The ''Samoa News'' is a

newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...

published in

Pago Pago Pago Pago ( or ; Samoan language, Samoan: )Harris, Ann G. and Esther Tuttle (2004). ''Geology of National Parks''. Kendall Hunt. Page 604. . is the capital of American Samoa. It is in Maoputasi County, American Samoa, Maoputasi County on Tutuila ...

American Samoa American Samoa is an Territories of the United States, unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States located in the Polynesia region of the Pacific Ocean, South Pacific Ocean. Centered on , it is southeast of the island count ...

. In the 1960s,

U.S. Marine The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...

Jake King from Arab, Alabama, became a part-owner of ''Samoa News'', eventually becoming the sole owner by 1969. Despite orders from Governor

John Morse Haydon John Morse Haydon (January 27, 1920 – April 18, 1991) was the governor of American Samoa from 1969 to 1974. Haydon attended the University of Washington. He served as a First Lieutenant in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II a ...

to leave American Samoa, King remained and transformed ''Samoa News'' into a significant platform for public expression. He personally handled most of the reporting and editorial writing. King's wife, Rowena Avaoniua King, who was the first female newspaper publisher in American Samoa, co-operated and owned the newspaper with him. Rowena contributed a weekly column titled "Tailo," which was known for its bold exposés of governmental and community misconduct. Her writings led to a physical attack in

Fagatogo Fagatogo () is the downtown area of Pago Pago (the territorial capital of American Samoa).Grabowski, John F. (1992). ''U.S. Territories and Possessions (State Report Series)''. Chelsea House Pub. Page 51. . Located in the low grounds at the foot o ...

by a family offended by her critiques. In 1983, the couple sold ''Samoa News'' and founded a new weekly publication, the ''Samoa Journal and Advertiser''. In 1981, Samoa News was the major newspaper distributed in both of the Samoas. In January 1985, Lewis Wolman became editor of Samoa News. The Samoa News Ltd. was established in 1986, with Fuga Teleso as the majority shareholder. Wolman purchased Teleso's shares on November 18, 1986, and became the publisher-editor for Samoa News. It began printing on a web press in December 1989, allowing for an increase in paper size. In January 1990, it became the first daily newspaper in America Samoa, printed at its new facilities in the downtown Pago Pago location in

. Fuga Tolani Teleso was chairman of the board. ''Samoa News'' was also the name for the first private newspaper in American Samoa, which was published from April 1963–1966. A partial microfilm archive of the paper is kept by the

University of Washington The University of Washington (UW and informally U-Dub or U Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington, United States. Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast of the Uni ...

References

Newspapers published in American Samoa {{oceania-newspaper-stub