Fiji: Sun Welcomes New Expatriate Publisher

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SUN WELCOMES NEW PUBLISHER

SUVA (The Sun/Pacific Media Watch): Sun (Fiji) News Ltd, claimed to be Fiji's only independent daily newspaper, has named its new chief executive and publisher as Australian community newspaperman Michael Richards, The Sun reports.

In the past three years of publishing, the company has always employed locals in this position.

The rival dailies are the Fiji Times, owned by a subsidiary of the Australian company News Ltd, and the Daily Post, which has a substantial government shareholding.

Richards, 42, was previously group publisher of the Sydney-based Courier newspaper group, which has seven weekly newspapers with a combined circulation of 470,000 copies.

Peviously, Richards managed the marketing and sales for New Ltd's Leader newspaper group in Melbourne, the largest suburban newspaper chain in Australia with 31 titles.

The Sun quoted Richards as saying the newspaper had established a promising foundation for expansion.

"The newspaper already offers frequent exclusive stories, excellent full colour capacity and locally owned independence," he said.

"The staff is both talented and vitally interested in all things Fijian.

"I believe we have all the ingredients here for a period of strong growth.

"We are embarking on a period of dramatic change - I'd suggest that everyone will be talking about The Sun."

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