Word Publishing takes pride in its contribution to PNG and strives to be a pro-active partner in building a unified nation. It promotes Christian values, human rights, civil society and the full development of all aspects of human life. It aims to seek to full development of all aspect of human life. It aims to seek the truth; to disseminate a wide rang of information and opinion to enable people to make informed choices; to oppose injustice, corruption, inequality, violence, destruction of the environment; to hold a mirror to society and to all institutions; to encourage in-depth reporting on a wide range of institutions, including the churches; to encourage reader participation and to promote literacy. Word Publishing also promotes Tok Pisin as a language for learning and building PNG society. It publishes a Tok Pisin newspaper that is the voice of the people. It also recently published a Tok Pisin Dictionary in conjunction with Oxford University Press.

THE PRODUCT

Wantok Niuspepa is a weekly Thursday paper published by Word Publishing Company Limited. It is the only”Tok Pisin” news paper in Papua New Guinea and is published weekly in Port Moresby and sold and distributed throughout the country.
Its Mandate is to be the custodian of the people’s language (Tok Pisin), and promote its use through publications of news, photos advertisements, inserts, translation, Cartoons and page layout. It also aims to encourage the use of language in the churches, government and private sector, the Wantok Niuspepa hopes to influence the teaching of Tok Pisin as a language of learning in literacy classes, Elementary and Primary

THE COMPANY – WORD PUBLISHING

Word Publishing Company Limited is registered under IPA and is licensed to print publications in PNG.
The Company was formed by a consortium of churches to take over the operations of Wantok Niuspepa which was established in 1970 in Wewak by the late, Fr. Frank Mihalc

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In the 1980’s the company expanded to print several additional publications. The Times of PNG, Saturday Independent, The Independent, the PNG Trade Monthly to PNG Business, and New Nation to Weekend Sports.
These publications have since been closed with the Board of Word Publishing Company resolving to maintain its prominent Tok Pisin publication, the WANTOK NIUSPEPA.
Wantok Niuspepa is now 46 years in service to the people of Papua New Guinea and still striving.

SHARE HOLDERS

Wantok Niuspepa, through its parent company, is owned and operated by a Board of Directors comprised of the four mainline churches in PNG. Their share holdings are;

• Roman Catholic: 55%
• Lutheran: 25%
• Anglican: 10%
• United Church: 10%

The company mainly operates through revenue generated by space advertising, printing and translation work to assist the News paper carry out its community project obligations in the areas of church news publications on the work of the churches in PNG, women’s issues, health, education, politics and other community projects.

PRINTING AND CIRCULATION COVERAGE

The Wantok Niuspepa is published from CBC compound, Section 108 Lot 28, Godwit Street, Gordon and printed by South Pacific Post Limited, owners of the Post Courier newspaper. More than 6,000 copies of 28 pages are printed on a weekly basis and retailed nationwide at K1.00 per copy.
More than four thousand (4600) copies are distributed and delivered FOC to schools, hospitals, provincial governments, mining communities, churches and NGO’s in PNG.
Two hundred and fifty (250) papers are distributed through paid subscription nationally and internationally, and five thousand six hundred and fifty copies are sold to the public in a week.
To keep in pace with today’s technological changes and challenges in the media electronic world we are on line on website (www.wantokniuspepa.com.pg) for ease of use to our readers.
On top of the normal circulation to the general public, we use the extensive church network to effectively distribute the paper to the masses particularly, the grassroots through parishes, schools/colleges, other church run institutions & NGOs nationwide. Airmail postpaid subscription to clients around the world to major Universities and Wantok Niuspepa friends in UK, France, Rome, Germany, Australia, Cananda, New Zealand and the Pacific Island Countries.

STAFF STRENGTH & MANPOWER

Word Publishing Company is staffed by a 16 member-man-team of professional media personnel in editorial, sales and marketing, finance and administration.
The Chief Editor is responsible overall for all editorial matters of the paper. A lot of stories are submitted by Stringers and Freelance Journalists around the country.
The Sales and Marketing Manager runs the Advertising Department, and is also responsible for the Distribution and Circulation Department. Admin and Finance divisions are under the management of General Manager and assisted by the Accounts Officer.

READERSHIP OF THE WANTOK NIUSPEPA

Although the figures have varied over the years, the Wantok Niuspepa , is refuted to be a, “pass on newspaper” where one reader passes on the paper to another and another and another. It has been proven by past readership surveys.

ISSUES COVERED

Wantok Niuspepa identifies itself to be a Grassroots’ paper. It does not cover or dwell on sensationalism. The news and information disseminated by this paper is straight and worthy of print.
Although a church run paper, Wantok Niuspepa participates fully in society campaigns such as “War Against Corruption” the HIV/AIDS campaign, Social Issue Agendas, Violence Against Women, Child Abuse, the protection of environment etc. In addition we publish stories about the ordinary people, their success stories, their disappointments, and their rural development work etc.

OTHER SERVICES

Word Publishing Company publisher of “Wantok Niuspea” provides service in the area of commercial translation, printing, inserts, cartoons and page layout at very competitive rates apart from advertising.

SUMMARY

Our readership covers the grassroots to the middle class particularly in the rural areas but urban centers too especially the “Tok Pisin” speakers and these make up the majority populace of PNG. It is also very popular with the expatriate community living in PNG and those who have serve in PNG and living overseas connect to keep the dialogue (Pisin).
We will continue to assess our paper, the layout, design, format and content in order to offer attractive, more appealing news paper, for the benefit of our advertisers and readers.
We reach out to vulnerable people to keep in touch with happenings in and around their communities and the rest of the world, but we couldn’t do it without you. You can assist by way of subscribing copies for those people, advertising, translation jobs, inserts, printing and cartoons etc.