Luke Sela
{{Short description|Papua New Guinea journalist}}
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Luke Clement Sela, OBE (died 6 June 2007) was a journalist and newspaper editor from Papua New Guinea. He served as editor of the Papua New Guinea Post-Courier newspaper, one of PNG's largest publications, from 1978 to 1992, and was described by the newspaper as a champion of the free press in the country.{{cite web|url=https://www.postpng.com.pg/collections/view/50-years-of-nation-building-post-courier |title=50 Years of Nation Building - Post Courier |publisher=PostPNG |year=2020 |accessdate=27 October 2021 }}
Career
Sela worked in the Papua information services in the 1960s and 1970s.
He was a journalist at the radio stations Radio Wewak and ABC Australia. He joined the staff of the Post-Courier in 1976 and became the editor in 1978,{{cite news |title= Former PNG news editor Luke Sela dies
|url= http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/Former-PNG-news-editor-Luke-Sela-dies/2007/06/07/1181089209438.html |newspaper= Sydney Morning Herald |date=7 June 2007 |access-date=2 July 2007}} the newspaper's first national editor. He remained editor until 1992,{{cite web |url=https://www.pngattitude.com/2007/06/vale_luke_sela.html |title=Luke Sela: rock of PNG journalism |author= |work=PNG Attitude |date=8 June 2007 |accessdate=27 October 2021}} and retired in 2000, but continued to work with the Post-Courier after his retirement. He was preparing to help coordinate the newspaper's coverage of the 2007 elections in PNG's island regions at the time of his death.
Personal life
Awards and honours
He was awarded the OBE in 1986 for services to journalism.{{cite news|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/50771/supplement/48/data.pdf|title=O.B.E.|newspaper=The London Gazette|date=31 December 1986 |page=48}} In 2000, the headquarters of the Post-Courier was named Sela Haus in his honour. In 2020, he was the subject of a commemorative stamp.{{cite news |url=https://asiapacificreport.nz/2020/07/02/pngs-oldest-daily-post-courier-celebrates-a-half-century/ |title=PNG's oldest daily, Post-Courier, celebrates a half century |author=Melisha Yafoi |newspaper=PNG Post Courier |date=2 July 2020 |accessdate=27 October 2021 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.stamp-store.com/catalog/luke-sela-first-editor-of-post-courier-papua-and-new-guinea-2020-3-45 |title=Luke Sela, First Editor of Post-Courier - Papua and New Guinea 2020 - 3.45 |publisher=Stamp-Store |accessdate=27 October 2021 }}
References
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Category:Year of birth missing
Category:Papua New Guinean newspaper editors
Category:People from Manus Province
Category:Papua New Guinean journalists
Category:Officers_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire
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