A British media trade magazine read by thousands of journalists has published a story about Government's decision to cut its advertising and subscriptions with The Royal Gazette.

The Press Gazette reports this week that the official boycott of this newspaper — which employs more than 100 people, 85 percent of whom are Bermudian — could cost jobs.

The article — headlined "Bermuda paper claims ad boycott will prompt cuts" — quotes Jo Glanville, from Index on Censorship, an organisation which logs free expression abuses in scores of countries, as saying the decision is an "unsubtle tactic" and a "worrying threat to freedom of the press".

"The Bermuda Government appears to be shooting itself in the foot – damaging its own relationship with the wider public by withdrawing its cooperation from the Island's leading newspaper," she tells the magazine.

Bill Zuill, editor of The Royal Gazette, is quoted as saying that the Cabinet Office decision to withdrew all advertising and sponsorship will cost the paper $800,000 — the equivalent of ten of its 33 editorial staff.

The article is the latest on the advertising cut to appear around the world and follows hot on the heels of a piece by Reporters Without Borders (Reporters Sans Frontieres), an international watchdog for press freedom.

Earlier this month, the Inter American Press Association wrote to Premier Ewart Brown to urge Government not to use official advertising as a "weapon of reprisal" against The Royal Gazette.

The letter from the media organisation, which represents more than 1,300 print publications, said "Discrimination in the placement of advertising severely restricts freedom of the press."

The story has made news in the Caribbean, appearing on the Caribbean Net News website, and in Guyana's daily newspaper, the Stabroek News, which suffered similar action by the Guyana Government for 17 months up until a couple of weeks ago. The International Freedom of Expression Exchange has also highlighted the situation in Bermuda.

Mr. Zuill is quoted in the Press Gazette story as attributing Government's decision to withdraw advertising as a punishment for our A Right to Know: Giving People Power campaign and Sunshine Week celebrations, aimed at getting freedom of information legislation for the Island.

"My own view is that Sunshine Week was the final nail in the coffin for Government," he says. "They may have sped up a plan that was already in place to try to squeeze us financially, because we are the most assertive and largest media vehicle on the island."