3 Jan 2012

Uncertainty over assets of defunct Tahitipresse news agency

2:51 pm on 3 January 2012

Staff at the defunct French Polynesian news agency Tahitipresse say they have no idea what will happen to the agency's assets.

Tahitipresse closed last weekend after the French government recommended that the agency be shut to save the French Polynesian government money.

Tahitipresse was set up in 2001 to provide a French and English service from its office in Papeete.

Its former head, Thibault Marais, says a planned merger with local television failed

"The staff has not been told what would become of the assets; all the files, the name of the website are transferred to the French Polynesian government, and we don't know if they are going to keep them for themselves."

Thibault Marais says Tahitipresse is the only government-owned entity to be closed so far as the administration is mired in unprecedented financial problems.