Asian Pacific Post
{{Short description|Canadian newspaper in British Columbia}}
{{Infobox newspaper
| name = Asian Pacific Post
| logo =
| image =
| caption =
| type = Weekly newspaper
| political =
| format =
| foundation = {{start date and age|1993}}
| ceased publication =
| price =
| owners =
| editor =
| chiefeditor =
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| language = English
| circulation =
| headquarters = Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada
| oclc =
| ISSN = 1916-4432
| website = {{URL|asianpacificpost.com}}
}}
The Asian Pacific Post is a weekly Canadian newspaper founded in 1993 in Vancouver, British Columbia. The newspaper specialized in reporting Asian issues, and has a readership of 160,000.[http://www.asianpacificpost.com/portal2/40288182079598fe010795a2f0d40005.do.html About us] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090524044331/http://www.asianpacificpost.com/portal2/40288182079598fe010795a2f0d40005.do.html |date=May 24, 2009 }} It has a sister publication in The South Asian Post.
The newspaper won a Jack Webster Award for Excellence in Journalism for Best Community Reporting in 2003.[http://www.jackwebster.com/awards/2003.shtml/images/past_awards.swf The 2003 Jack Webster Awards]{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Conflict with the Epoch Press
According to the Asian Pacific Post, Frank Cui of the Epoch Printing Press, which also prints The Epoch Times, attempted to stop the printing of the paper on January 8, 2009. This was due to the printing of an article which stated that the Chinese government accused the Divine Performing Arts hosted by NTDTV of being funded by Falun Gong practitioners.Mata Press Service, [http://www.southasianpost.com/portal2/c1ee8c421f38354c011f43489df90017_Punjabi_Publisher_fights_for_press_freedom_in_BC.do.html "Punjabi Publisher fights for press freedom in BC"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100118152611/http://www.southasianpost.com/portal2/c1ee8c421f38354c011f43489df90017_Punjabi_Publisher_fights_for_press_freedom_in_BC.do.html |date=January 18, 2010 }} South Asian Post, March 2009 Cui refused to print the newspaper without the removal of quotes from Chinese officials. Publisher Sewak accused Falun Gong of suppressing his freedom of speech, and the Asian Pacific Post was forced to switch publishers.
Epoch Press' president, Frank Cui, who is a Falun Gong practitioner, admitted to holding the paper. He said "...news reporters feel that they must 'balance' stories about Falun Gong or events they are involved in by adding the bad words or opinions from the [ Chinese Communist Party ], but in my feeling, between victim and perpetrator there can never be any neutrality or balance." Harbinder Singh Sewak, publisher of the Post, said "This is hypocrisy in slow motion... You can't complain about not having freedom of the press in China and then turn around and suppress the same freedoms in Canada". Sewak alleges the printer committed unlawful interference with economic interests, including breach of contract and deceit.Elaine O'Connor, [http://www2.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=b18559a9-5014-4023-8e8d-fa1296229716 Paper sues former printer], The Province, March 26, 2009 Lawyers representing Falun Dafa denied any association with the actions of Frank Cui.
This story has been covered by the South China Morning Post,[http://www.southasianpost.com/portal2/c1ee8c421e892f19011f04cfb40e0282_South_China_Morning_Post__Falun_Gong_staff_close_Canadian_newsp.do.html Falun Gong staff close Canadian newspaper]{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The Vancouver Sun,[https://vancouversun.com/news/Newspaper+accuses+printer+censorship/1167993/story.html Newspaper accuses printer of censorship]{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} and The Province.[https://theprovince.com/news/Falun+Gong+quashes+press/1165073/story.html Falun Gong quashes press] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090315170409/http://www.theprovince.com/news/Falun%2BGong%2Bquashes%2Bpress/1165073/story.html |date=March 15, 2009 }} Sewak has since taken the Epoch Printing Press to court over the matterElaine O'Connor, [https://theprovince.com/news/Paper+sues+former+printer/1429511/story.html Paper sues former printer]{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, The Province, March 26, 2009 The lawyer representing the Asian Pacific Post states that the case is unique in Canada. "We have yet to find a case anywhere in Canada which would be similar to this - a commercial printer holding a newspaper hostage on the basis they don't like an article is a pretty strange set of facts.
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.asianpacificpost.com The Asian Pacific Post]
{{Canadian journalism}}
Category:Asian-Canadian culture in Vancouver
Category:Multicultural and ethnic newspapers published in Canada
Category:Newspapers published in Vancouver
Category:Newspapers established in 1993
Category:1993 establishments in British Columbia
Category:Weekly newspapers published in British Columbia