The Star is a newspaper published in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was published daily from 1868 to 1991. It became the Christchurch Star-Sun in June 1935 after merging with a rival newspaper, The Sun, and at the time it ceased daily publication in 1991 it was known as The Christchurch Star.[1] It later became a free newspaper, published twice a week (on Wednesdays and Fridays) until 2016, then once a week (on Thursdays) since 2016.[2]
| Type | Weekly morning newspaper |
|---|---|
| Owner(s) | Star Media |
| Founded | 14 May 1868 |
| Headquarters | New Zealand |
| Circulation | 92,000 |
History
The Star was first published on 14 May 1868 as the evening edition of the Lyttelton Times.[1]
In April 2013 the Star was sold by APN New Zealand Media (owners of The New Zealand Herald) to Mainland Media.[2]
Controversies
In 1991 The Star featured in the film JFK, with the claim that the 23 November 1963 edition of the Star, shown in the film, had published details of Lee Harvey Oswald's which the Star could only have had access to if they were pre-packaged before the assassination. The paper's chief reporter later said that this was simply wrong, as Oswald had been arrested at around 10 am New Zealand time, and the Star was not published until early to mid-afternoon New Zealand time. With access to US wire services that had photographs and biographical details from Oswald's prior defection to and return from the Soviet Union, a front page was drawn up in the time available.[3]
In 2020 The Star faced criticism for advertising propaganda defending the Chinese Communist Party’s policies such as their systematic detention of Uighur Muslims in the Xinjiang province of China.[4] The Star defends their continued publication of these advertisements, as it sees them as expressions of “free speech”. Concerns have been raised over the advertisements not making clear distinctions between opinion and fact.[5]
References
- ^ a b paperspast.natlib.govt.nz, Star
- ^ a b Stuff.co.nz, 18 April 2013, Christchurch Star sold to Mainland Media
- ^ Christchurch City Libraries, The Christchurch Star 23 November 1963
- ^ "Critics deplore China's NZ ads defending policies". NZ Herald. 2 August 2020. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
- ^ "Pro-China ad campaign in Chch newspaper worries expert". Newstalk ZB. Retrieved 22 August 2020.