Daily Post (Fiji)

The Fiji's Daily Post (FDP) was a newspaper in Fiji that was founded in October 1987 by Wame Waqanisanini, Jr, who owned 50 percent of the shares. Taniela Bolea was the original publisher. The majority shares were later owned by the Fijian government. The newspaper suspended publication and has remain closed since 2010.

The FDP suffered criticism from its commencement in 1989 to its closure in 2010 that it represented an extreme ethnic Fijian/Itaukei viewpoint in Fiji's national discourse. The evidence for this conclusion is inconclusive. No other newspaper in Fiji has attempted to reach as wide a multicultural cross-section of the people as the FDP through the provision of five separate language publications. The staff of the newspaper was always multi-ethnic in complexion, representative of a wide range of religious and political viewpoints, and of both genders. As far as ideological orientation of the editorial staff is concerned, it is fair to suppose that once the Fiji government took an official role as major share-holder in the newspaper (late 1990s), the FDP was obliged to toe the government line, but again, this is an oversimplification of the facts. Content analysis of the FDP in comparison with Fiji's other major dailies, the Fiji Times and Fiji Sun does not bear this out.

The first Daily Post (Volume 1, No. 1) appeared as a 24-page tabloid with a red masthead, Saturday, 23 September 1989. The cover story, headlined ‘Fiji Now Drugs Transit Point’, was by Karalaini Naciqa. That first edition contained court reports, special reports, an editorial, a feature on the Consumer Council, a children’s page, a page of international news, and a back page devoted to sport.

The second edition of the FDP appeared Monday (25 September 1989, Volume 1, No.2) and carried the newspaper’s first ‘Letters to the Editor’. The newspaper listed Kameli Rakoko as ‘Sports Editor’ and Robert Wendt (now deceased) was named as ‘Chief Sub-Editor’. In its first year, the newspaper served as an incubator for new journalists as well as a refuge for disaffected others. Stories and articles appeared by Mark Langan (former managing editor of the Samoa Daily News), Percy Kean, Filimoni Verebalavu, Kini Nalatu, Hari Gounder, and Kamal Iyer.

In 1990 the FDP management was listed as Publisher, Taniela Bolea; Editor, Isimeli Koroi; Western Manager, Hari Gaunder; Accountant, Ashok Kumar; Advertising Manager, Simione Celua; Circulation Manager, John Singh; and Production Manager, Mohammad Ali.

Four years into its operation, the FDP was, at the end of 1993, publishing editions of 40 to 68 pages varying according to daily demand and advertising. The publisher was still Taniela Bolea, but the Editor was Nemani Delaibatiki (replacing Isimeli Koroi). Ravin Lal had taken over as Advertising Manager (from Simione Celua), the Production manager was Aisea Itautoka (replacing Mohammed Ali), and Circulation was in the hands of Vishwa Nand (in place of John Singh).

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Wikipedia