Restriction 'denial of media freedom'
Title -- 5387 FIJI: Restriction 'denial of media freedom'
Date -- 20 March 2008
Byline -- None
Origin -- Pacific Media Watch
Source -- Radio Fiji Online 20/03/08
Copyright - RF
Status -- Unabridged
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RESTRICTION 'DENIAL OF MEDIA FREEDOM'
www.radiofiji.com.fj/fullstory.php?id=9601
SUVA (RF Online/Pacific Media Watch): A journalism educator believes any moves to license the media will shackle the industry and will be a denial of media freedom.
University of the South Pacific journalism school head Shailendra Singh says if Interim Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry’s suggestion is carried out Fiji’s citizens will be the biggest losers.
Singh comments come in the wake of a suggestion by Chaudhry that the media be licensed because it is "divisive and racist".
He added at the moment the media was free to report as it pleases but there is a degree of self-censorship that is evident.
Singh, who spent more than 15 years in mainstream media says the media no doubt feels intimidated by the words and actions of the interim government.
He says this is evident in recent events like the overnight deportation of former Fiji Sun publisher Russell Hunter - the summoning of the Fiji Times publisher by the AG for a ‘discussion’ calls for media licensing and a record one billion dollars defamation lawsuit against a daily.
Singh says the media is under pressure and journalists are facing stress but they take it as part of their calling.
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