SUVA (The Fiji Times/Radio NZ International/Pacific Media Watch): A Fiji Media Development Authority (MIDA) "ruling" that the Fiji Sun has breached the Media Decree following a complaint against two reports late last year has stirred threats of lawsuits from both sides in the dispute.
Opposition Social Democratic Liberal Party youth president Peter Waqavonovono complained following a report published in the Fiji Sun on December 28, 2014, stating that he should be "cleaned out" of SODELPA, adding that he needed deodorant and a shave, reported The Fiji Times.
Radio New Zealand International reported that MIDA chairman Ashwin Raj determined that another article by managing news editor Jyoti Pratibha was "antagonistic, thoroughly yoked in the logic of race and bereft of facts".
The article, headlined "Person of the Year: The PM who delivers", blamed the opposition parties for being racist and divisive but provided no evidence to support the claim.
The ruling also referred to the article that "defamed" Waqavonuvonu, which was ruled incriminating and in breach of the media decree.
Raj told the newspaper it must adhere to "balance, accuracy and the principles of responsible journalism".
The principal administrative officer of the Opposition, Mick Beddoes, said the finding was fair and reasonable, and that the Fiji Sun had been running a campaign against SODELPA, RNZI reported.
'Toothless' authority
However, in a separate report today on RNZI's Dateline Pacific programme, Waqavonovono described MIDA as "toothless", saying he planned to take the Fiji Sun to court for what he called "consistently unfair reporting".
But the newspaper was also reported to be threatening legal action, saying MIDA's decision threatened to stifle journalism in Fiji.
Publisher Peter Lomas reportedly said Pratibha's reporting had been "targeted through a smear campaign by people linked to the opposition".
"Lomas says all media should be concerned by the ruling, which could mean journalism can be stifled by the opinion of one man -- the MIDA chair Ashwin Raj," Dateline Pacific's report said.
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