Pacific Presenters (from left to Right) Lisa Williams-Lahiri, Pacific Freedom Forum, Cook Island, Laumaea, Roving Editor, Sunday Chronicle, PNG, Savea Sano Malifa, founder and editor-in-chief, Samoa Observer, Samoa Sophie Foster, Deputy Editor, Fiji Times, Fiji. (Photo by Thakur Ranjit Singh.)

Pacific Scoop:
Analysis – By Thakur Ranjit Singh, In Brisbane.

The first day to formally mark World Press Freedom Day at University of Queensland at St Lucia in Brisbane started off on the morning of Sunday 2nd May with the Australian national anthem, followed by Indigenous cultural welcome by Nanukul Yugera Group, an aborigine dance group from North Brisbane. Following formal speeches and a plenary session, the afternoon session was of particular importance to the Pacific.

Titled “Threats to media freedom and Freedom of Information in the South Pacific” the session heard distinguished speakers from the Pacific. Read more »

Former head of Fiji Broadcasting, Francis Herman. (Photo: Fiji Broadcasting.)

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Pacific Media Watch, in Brisbane.

A former head of Fiji’s public broadcaster has warned that his country’s draft media decree could be exported to other Pacific governments that would like to curb news organisations.

Speaking on World Press Freedom Day at the UNESCO global conference hosted at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Francis Herman said Fiji’s influence in the region continued “irrespective” of whether it was a member of the Pacific Islands Forum. Read more »

UNESCO is hosting the World Press Freedom Day conference at the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Vincent Murwira, in Auckland.

Journalism and press freedom will always be under threat, not just from technology but from the mighty and powerful.

“Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice” Article 19, Human Rights Charter.

Back in 1948, soon after World War 2, most governments worldwide signed the United Nations Human Rights Charter and agreed to uphold its principles which guarantee freedom of the press as a basic human right, among other rights. Read more »

The UNESCO World Press Freedom Day used livestream.com to enabled people with an internet connection to view proceedings. Livestream also made it possible for participants to ask questions and comment on proceedings. (See video box on the right --->)

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Pacific Media Watch in Brisbane

A Cook Islands free press advocate has called for news activists to borrow a leaf out of the regional HIV/AIDS campaign book to give Pacific news media a new bill of health.

Speaking at the UNESCO World Press Freedom Day global conference at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Lisa Williams-Lahari said media advocates could learn a lot from the tactics of the HIV/AIDS campaign in the Pacific. Read more »

Fiji's Voreqe Bainimarama: "The military government’s attempts to justify its seizure of political power as necessary for good governance and racial harmony ring hollow." Photo: CP

Pacific Scoop:
By Human Rights Watch in Geneva

United Nations members should press Fiji’s military government during a review of its human rights record to end arbitrary arrests, ill-treatment in detention, and interference with judicial independence, and to ensure a swift return to democratic rule, Human Rights Watch said today. Read more »

Pacific Press release – Amnesty International, 10 February 2010

Fiji Government misrepresents human rights record to UN

The Fiji Government has misrepresented its human rights record in a report to the United Nations, Amnesty International said today. Read more »

Pacific Press Release – Pacific Media Watch

PACIFIC MEDIA CENTRE WINS GRANT FOR PMW FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION PROJECT

AUCKLAND (AUT University/Pacific Media Watch):  The Pacific Media Watch freedom of expression monitoring project at AUT University has been awarded a $15,000 development grant to expand its regional database and journalism resource.

The PMW project was adopted by AUT’s Pacific Media Centre in 2007 and has been developed by Pacific Islands contributing editors based in the School of Communication Studies for the past three years. Read more »

The Fiji Sun splashes the Attorney-General's statement "balancing" the Australia/NZ media coverage.

Pacific.Scoop
Opinion – By Crosbie Walsh

It all started a month or so ago when Streamcom NZ was hired to review the use of Fiji’s airwaves.

The Fiji government was concerned about airwave efficiency and suspected earlier underhand dealings in their allocation.

They must also have been aware — but not necessarily influenced by knowing — that the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation (FBCL)  wanted an entry to TV and that Mai TV, recently awarded the 2010 Soccer World Cup television rights, could only reach some urban areas using UHF.
Read more »

Pacific Press Release – Pacific Media Watch, 10 November 2009

ANTI-GOVERNMENT BLOGS IN FIJI SAY THEY’RE BEING BLOCKED

MELBOURNE (Radio Australia/Pacific Media Watch):  Some anti-government blogs in Fiji are reporting that their readers are finding it impossible to read them.
Read more »

Logo: Clean up Fiji - Fiji Times

Pacific.Scoop
Opinion – By Crosbie Walsh

All acts have consequences. In Professor Brij Lal’s case, from one act (and a history of previous acts) there were three consequences in Fiji and more, in happier circumstances, in Australia.

The act? Giving interviews to foreign media when on a visitor’s visa to Fiji where emergency regulations are in place expressly forbidding such activities.
Read more »