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Kyiv Post chief editor Brian Bonner on March 22 sat down with Mohammad Zahoor, the publisher of the newspaper until he sold it this week to Odesa businessman Adnan Kivan, and asked for his reflections on his nine years of ownership.
Kyiv Post: What was the best thing about owning the Kyiv Post?
Mohammad Zahoor: The best thing was the recognition that I got from the community. When I told people that I am the publisher of the Kyiv Post, they were like in the army, almost willing to salute you. The recognition and the respect towards the Kyiv Post is so high and of such a magnitude that people were willing to make photographs with you. Everybody has read this newspaper. I always felt so proud when I knew that these people are reading my newspaper and getting the news that they should be getting. In short, the Kyiv Post made me proud.
KP: Why are you spending less time in Ukraine?
MZ: Unfortunately, I see more opportunity outside of Ukraine than inside of Ukraine. When President Petro Poroshenko came to power, I was dead sure that this country would make a big leap. The takeoff didn’t happen. I now spend more time in London, Pakistan, Dubai.
KP: Why did you sell to Kivan?
MZ: The person who is going to buy it must keep the soul of the Kyiv Post alive, the same way that I did. I gave nine years and a lot of money, effort and time to the Kyiv Post. I don’t want someone to buy it for a higher price and just kill it. I bought this newspaper to keep it alive. I didn’t need it. The Ukrainian people deserve it and the people who want to do something with Ukraine deserve it. I found Kivan to be a person who is willing to keep it as independent as I did and as democratic as I did. The only thing he told me is that he wanted to add a Syrian touch to it because not many people know about the Syrian problem and he wants to highlight it. To me, he is the right buyer for this one. I wish that he should love the Kviv Post and bring it to a higher level because I want to see it live forever.
KP: Why did you sell now?
MZ: I have been doing this as a community service. I want the service to be passed on to somebody else. There were conditions to fulfill and Kivan made those promises and he got the deal.
KP: Do you regret buying the Kyiv Post?
MZ: I don’t regret buying the Kyiv Post. I think it was a tough job, but I never regretted it. I do regret selling it. I do feel sad selling it. This is something that was close to my heart and now when you are passing it on to somebody else, your sentiments are kind of sad. You feel sorry for yourself that you would not be part of it anymore.
KP: Do you think Kivan will fire me and the rest of the staff?
MZ: If I were Kivan, I would keep you there. You were the person who created the bluntness and the truthfulness and did not fear anybody. So I think it’s hard to find such a chief editor.
KP: Thank you, it’s the freedom you gave me. Are you surprised you got such a high price — more than $3.5 million — for an unprofitable newspaper?
MZ: I’m not surprised. As a business, maybe it’s not that viable. But the taste of the Kyiv Post — reading it, feeling it and, at the same time, having in mind that thousands of people are reading it. They are feeling it a similar way. That gives you more satisfaction than a million or $1.5 million in profit.
