Fiji prosecutors have amended the charges laid against the Fiji Times staff last year.
The Office of Director of Public Prosecutions has now charged them with sedition after earlier accusing them of inciting communal antagonism over an newspaper article.
Those charged are The Fiji Times Limited, Nai Lalakai newspaper editor Anare Ravula, the Fiji Times editor-in-chief Fred Wesley, publisher and general manager Hank Arts, and contributor Josaia Waqabaca.
The case relates to an article published in the vernacular iTaukei newspaper Nai Lalakai on April 27 last year.
The maximum sentence for sedition is seven years imprisonment while communal antagonism carries a maximum prison term of 10 years.
The case has been adjourned until Tuesday.
Those charged are free on bail and Mr Arts' attempt to get a bail variation has failed.
The Fiji Times building in Suva Photo: Matthias Süßen
