SUVA: The Fiji Times is the most widely read newspaper in the country every weekday, according to the latest recognised independent research on Fiji's media industry.
The newspaper is read by an average of 72,993 readers from Monday to Friday and is way ahead of competitors, according to the 2010 media survey by market research consultants, Tebbutt Research.
The editor-in-chief of The Fiji Times, Fred Wesley, said yesterday: "We are pleased that the research shows that newspaper readership in Fiji is strong.
"We are pleased that The Fiji Times is way ahead in readership in the newspaper market. Our newspaper is also the biggest-selling newspaper in Fiji and we have the independent Audit Bureau of Circulation certificates to prove our circulation figures.
"We would like to thank the most important people - our readers - for making us number one and pledge that the newspaper will continue to be the best source of balanced news, sports, features and other information vital to the people of Fiji."
Tebbutt Rearch has carried out newspaper readership and TV and radio audience research for Fiji's major media companies for 18 years. - The Fiji Times/Pacific Media Watch
Editorial comment: Special Acknowledgement
By the editor-in-chief, Fred Wesley
What are figures for? Do we really need them?
Figures, in instances like ours, ensure each staff member of this newspaper values their individual contribution.
It places our readers on a very high pedestal.
It ensures there is accountability and fair representation in terms of attention given to stakeholders.
For a newspaper, it means a lot.
Today, we say thank you to every reader who takes time out to pick up a copy of The Fiji Times.
The recent Tebbutt Media Survey has effectively reaffirmed our belief in our ability to do good for this country.
But it is not just all about figures. We would like to be seen as a newspaper that has an important role to play in the mechanics of how we develop as a country.
The Tebbutt survey is reassuring because it ensures we are able to reach out to a wide cross-section of the population. As we mentioned in an editorial late last year, we were once tagged as a newspaper hell bent on being a pain in the back of the State. It was an unwanted tag.
To be seen as anti-government or pro-government are charges that do us no favour as a responsible media organisation.
We would rather be seen as a newspaper that takes no sides; simply a newspaper of integrity.
Our passion is to ensure our readers know we have a sense of fairness about us.
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. We are very, very pro-Fiji.
We would like to think we are neutral and striving to ensure any perception that paints us otherwise is easily washed off.
We realise it is never easy to get rid of set perceptions, however, we hope we can play an important role in moving our country forward.
We will endeavour to make sure our readers see in us a newspaper that is easy to read, has entertaining and educational information and pictures, plus believability and authority.
We are about people, values, honesty, commitment, perseverance and unity.
To the 72,993 weekday readers who ensure we do justice to an image and reputation that has been nurtured over 141 years, we say thank you.
Pacific Media Watch
