providing the necessary requirements for journalism and printing and overcoming the obstacles they face.
Ensuring the minimum acceptable wages for journalists and workers in journalistic institutions.
Cooperating and exchanging experiences with similar councils and bodies in other countries.
Initiating procedures against newspapers and publishing houses that violate regulations.

Nature of Work:

To carry out its powers outlined in Article (8), the Council has the following authorities:

Granting licenses to journalistic companies, institutions, newspapers, printing presses, publishing and distribution houses, and press service centers.
Maintaining a register of journalists, conducting professional examinations, and issuing certificates necessary for practicing journalism.
Suspending a newspaper if it violates any of the licensing conditions.
Collaborating with the Journalists' Union in holding journalists accountable in accordance with the provisions of the 2004 Press Law and the Union's basic system.
Ensuring journalistic institutions and companies adhere to the regulations stipulated in the 2004 Press Law and requesting reports from these institutions and companies on their overall performance, especially concerning regularity in their board meetings, budgets, and audited accounts.
Providing possible assistance to facilitate the work and activities of journalistic institutions.
Forming specialized committees and organizing their work.
Accrediting offices and correspondents of foreign newspapers, TV channels, radio stations, and news agencies, and maintaining a register of their correspondents without infringing on the ministry's powers.
Reviewing complaints submitted by those harmed by the publication of journalistic materials and suspending a newspaper until the complaint is resolved for any shorter duration.
Contributing to the resolution of disputes within the journalistic community without affecting the powers stipulated in the Union’s basic system.
Establishing a General Secretariat for the Council, appointing its staff, and proposing their terms of service.
Delegating any of its powers to its chairman and secretary-general jointly, provided that decisions made under such delegation are presented to the council for approval or rejection at its next meeting.
Imposing penalties as stipulated by law.
Verifying the extent of the circulation of newspapers and journalistic publications.
Delegating any of its powers to a competent authority in any of the states.

Funding:

The Council's financial resources consist of the following:

Annual support allocated by the state.
Licensing and renewal fees for newspapers, printing presses, and their inputs.
Donations, bequests, and aids accepted by the council.
Any other resources approved by the council.

Types of Journalism:

Foreign Journalism: Journalism that reaches Sudan, whether Arab, African, or local, compared to local journalism in terms of economics, production, and content.
Partisan Journalism: Journalism issued by political bodies and parties and its role, whether promotional or negative, in serving freedom of expression.
Independent Journalism: Journalism independent of the government and parties, representing the popular oversight body over government performance, fighting corruption, and opposing suppression and tyranny.
Government Journalism: Journalism that speaks on behalf of successive governments and its role in development.
Sudanese Newspapers Abroad: Sudanese newspapers that were published abroad and have no documentation or source but played an important role in the early days of Sudanese journalism.
Regional Newspapers: Sudanese newspapers published in states and regions and their reflection of the actual situation.

Specialized documentation may also be provided for specialized newspapers serving the purposes of specific institutions, groups, or specialties, such as literature, economics, art, cinema, and entertainment. These include:

Women's Newspapers.
Institutional and Sectoral Newspapers.
Magazines of all sectors.
Literary Journalism.
Electronic Journalism.

Location:

Khartoum, East of Osman Digna Street, next to the FAO building.
Phone: 779816 - 794101
Postal Code: 11111, P.O. Box 10030.