First directory launch

THE first directory was officially launched more than 35 years ago.

This, according to an article published by The Fiji Times on September 10,1986.

Officially named the 198687 Fiji Telephone Directory, the launch was held at the Suva Travelodge the night before the article was published.

At the time, the book was the first to be printed by the Directory Publishing Fiji Pty Ltd.

The article stated that the new publishing contractor was the department of Posts and Telecommunications.

As many as 60,000 copies of the directory were published where subscribers each received a free copy.

Robert Norman, the general manager of the company at the time, said this issue was unique and revolutionary because it used a new method or structure called the flip cover.

“The book has two front cover, one for the white pages and one for the yellow pages,” he said.

“If you need to look in the white pages, open the white pages cover, if you need to look in the yellow pages, simply close the book, flip it over and open the Yellow Pages cover,” he said.

Features of the white pages section included a glossy cover which showed an artist’s impression of the islands as a backdrop to the International Year of Peace symbol, stated the article.

Mr Norman said the cover was the first of its kind in telephone directories internationally.

These directories featured a new side or section which was the green pages or telex and business communications section.

These listed all businesses with a telex which came after the white pages.

This came in replacement of the separate booklets which were part of the previous publications.

At the time, the yellow pages feature was spotted or distinguished in red with the advertisements while the white pages section was listed in super bold for ease of identification.

The business response for the new features has been tremendous and he anticipated a favourable reaction from the public too, Mr Norman said.

The article concluded that the Government Printer compiled the directories, The Fiji Sun printed them, they were bound by the Oceania Printers and distributed by the Posts and Telecommunications department.

Picture: FILE/FT The general manager of Directory Publishing (Fiji) Pty Ltd, Robert Norman, left, and the sales and marketing manager, Graeme Fear, hold up the cake baked by the Suva Travelodge chefs to mark the launch of the new directory.