The Fiji Times is a daily English-languagenewspaper published in Suva, Fiji. Established in Levuka on 4 September 1869 by George Littleton Griffiths, it is Fiji's oldest newspaper still operating.
Fiji Times
Front page on September 16, 2011. The main headline is Fiji's participation in the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
The Fiji Times is owned by Motibhai Group of Companies,[1] which purchased it from Rupert Murdoch's News Corp on 22 September 2010.[2] The Fiji Times Limited board is chaired by Kirit Patel (as of 2010), and includes Rajesh Patel,[3] a resident director appointed in 2010 and Jinesh Patel,[4] the marketing manager for the Motibhai Group of Companies.
The former publisher Evan Hannah was forcibly removed from Fiji in 2008 as he was accused by the interim government of meddling in Fijian politics. This was prior to the sale by News Corp to the Motibhai Group of Companies.
An online edition is published, featuring local news, sport and weather.
Two editions of the Fiji Times manufactured from bark-cloth are held at the Auckland Museum. The editions, from July 4, 1908 and February 17, 1909, provide and insight into the production of newspapers in the colonial era in the tropical Pacific. The editions are printed on a single white laminate bark cloth, also known as masi in Fiji, and was of a standard width requiring no trimming to fit in the press. Sometimes, the left or right sides were fringed by cutting the sheet to a depth of around 20mm. These editions are some of about a dozen known examples of bark cloth newspapers worldwide.
Title history
Approximate dates
Issue numbering
Titling
29 October 1881 – 29 December 1886
No. 1 - no. 453
Suva times
4 September 1869 – 18 May 1918
No. 1 - Vol. 14, no. 2981
Fiji times
First published in Levuka, Fiji. From 1887 published in Suva, Fiji.
20 May 1918 – 11 June 1918
Vol. 14, no. 2982 - Vol. 14, no. 3000
The Fiji times and Western Pacific Herald (merged from Fiji Times and Western Pacific Herald).
The Western Pacific Herald had been published 1901-1935.
12 June 1918 – 28 April 1956
Vol. 14, no. 3001 - unknown
The Fiji times and Herald
30 April 1956 – present
New series, Vol. 1, no. 1 -
Fiji Times
Coups and censorship
The Rabuka administration censored the Fiji Times for a while following the first military coup of 14 May 1987. In protest, the newspaper published an edition with large blank spaces, where articles censored by the military would have been placed.
The Fiji Times announced on 5 December 2006, in the wake of the overthrow of the civilian government by the military, that it was suspending publication rather than bow to government censorship.[5] Military officers had visited the premises that evening to prohibit the publication of any "propaganda" in support of the deposed government of Prime MinisterLaisenia Qarase. The online edition would be continuing publication as normal, however. Just before midday on 6 December, the military granted permission for the Times to resume publication without censorship.[6]
The Times reported on 9 December that two members of the public had been detained and questioned by the Military over letters they had written to the Times editor during the week, and were given a "verbal warning."[7]
Nonetheless, from December 2006 to April 2009, the Times was able to publish continuously articles critical of the interim government. The latter voiced its displeasure, but did not impose censorship. Following the 2009 Fijian constitutional crisis, however, all Fiji's media were censored, including the Fiji Times. Censors are present in the paper's newsrooms. The newspaper's chief editor Netani Rika told Radio New Zealand International that "his journalists continue to cover every story in detail as if they were working in a democratic country without restrictions. And he says they challenge the censors by putting every possible news item before them."[8] The website of the Fiji Times has also been censored since April 2009.
Criticism
The Fiji Labour Party was once highly critical of the Fiji Times, accusing it of political bias. In July 2008, the party published a report alleging that the Fiji Times had collaborated with others in a deliberate effort to unseat the 1999/2000 Labour-led government.[9]
^. Fiji Times. Wellington. 6 December 2006. Archived from the original on 13 January 2009. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
^. Fiji Times Online. Suva. 6 December 2006. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 2008-11-13.
^. Fiji Times. Suva. 9 December 2006. Archived from the original on 22 December 2007. Retrieved 2008-11-13.
^"At whim of censors, Fiji Times strives to maintain journalism standards". Radio New Zealand International. Wellington. 7 May 2009.
