The Fiji Times’ 153 years of existence in Fiji has been hailed by readers here and abroad.
A small step that was taken towards printing news in the Old Capital has today turned into a media brand which is reliable and followed by thousands of Fijians.
Established in Levuka on September 4, in 1869 by George Littleton Griffiths, The Fiji Times is the country’s oldest newspaper still operating.
The most prominent newspaper in Fiji. It , has a rich history and legacy, and it has covered major events in Fiji from the Deed of Cession, Fiji’s independence, the world wars, the 1959 riots in Suva to the 1987, 2000 and 2006 coups.
From devastations caused by natural disasters to major sporting events such as the Olympic Games, world cup soccer and rugby — and the Pacific Games — through its coverage, The Fiji Times has brought sporting events to life. It continues with the great work the late Griffiths started and the newspaper continues to uphold the ideals and ethics of good journalism.
I searched through the internet, and I came across the book titled Brief History of The Fiji Times, and I quote these lines, ‘The Fiji Times had its humble beginnings in Levuka in 1869. The founder, George Littleton Griffiths published the first paper on the September 4.
Sir Len Usher later described him as a ‘remarkable man by any standards, and a pioneer of the type that helped to mould sturdy nations.’
Before Fiji was ceded to the Queen there was no government structure or services. Mr Griffiths then set up a mail service which he called The Fiji Times Express which would enable mail delivery not only locally, but internationally as well to Australia, New Zealand, England and US.
When the capital was moved to Suva, he set up the Suva Times and delayed moving the headquarters to Suva.
This was when he utilised the ‘pigeon service’ in 1884. To maintain contact and deliver news between the two offices by using pigeons — making the journey between the two offices in 30 minutes.
They even had lofts built into the buildings to cater for this new form of transport. I also read an article which was published in The Fiji Times by Matilda Simmons on August 26, 2018, and I wish to share these lines, ‘When The Fiji Times began printing, a pigeon post was erected for messages to be sent via the birds from the old town to Suva.’ Messages such as news and general messages were often sent across the postal link between the two main centres of Suva and Levuka.
The use of pigeons as carriers of message is old as the ancient Persians who were known to have perfected the art of training the birds.
It was said the Romans used pigeon messengers to aid their military more than 2000 years ago. Research further revealed Julius Caesar once used pigeons as messengers in his conquest of Gaul and the Greeks sent the names of the victors at the Olympic Games to their various cities by using the pigeons.
This form of message service carried on down through the centuries and was practised mostly by The Fiji Times proprietors.
On January 22, 1887, the newspaper reported on the ease of being able to get news from Levuka using the Pigeon Post and it was greatly welcomed’ — a great piece of history!
Today, The Fiji Times has headlines which are strong, and the front page sets the platform for the rest of the pages. Local news covers events and happenings around Fiji.
The Fiji Times covers events that affect lives of ordinary Fijians.
Stories involving hardships faced by Fijians have also featured strongly.
The editorial page never fails to impress, and readers enjoy the apt and to the point editorials. In addition, the letters to the editor column is one of the most-read columns.
The column, which started off with one page, has now been expanded to cater for the wide range of letters that fill pages eight and nine in the newspaper from Monday to Friday.
Sunday and Saturday’s editions have about nine pages of letters to the editor collectively.
These letters feature opinions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, state of roads, complaints regarding services, congratulatory messages and socio-economic and political issues.
Another popular section is People, which features Fijians who share the journeys of success, empowerment, motivation and inspire ardent readers.
The People section of The Fiji Times is about adding inspiration to the lives of Fijians.
The international news feature is also a vital piece in providing information on what happens around Fiji.
We live in a globalised world and literacy is important. The Fiji Times feature, business and inside stories are also popular. The Fiji Times wraps up its daily segment with the best local and international sports news.
Sports lovers are well equipped with the latest news and stories on football, rugby, hockey, volleyball, netball, cricket and swimming.
Readers of The Fiji Times are rewarded daily with credible news, stories, information and a wide range of letters to the editor to read and ponder on. I count myself lucky as a member of the The Fiji Times family.
The wonderful journey started in the 90s when I was in primary school has continued, and I was overwhelmed and thrilled to be invited for the 150th birthday celebration at GPH.
That evening gave me a sense of pride and excitement, as I rubbed shoulders with renowned journalists and personalities. It was a pleasure meeting the Motibhai group of directors.
That night at GPH, Mr Kirit Patel acknowledged the readers of The Fiji Times for their lovely support and elaborated that it was an opportunity to look back and refl ect on the history and challenges which The Fiji Times encountered and endured along the way, while bracing for the future.
He paid tribute to George Littleton Griffiths who founded The Fiji Times. Mr Patel then took the readers through The Fiji Times 150-year old journey.
We were assured about the future of newspaper with these lines, ‘To this day and going forward trust, fairness and integrity will be the ethos of The Fiji Times as these timeless values have been a linchpin to building the credible, reliable, trusted and respected newspaper that it is today.’
He concluded by thanking everyone for believing in The Fiji Times.
Dr Anurag in his melodious tone added glamour to the night and these lines, ‘And holding the paper was like holding freshly baked bread. It still felt warm in the hands. And the smell of the ink and newspaper was tantalising’, thrilled the audience.
The editor-in-chief Fred Wesley said, ‘We are about people’. Mr Wesley shared that The Fiji Times was motivated to continue the great work that the late Mr Griffiths started, live his vision, and uphold and value the ideals of good journalism.
He hit the nail with these lines, ‘Our charter is to strive for accuracy and balance with the intention to do justice to every story we print and picture we use. We are not anti-government and we are not pro-government.’
He drew the biggest cheer when he said, ‘Sleep assured we are firmly committed to helping our country move forward.
Today, we give you a newspaper that is fair, just, balanced and honest. Today, we give you a newspaper that holds true to ideals of journalism.’
That moment at GPH will go down into history books. Known to be the guru of media ideals and impartial reporting, the legacy and proud history of The Fiji Times reaches out to thousands locally and overseas.
The Fiji Times disseminates information to masses and values journalism and what it stands for.
It disseminates information that has authority, is credible, and will help readers make well informed decisions in their lives daily. The journey to strive credibility, fairness and neutrality has not been an easy one, and there have been obstacles along the way, but I am proud that our number one newspaper has survived the challenges and despite the adversities, The Fiji Times stood up to these challenges.
A good reader looks for fair reporting whether its news related to sports, religion, economics, personal opinions or politics and I am glad that this is what The Fiji Times strives for.
The newspaper continues to be the voice of the voiceless. Having started as a letters to the editor contributor, I’m glad that my articles (on sports and social issues) have featured in the newspaper that holds a special place in my heart.
I salute The Fiji Times for braving 153 years to have serviced my motherland. I can never in my wildest of dreams imagine a Fiji without The Fiji Times, and I’m confident the journey will continue despite the testing times. Thank you The Fiji Times!
