Bhutan Times

The Bhutan Times is Bhutan's first privately owned newspaper, and only the second in the country after the government owned and autonomous Kuensel. Its first edition, with 32 pages, hit newsstands on April 30, 2006,[1] with a high-profile interview of Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, the young crown prince of Bhutan, who had recently been designated to succeed his father as king in 2008.

Bhutan Times
Owner(s)Bhutan Media Services
Founded2006
LanguageEnglish
HeadquartersThimphu, Bhutan

The creation of a free press within Bhutan is recognized as an important step in the ongoing transformation of Bhutan into a democratic society (see History of Bhutan).[2] The weekly paper came out on Sundays until December 2007 when the management decided to become a bi-weekly paper. Bhutan Times came out on Wednesdays and Sundays for a period before reverting to only being published on Sundays.

The private newspaper is run by a group of young reporters and editors. At its peak, the paper employed 98 people, but as of 2019, that had decreased to 10.[3]

Another private newspaper called the Bhutan Observer was launched later in 2006.

In 2009, its editorial staff resigned en masse due to disagreements with the paper's leadership, prompting concern from the International Federation of Journalists.[4]

References
  1. "Bhutan gets first private newspaper". UPI. May 1, 2006. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  2. Hindustan Times https://web.archive.org/web/20070617025132/http://hindustantimes.com/news/7598_1687724%2C000500020006.htm. Archived from the original on 17 June 2007. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. Zangpo, Needrup (6 July 2019). "Wither the Bhutanese media?". Kuensel. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  4. "Mass resignations in Bhutan's daily newspaper raise concerns". International Freedom of Expression Exchange. International Federation of Journalists. 29 October 2009. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
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