FIJI: Fiji Times publisher ending stint as newspaper chief
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Item: 7213
The Fiji Times publisher Dallas Swinstead will be leaving the company at the end of the month.
Announcing his departure, The Fiji Times Limited chairman Mahendra Patel said the company was grateful to Swinstead for his leadership since the Motibhai Group took over ownership from News Limited last September.
“ ... Dallas Swinstead and his wife Judy came to The Fiji Times at the time of acquisition and Dallas brought vast experience and background to enable The Fiji Times to continue to be the premier daily newspaper and live up to the reality - Fiji without The Fiji Times is unthinkable," Patel said.
“We shall always treasure the quality and leadership Dallas Swinstead brought to the paper.
“We wish Dallas and Judy a safe return to Australia and wish them well in the future.”
Confirming his departure, Swinstead said he would return to Australia “with a great feeling of satisfaction and pride at the quality we have achieved, despite sometimes difficult circumstances”.
“I have had five or so exciting months helping to re-enforce The Fiji Times as Fiji's most important newspaper, the newspaper this nation needs and reads. The team of managers I inherited have been tremendously supportive and truly professional, and their enthusiasm and passion has carried over to our 161 employees,” he added.
The appointment of a new publisher will be announced shortly.
News Limited sold The Fiji Times after the government announced the Media Industry Development Decree, which stated foreign investors can only own up to 10 percent of any Fiji-based media organisation. - Fiji Times/Pacnews/Pacific Media Watch
Comments
Niggling question
Congratulations are due to all citizens who are being awarded recognition for their contribution to Fiji in 2010. The accolade also includes our Attorney-General and Minister, Aiyaz Khaiyum, who is noted for having called the most press conferences, and is the most interviewed and the most televised State official.
Under his performance, The Fiji Times listed reference to the Media Decree saying the media decree changed the landscape of Fiji’s media; this by the way was just one among 60 other decrees promulgated in 2010 and which have enforced multi faceted changes to the lives of many.
One niggling question which seems to suggest all is not well, however, is about the repeated representations made to the Fiji public that the PER would be lifted once the Media Decree was brought into effect. This same representation was also made internationally to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva in June 2010.
The Media Industry Development Decree was subsequently promulgated on 25 June 2010 and brought into effect from 28 June 2010. The PER have however, continued to be kept in place and extended monthly ever since.
Could Minister Aiyaz Khaiyum please call a press conference to explain to the public why government has gone back on this promise that the PER would be lifted once the Media Decree is in place.
Rev. Akuila Yabaki
Citizens' Constitutional Forum
Suva
Simply distasteful
Simply distasteful...the team of truly supportive and professional managers were already there under the watch of a truly professional ethical journalism leader, Netani Rika.
Susuve Laumaea
Port Moresby
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