Fonua Talei
SUVA (Fiji Sun / Pacific Media Watch): “Under the Media decree there is leeway to publish whatever we can, but there is a caveat on how we treat certain issues like race and always getting both sides of a story” were the words of Fiji Sun deputy editor production Josua Tuwere.
Presenting on the topic “Fiji Journalism under the Public Emergency Regulation and Media Decree” at the media and democracy symposium, Tuwere said the current legislative situation in Fiji was the result of what could happen when the media are allowed to run rampant with what they publish or broadcast.
He said local journalists and news media in the past were without a doubt irresponsible in their reporting, especially on issues of race.
“Has the experience of working under the PER and the media decree affected us?
“I think it’s just made us better journalists. We are forced to think hard about the repercussions of what we write,” Tuwere told participants at the University of the South Pacific.
“That’s not necessarily a bad thing and other media organisations shouldn’t pretend they don’t think about it as well.”
Tuwere mentioned that all Fiji Sun journalists were issued with copies of the media decree and its codes of ethics and were given training sessions on ethical journalism and media law.
Media businesses
He said this had forced journalists to address the old notion of "just report the facts and b… the rest".
“I wouldn’t be the first one to say that newspapers and indeed media organisations are businesses.
“Our readership ultimately determines the direction of the paper, not government policy, not political ideologies nor religious denominations.”
Tuwere said the public demanded to be informed of what is happening in the country and to read about the big decisions that affect their individual lives.
He said that included full coverage of the Fijian government.
“People are turning to the Fiji Sun because it is fulfilling the prime role of any media outlet – which is to service the needs of its readers. Anything else is a betrayal of the readership.”
Pacific Media Watch
