New Sunday paper in legal battle

A PLANNED regional newspaper, to be called the New Sunday Times, by Namibian and Zimbabwean state media houses looks to have hit a snag.

South Africa’s Sunday Times newspaper has taken legal steps to block the use of its name, while the publishers seem to be unsure of whether the new publication will be on the streets tomorrow, as originally planned. Three months ago, New Era Publication Corporation and Zimbabwe’s Zimpapers signed a co-operation agreement to pave the way for a regional newspaper to “counter the threat of the global media to African values”.Reports coming from South Africa indicate that attorneys acting for the Sunday Times have written to New Era and Zimpapers, warning them that any use of the name New Sunday Times would constitute an infringement of the Sunday Times’s rights to the well-known trademark.The head of Namibia’s Government-owned New Era newspaper, Protasius Ndauendapo, on Monday confirmed to The Namibian that he had received a letter from the Sunday Times’ lawyers a month ago.”They (the Sunday Times lawyers) just brought to our attention that their client was claiming ownership of the name… and that we should not use the name,” he said.Ndauendapo was then quick to state that he did not want to comment further on the issue.”Our lawyers have responded.But it is difficult to say anything now.”He was also reluctant to offer comment on whether the first edition of the New Sunday Times would be on the street on July 1 as planned.”You see technically July 1 is a Thursday, but this is a Sunday newspaper… so I can’t comment on that now,” the New Era boss declared.Plans to launch the regional publication by Namibia and Zimbabwe have already raised a few eyebrows in the region with critics in some neighbouring countries describing it as a “Mugabe [Zimbabwe’s President Robert] and Nujoma [Namibia’s President Sam] propaganda tool”.The Assistant Editor of Zimbabwe’s state-run Herald newspaper, Moses Magadza, will edit the New Sunday Times, assisted by a staff member from New Era.During its initial stages the new newspaper will depend on articles from New Era and Zimpapers, but it is ultimately expected to be independent.Three months ago, New Era Publication Corporation and Zimbabwe’s Zimpapers signed a co-operation agreement to pave the way for a regional newspaper to “counter the threat of the global media to African values”.Reports coming from South Africa indicate that attorneys acting for the Sunday Times have written to New Era and Zimpapers, warning them that any use of the name New Sunday Times would constitute an infringement of the Sunday Times’s rights to the well-known trademark.The head of Namibia’s Government-owned New Era newspaper, Protasius Ndauendapo, on Monday confirmed to The Namibian that he had received a letter from the Sunday Times’ lawyers a month ago.”They (the Sunday Times lawyers) just brought to our attention that their client was claiming ownership of the name… and that we should not use the name,” he said.Ndauendapo was then quick to state that he did not want to comment further on the issue.”Our lawyers have responded.But it is difficult to say anything now.”He was also reluctant to offer comment on whether the first edition of the New Sunday Times would be on the street on July 1 as planned.”You see technically July 1 is a Thursday, but this is a Sunday newspaper… so I can’t comment on that now,” the New Era boss declared.Plans to launch the regional publication by Namibia and Zimbabwe have already raised a few eyebrows in the region with critics in some neighbouring countries describing it as a “Mugabe [Zimbabwe’s President Robert] and Nujoma [Namibia’s President Sam] propaganda tool”.The Assistant Editor of Zimbabwe’s state-run Herald newspaper, Moses Magadza, will edit the New Sunday Times, assisted by a staff member from New Era.During its initial stages the new newspaper will depend on articles from New Era and Zimpapers, but it is ultimately expected to be independent.