The Fiji Daily Ghost

I was at my neighbour’s flat a few nights ago when I was introduced to one of her friends.
“Oh, you’re the guy who writes for that paper nobody reads,” he says, reaching to shake my hand.
I wish this was an isolated instance but it seems to be an alarming trend.
Like many capital cities Suva has more than one newspaper. The three papers competing for readership are the Fiji Times, Fiji Sun – and the paper I write for: Fiji Daily Post.
The day I landed in Fiji I had a disturbing conversation with my cab driver.
“So what’s the best paper?” I ask.
“Oh, Fiji Times very good,” he replies.
That isn’t the answer I want to hear.
“Ya, what else,” I ask.
“Fiji Sun people like to read,” he answers.
Again, not what I’m looking for.
“What about the Fiji Daily Post?” I inquire.
“Oh yes, Fiji Daily Post,” he says.
Not a good start – but what does this guys know about papers, I figure.
After getting into town I head straight for a newsstand to grab a copy of the Daily Post, but there’s a problem: there aren't any copies for sale.
It probably just sold out…stupid cab driver.
The next morning I wakeup and decide to start my day with a thorough read of the paper I will soon be writing for.
“Daily Post please, sir” I tell the guy at the newsstand.
First a blank stare and eventually a response.
“No Daily Post.”
Confused I head back to my hotel sans newspaper.
I guess they just sold out really early today. It must be a very popular paper…stupid cab driver.
But I am starting to get worried.
Next day, same thing: No Daily Post.
I start to panic. Did I just travel 12,343 km to write for a paper that doesn’t even exist?
My fears subside on the fourth day when my travel companion, Hart, comes bursting through the doors holding a copy of the Daily Post like he had just found the original Dead Sea scrolls.
However, my relief quickly fades after my first day at work. My editor informs me that the paper is facing many challenges. I won’t bother with the details but the Daily Post is anything but daily. We usually put out three to four papers a week, but nothing is certain.
At first I am frustrated with the situation. But gradually I realize that working in a newsroom in a developing country will only make me a stronger journalist. For example, we don’t have working phones at the office, so I have to do all of my interviews in person – that’s a good thing.
But the daily Daily Post criticisms still hurt.
At the grocery store I pick up a copy, and the cashier asks me why I’m buying that paper.
I walk into my neighbour’s kitchen to see the Fiji Times on the table.
The barista at the café looks confused when I ask her why the shop never carries the Daily Post.
When I tell people that I write for the Daily Post, I’m informed about how the Post used to be the top paper in Fiji.
Just like Bruce Springsteen, the Daily Post, too, had glory days.
And although I wasn’t around for those days, I’m confident they’re coming back – soon.
My editor, a talented and visionary newsman, is in the process of redesigning the paper and changing it to a six-day colour publication. Yes, the Daily Post is going to be daily once again. No more Fiji ‘randomly published’ Post.