TJ Aumua, contributing editor Pacific Media Watch, talks to Radio Pasifik students for World Press Freedom Day.
SUVA (Pacific Media Watch): Sitting in the Radio Pasifik 89.4 FM studio at the University of the South Pacific's Laucala campus, three journalism students have just finished reading the news bulletin on air as part of this week's assessment.
Originally from the Solomon Islands, all three students have moved to Fiji to study the three-year degree in journalism
Chrisnrita Aumanu is the 2016 student editor for the USP journalism newspaper Wansolwara, focusing on reporting politics and policies, Allen Waitara’s passion is broadcast journalism, and Charles Kadamana is a former Solomon Star photographer where he worked for 15 years, before moving to Fiji in 2014.
They share with Pacific Media Watch their journalism experiences so far:
Why was journalism something you chose to study?
Chrisnrita: I developed a passion for journalism when I was in form five and since then it has been a passion of mine. I will have to go back home to the Solomon Islands to serve my bond. So I hope to help my country in terms of working for the various NGOs. That’s the field I’m more interested in.
Allen: I love journalism because I like interacting with people. Also before I was not very good at speaking and journalism has helped me to improve that. My interest is broadcasting so I’m hoping to go back home and serve my country at the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation.
Charles: In the future I hope to become a communication officer. So that’s where my interest to move from photography to reporting came from.
Is journalism what you expected it to be so far?
Chrisnrita: I always thought journalism was just interviewing people and writing stories. But from studying it at this university, I found out there were more components in this field. It has been an eye-opener for me to know what journalism is really about.
Allen: I agree. I have especially enjoyed broadcasting.
Charles: My experience of journalism so far has been really interesting because you get to know people from the community level to those in politics. When I came here I thought about just concentrating on print journalism but later I came to understand that journalism is a multi-skilled profession - you have to know how to do radio, television and print reporting.
What are the differences between the media in the Solomon Islands and in Fiji?
Chrisnrita: Back in the Solomons, we don't have the Media Decree that governs us on our writing and our reporting. In the Solomons it’s more free to not only express ourselves but also the people we are interviewing, and not be scared about it as there are no guidelines to follow. Compared to here in Fiji there is a little bit of restriction with what goes in and what can’t go in the newspaper.
Allen: The Media Decree here makes it difficult for us. For me as a journalism student, when I run my stories I find it difficult because [the Decree places] a limit on my work.
Charles: In terms of production, the media in Solomons and in Fiji is similar. The only difference is in the Solomons we have more freedom to report what needs to be reported. While here in Fiji, there are government regulations. Back in my country we need more qualified journalists. But that’s because our government has only introduced a school of journalism in the Solomons in the last three years. We need more qualified lecturers in USP to teach in the Solomons.
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TJ Aumua
