AUCKLAND (Radio New Zealand International / Morning Report / Pacific Media Watch): A Pacific journalism educator based in New Zealand says the Fiji Media Industry Development Authority is undoing the good work achieved in Fiji in the past.
MIDA announced this week it would set up a media monitoring unit to assess whether all media outlets were giving equal weight to each political party leading up to this year's elections.
The MIDA chairman, Ashwin Raj, said the unit would be independent, but the director of AUT's Pacific Media Centre, Professor David Robie, said he was very sceptical.
He said the authority was going the wrong way about encouraging a free media in Fiji, and was shooting itself in the foot.
"I think really they're sending the wrong signals. What media is doing is saying, you know, everything is changed, and we're now having a much freer media environment. That's the best way, instead of trying to beat various media organisations with a big stick when it doesn't like something that's being reported. Forget all of that sort of petty sort of stuff and get on with encouraging free and open debate."
- Professor David Robie.
Listen to Dr Robie's Morning Report interview
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