The Fiji Times line-up in print ... "offline" for more than six weeks. Photo: Fiji Times

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Kalasi Mele in Suva

Fiji’s daily news portal, Fiji Times Online, is back online today for the first time in six weeks.

Fiji Times editor-in-chief Fred Wesley had earlier confirmed the website would be back online before the end of the month.

Speaking to Wansolwara, the journalism training newspaper at the University of the South Pacific, Wesley said an upgrade to automatically attach bylines to all stories was needed to ensure the newspaper adhered to the Fiji Media Industry Decree. Read more »

Media freedom as seen by Pacific Journalism Review cartoonist Malcolm Evans.

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By PMC news desk

Sophie Foster, assistant editor of the Fiji Times, is among leading journalists who have lambasted curbs on media freedom in the latest edition of Pacific Journalism Review.

She condemned the “growth of self-censorship” within Fiji’s media industry while revealing the findings of a recent survey of mainstream journalists.

Foster took sudden leave at the Fiji Times after a newsroom upheaval last week that saw former editor-in-chief Netani Rika resign and Sunday Times editor Fred Wesley become appointed acting chief editor.

Read more »

Mahendra Motibhai Patel: New owner of Murdoch's News Ltd title The Fiji Times. Photo: David Robie/PMC

A media decree that forced Rupert Murdoch’s News Ltd to sell The Fiji Times to a local company has bitterly divided media commentators.

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Siobhan Keogh

The headlines in New Zealand were sensational. Several newspapers called it a “crackdown on media freedom” in Fiji.

News Ltd, a company owned by the biggest media mogul the world has ever seen, was being forced by a Fiji government decree to sell at least 90 percent of the newspaper to locals.

The message was clear – foreign interests were to get out of the Fiji media. Read more »

Fiji Times deputy editor Sophie Foster: Latest "loss" in newspaper turmoil. Photo: Fiji Times

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Losalini Rasoqosoqo in Suva

A second top Fiji Times editor is no longer in the newsroom amid what appears to be turmoil at the top, colleagues said yesterday.

Deputy editor Sophie Foster has suddenly taken leave, they said.

This came after Sunday Times editor Fred Wesley was appointed acting editor-in-chief following the abrupt departure of Netani Rika. Read more »

Vijendra Kumar, former editor of The Fiji Times ... reflections on an iconic newspaper. Photo: Pacific Journalism Review

Pacific Scoop
Analysis – By Vijendra Kumar, a former editor of The Fiji Times

During its 141-year-long history, The Fiji Times has changed hands at least five times and has been none the worse for it. Each new owner infused it with fresh ideas and better resources to ensure its continued growth and expansion.

The history of The Fiji Times is replete with examples of creativity and innovation, boldness and daring and a spirit of optimism and national pride. It has always embraced the future with hope and confidence and as such has carved an honourable place as an observer and recorder of the unfolding chapters of our history spanning three centuries.

And so it will continue. Read more »

Fiji Times editor-in-chief Netani Rika cuts the 75th birthday cake of sister paper Shanti Dut earlier this year. Picture: Fiji Times

Pacific Scoop
Report – By Stanley Simpson in Suva

Dallas Swinstead, the publisher of the Fiji Times from 1976 to 1980, has been appointed as new publisher of the Fiji Times – as the Motibhai Group officially took over ownership of the newspaper today.

Motibhai Group chairman Mahendra Patel, who is also the new Fiji Times board chairman, told FBC News that Swinstead – an Australian – would run the newspaper independently with his management team. Read more »

The Fiji media panel at the Oceans, Islands and Skies conference in Suva: Alumeci Nakeke (from left), USP head of journalism Shailendra Singh, Dawn Gibson and Ricardo Morris. Photo: David Robie/PMC

Pacific Scoop
Report – By Pacific Media Watch in Suva

Three editors and journalists today welcomed news of the sale of the Fiji Times to a local Fiji business as good for environmental journalism reporting in the region.

But they reserved judgment on the future independence of the newspaper under future owners Motibhai. Read more »

Fiji Times newspaper vendor Salesh Chand in downtown Suva today. Photo: David Robie/PMC

Pacific Scoop
Report – By Pacific Media Watch in Suva

Australian-based News Limited today confirmed it is selling Pacific Publications (Fiji) Limited, parent company of the publisher of the Fiji Times, to a prominent Suva-based trading company two weeks before the “sell up” deadline imposed by the military-backed regime.

Motibhai and Company Limited is buying the newspaper company for an undisclosed sum, News Ltd announced in a statement.

The sale is subject to final regulatory approval by the Fiji Commerce Commission with the expected closing date for the sale due on September 22. Read more »

A censored Fiji Times immediately after abrogation of the constitution in April 2009: Now a new decree controls the media. Photo: PMC/File

Time is running out for the 141-year-old influential newspaper as it has only a month to divest 90 percent of its Australian-ownership – or be forced to close down.

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Shannon Gillies

Military dictatorship in Fiji has thrown the survival of the Pacific’s longest running English-language daily newspaper in jeopardy.

The Fiji Times has served its host nation since it was founded in Levuka in 1869 – 141 years ago. Read more »

The Fiji Times has pulled out of PINA, amid criticisms that PINA has not spoken out enough against Fiji's military regime's media decree.

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Stanley Simpson, in Fiji.

The Fiji Times newspaper has withdrawn its membership of the Pacific Islands News Association, saying it is no longer appropriate to continue as a member.

In a letter to the PINA President Moses Stevens, Fiji Times editor Netani
Rika says they understand that the organization faces difficulties in working out how to deal with the situation in Fiji.

However Rika writes that the course of action taken by PINA on the situation in Fiji is not in the best interest of the Fiji Times.

The Fiji Times writes that PINA’s stand does not support the fundamental
principles of the media – which they believe are fundamental to society. Read more »