Enforced sale of the Fiji Times

Rupert Murdoch's Australian publishing division, News Limited, has sold the Fiji Times newspaper group to a Fijian company. In announcing the enforced sale to the Motibhai company, News Limited's chief executive John Hartigan said: "We are reluctant sellers of the Fiji Times, but I am delighted that we have been able to find a buyer who will take over the business as a going concern." The sale follows a media decree by the government led by Commodore Frank Bainimarama , who came to power through a military coup in December 2006. News Limited was given until 28 September to divest all but 10% of its interest in the Fiji Times, the country's leading newspaper. Motibhai is owned and run by Mahendra Motibhai Patel, a businessman who has previously served on the board of the Fiji Times as a non-executive director. Hartigan said: "Motibhai will be very good custodians of the newspaper and as shareholders they will be committed to the future of the Fiji Times." Source: The Australian