South Seas Journal

From MicrasWiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
South Seas Journal
Type Daily newspaper
Industry Publishing
Founded 1650 AN
Headquarters Joseph Town, South Sea Islands
Area served South Sea Islands South Sea Islands

The South Seas Journal, commonly referred to in the South Sea Islands simply as The Journal, is a publishing company and daily broadsheet newspaper produced in Joseph Town. The Journal is the only daily newspaper produced in the South Sea Islands and enjoys a reputation as a fair, accurate and politically neutral publication.

History

What is now the South Seas Journal began life in 1640 as a monthly community newsletter known as the Joseph Town News. This amateur publication initially focused on informing the residents of Joseph Town about upcoming events, as well as featuring written works by local residents and advertisements from local businesses.

Delivered door to door for free, the publication proved to be hugely popular and by popular demand it soon began to be published fortnightly. Up until this point, the Joseph Town News has been compiled, printed and published entirely by volunteers working from home during their spare time. By 1645 the newsletter became a weekly publication and had expanded to include a variety of local news, and volunteer reporters and columnists began covering news from elsewhere in the South Sea Islands. It was around this time that the first paid employee of the newsletter was hired and an office space was leased.

In 1649 plans were formulated to formalise the newsletter into a registered corporation, with a national circulation in place of a local one. The result was the launch of the South Seas Journal on New Years Day 1650.

Structure

The day to day running of the organisation, and publishing of the newspaper, is conducted by a staff of three full time, paid clerks. The management of The Journal is conducted by a committee of volunteers, elected from amongst the paid subscribers to the newspaper. While the clerks undertake much of the writing, layout and publishing work, editorial responsibility ultimately lays with the managing committee.

The offices and printing facilities of the company are located in Joseph Town, in the same location as the original Joseph Town News office.

Distribution

The print edition of the South Seas Journal is distributed daily to approximately 60% of households on the South Sea Islands, with a further 20% of households subscribed to an online edition of the publication. Online subscribers commonly cite the remoteness of their homes as the main reason for opting out of receiving the printed edition.

In popular culture

The age, popularity and ubiquitous of the South Seas Journal has made it a cultural icon within the South Sea Islands, with the slang term "J-worthy" used (sometimes sarcastically) to describe a person or event notable enough to warrant inclusion in the newspaper.

The paper appears in a number of films, TV shows and illustrations produced in the South Sea Islands. Most famously, in the movie Into the Beyond, an edition of The Journal is seen inside the escape module commemorating the death of fictional scientist Seraphina Eve (an event that had occurred only minutes before).