‘Prophet Punch’ founder and publisher Ivan Johnson dies

‘Prophet Punch’ founder and publisher Ivan Johnson dies
Ivan Johnson

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Punch founder and editor Ivan Johnson died in hospital yesterday.

Johnson, a veteran journalist, reportedly had a heart attack. He was 68.

The publisher formerly wrote for The Tribune as the newspaper’s chief reporter up to the 1977 general election. He founded the tabloid format Punch newspaper in 1990.

Ivan Johnson

He received the Pioneer Award for newspaper publication from the Bahamas Press Club in 2018.

At the time, BPC noted while some considered Johnson to be provocative and controversial, the publisher was eminently successful.

“This journalist is also a former professional, all-rounder, English first-class cricketer, who played for Worcestershire County Cricket Club from 1972 to 1975,” BPC’s statement read. 

“From 1972, during the English county cricket offseason winter months; Johnson was employed as a trainee reporter at The Tribune newspaper in Nassau.”

In October 1975, Johnson became a trainee journalist with Thomson Newspapers, followed by one year’s cadetship at Reuters. Johnson returned to Nassau in 1976 and reportedly acted as The Tribune’s chief reporter up to the 1977 general election.

BPC noted Johnson notably clashed with then Progressive Liberal Party leader, Prime Minister Lynden Pindling during the ZNS-TV radio program, Contact, in 1976.

“Contact was a monthly, live broadcast where Sir Lynden was questioned by journalists. Sir Lynden became angry when answering Johnson’s questions. In November 1976, Sir Lynden refused to appear with Johnson. Johnson continued to goad Sir Lynden in The Tribune,” it read.

Johnson returned to England following the 1977 election and worked as an editor at multiple newspapers before returning to The Bahamas and opening his own tabloid The Punch and its famed office located on Farrington Road in Oakes Field in 1990.

The BPC statement continued: “In 1992, on the morning of election day, The Punch ran a headline predicting the Free National Movement win over Progressive Liberal Party by 32 seats to 17. The tabloid was hence called The Prophet Punch.

“To his credit, Johnson is the first and only Bahamian to have played professional cricket at the first-class and junior Test cricket level.”

It added: “Johnson is the son of the late Basil L. I. Johnson, CBE DFM RAFVR who was a World War II flight sergeant.  Johnson’s father was the only black Bahamian to fly in the British Royal Air Force during World War II.”

About Ava Turnquest

Ava Turnquest is the head of the Digital Department at Eyewitness News. Her most notable beat coverage spans but is not limited to politics, immigration and human rights, with a focus especially on minority groups. In 2018, she was nominated by the Bahamas Press Club for “The Eric Wilmott Award for Investigative Journalism”. Ava is deeply motivated by her passion about the role of fourth estate, and uses her pen to inform, educate and sensitize the public.

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