{{Short description|Online newspaper in the Philippines}} {{Use Philippine English|date=January 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox newspaper | name = SunStar Manila | image = SunStar_Manila_wiki.jpg | type = Daily newspaper | format = Online | founded = 1999 | owners = SunStar Publishing, Inc. | political_position = Independent | editor = Ariel B. Catubig | language = English | headquarters = Unit 701, Tycoon Centre, Pearl Drive, Ortigas Center, Pasig, Metro Manila, Philippines | website = {{URL|www.sunstar.com.ph/manila}} }}
The '''''SunStar Manila''''' is a daily online newspaper published in Metro Manila, Philippines. Founded in 1999,<ref name="centennial">{{cite book | author=Brainard, Cecilia Manguerra | author2=Litton, Edmundo F. | year=1999 | title=Journey of 100 Years: Reflections on the Centennial of Philippine Independence | page=211 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D3BxAAAAMAAJ&q=%22sun+star+manila%22 | publisher=Philippine American Women Writers & Artists | location=Santa Monica, California | isbn=0963228102 }}</ref> the newspaper is owned by the Cebu City-based ''SunStar'' group of community newspapers.
Initially a print publication, the ''SunStar Manila'' was partially funded by the acquisition of businessman William Gatchalian, also known as the "plastics king" for his dominance of the Philippine plastic industry, of a minority stake in the newspaper: his second attempt at investing in a newspaper after owning a minority share in the ''SunStar Cebu'' in the 1980s, which he sold off in 1986. He was invited to invest in the Manila edition as the family of former Transportation Secretary Jesus B. Garcia, which owns the ''SunStar Cebu'' and its sister publications, was unable to bankroll a Manila—and therefore truly national—edition on its own. The acquisition was controversial at the time given Gatchalian's closeness to then-President Joseph Estrada as a member of his so-called "midnight cabinet", leading to fears that the newspaper would be used to sway public opinion. This charge was denied by Hector Villanueva, then editor-in-chief of the ''SunStar Cebu''.<ref name="pcij">{{cite journal | author=Chua, Yvonne T. | title=From Plastics to Paper | url=http://pcij.org/imag/Media/gatchalian.html | journal=Media: The Investigative Reporting Magazine | volume=V | issue=3 | publisher=Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism | year=1999 | accessdate=August 1, 2014 }}</ref> This was evidenced by the newspaper being one of only a handful of publications printing articles written by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) highlighting the extent of the Estrada family's business holdings,<ref name="cocktales">{{cite news | author=Agustin, Victor C. | title=Unfit to print | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2479&dat=20000726&id=ulU1AAAAIBAJ&pg=929,11472049 | newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer | publisher=Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. | date=July 26, 2000 | accessdate=August 1, 2014 }}</ref> a decision criticized by critics of the PCIJ.<ref name="critics">{{cite news | title=PCIJ vs. PCIJ Part II | url=http://bantay-media.iwarp.com/pcij2.htm | work=Bagwis: The Official Internet Newsletter of Bantay-Media | publisher=Bantay-Media | date=September 15, 2000 | accessdate=August 1, 2014 }}</ref>
Despite the paper's initial success,<ref name="pcij" /> with its 2002 daily circulation of 87,000 copies being larger than even more established newspapers such as ''The Manila Times'',<ref name="yearbook">{{cite book | year=2002 | title=Yearbook of Philippine Statistics | page=914 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aokWAQAAMAAJ&q=%22sun+star+manila%22 | publisher=National Statistics Office | location=Manila }}</ref> the ''SunStar Manila'' was not profitable,<ref name="cocktales" /> and publication of the print edition was ultimately ceased in favor of maintaining an online-only edition some time thereafter.
==See also== *''SunStar'' *''SunStar Cebu''
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/ ''SunStar Manila'']
{{Metro Manila Newspapers}}
Category:SunStar Category:Online newspapers with defunct print editions Category:Asian news websites Category:Newspapers published in Metro Manila Category:Newspapers established in 1999 Category:Defunct daily newspapers