^. Fiji Labour Party. 23 July 2008. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
External links
L.G. Usher: Brief History of The Fiji Times, Paper read to the Fiji Society on October 15, 1962
May 06, 2023
fiji, times, daily, english, language, newspaper, published, suva, fiji, established, levuka, september, 1869, george, littleton, griffiths, fiji, oldest, newspaper, still, operating, front, page, september, 2011, main, headline, fiji, participation, 2011, rug. The Fiji Times is a daily English language newspaper published in Suva Fiji Established in Levuka on 4 September 1869 by George Littleton Griffiths it is Fiji s oldest newspaper still operating Fiji TimesFront page on September 16 2011 The main headline is Fiji s participation in the 2011 Rugby World Cup TypeDaily newspaperFormatTabloidOwner s Motibhai Group of CompaniesPublisherFiji Times LimitedEditorFred WesleyFounded4 September 1869LanguageEnglish primary FijianHeadquartersSuva FijiWebsitewww fijitimes com fjThe Fiji Times is owned by Motibhai Group of Companies 1 which purchased it from Rupert Murdoch s News Corp on 22 September 2010 2 The Fiji Times Limited board is chaired by Kirit Patel as of 2010 and includes Rajesh Patel 3 a resident director appointed in 2010 and Jinesh Patel 4 the marketing manager for the Motibhai Group of Companies The former publisher Evan Hannah was forcibly removed from Fiji in 2008 as he was accused by the interim government of meddling in Fijian politics This was prior to the sale by News Corp to the Motibhai Group of Companies An online edition is published featuring local news sport and weather Contents 1 History 1 1 Title history 2 Coups and censorship 3 Criticism 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory EditTwo editions of the Fiji Times manufactured from bark cloth are held at the Auckland Museum The editions from July 4 1908 and February 17 1909 provide and insight into the production of newspapers in the colonial era in the tropical Pacific The editions are printed on a single white laminate bark cloth also known as masi in Fiji and was of a standard width requiring no trimming to fit in the press Sometimes the left or right sides were fringed by cutting the sheet to a depth of around 20mm These editions are some of about a dozen known examples of bark cloth newspapers worldwide Title history Edit Approximate dates Issue numbering Titling29 October 1881 29 December 1886 No 1 no 453 Suva times4 September 1869 18 May 1918 No 1 Vol 14 no 2981 Fiji times First published in Levuka Fiji From 1887 published in Suva Fiji 20 May 1918 11 June 1918 Vol 14 no 2982 Vol 14 no 3000 The Fiji times and Western Pacific Herald merged from Fiji Times and Western Pacific Herald The Western Pacific Herald had been published 1901 1935 12 June 1918 28 April 1956 Vol 14 no 3001 unknown The Fiji times and Herald30 April 1956 present New series Vol 1 no 1 Fiji TimesCoups and censorship EditThe Rabuka administration censored the Fiji Times for a while following the first military coup of 14 May 1987 In protest the newspaper published an edition with large blank spaces where articles censored by the military would have been placed The Fiji Times announced on 5 December 2006 in the wake of the overthrow of the civilian government by the military that it was suspending publication rather than bow to government censorship 5 Military officers had visited the premises that evening to prohibit the publication of any propaganda in support of the deposed government of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase The online edition would be continuing publication as normal however Just before midday on 6 December the military granted permission for the Times to resume publication without censorship 6 The Times reported on 9 December that two members of the public had been detained and questioned by the Military over letters they had written to the Times editor during the week and were given a verbal warning 7 Nonetheless from December 2006 to April 2009 the Times was able to publish continuously articles critical of the interim government The latter voiced its displeasure but did not impose censorship Following the 2009 Fijian constitutional crisis however all Fiji s media were censored including the Fiji Times Censors are present in the paper s newsrooms The newspaper s chief editor Netani Rika told Radio New Zealand International that his journalists continue to cover every story in detail as if they were working in a democratic country without restrictions And he says they challenge the censors by putting every possible news item before them 8 The website of the Fiji Times has also been censored since April 2009 Criticism EditThe Fiji Labour Party was once highly critical of the Fiji Times accusing it of political bias In July 2008 the party published a report alleging that the Fiji Times had collaborated with others in a deliberate effort to unseat the 1999 2000 Labour led government 9 See also EditCulture of FijiReferences Edit Motibhai Group Companies Motibhai Suva retrieved 2017 11 29 Fiji Times Motibhai Suva retrieved 2017 11 29 Profile LinkedIn retrieved 2017 11 29 Contact Page Motibhai Suva retrieved 2017 11 29 Fiji Times shuts under censorship threat Fiji Times Wellington 6 December 2006 Archived from the original on 13 January 2009 Retrieved 2017 08 07 Fiji Times allowed to resume publication Fiji Times Online Suva 6 December 2006 Archived from the original on 30 September 2007 Retrieved 2008 11 13 Fiji Times contributors warned by army Fiji Times Suva 9 December 2006 Archived from the original on 22 December 2007 Retrieved 2008 11 13 At whim of censors Fiji Times strives to maintain journalism standards Radio New Zealand International Wellington 7 May 2009 FLP Activities report 2008 Fiji Labour Party 23 July 2008 Archived from the original on 20 November 2008 Retrieved 2017 08 07 External links EditL G Usher Brief History of The Fiji Times Paper read to the Fiji Society on October 15 1962 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Fiji Times amp oldid 1150260139, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
