Bhutan Times
 | |
| Owner(s) | Bhutan Media Services |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2006 |
| Language | English |
| Headquarters | Thimphu, Bhutan |
| Website | http://www.bhutantimes.bt |
The Bhutan Times is Bhutan's first privately owned newspaper, and only the second in the country after the government owned and autonomous Kuensel. Its first edition, with 32 pages, hit the proverbial newsstands on April 30, 2006, with a high-profile interview of Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, the young crown prince of Bhutan, who had recently been designated to succeed his father as king in 2008.
The creation of a free press within Bhutan is recognized as an important step in the ongoing transformation of Bhutan into a democratic society (see History of Bhutan).. The weekly paper came out on Sundays until December 2007 when the management decided to become a bi-weekly paper. Bhutan Times came out on Wednesdays and Sundays for a period before reverting to only being published on Sundays.
The private newspaper is run by a group of young reporters and editors.
Another private newspaper called the Bhutan Observer was launched later in 2006.
Note
The Bhutan Times has no relationship to the website BhutanTimes.com established by a group of Bhutanese refugees living outside Bhutan.