Dev Sachindra
SUVA (Fiji Broadcasting Corporation/Pacific Media Watch): Claims by Communications Fiji Limited that the use of television footage to provide live broadcast of the 2011 Rugby World Cup is standard practice - is being investigated by the Media Industry Development Authority.
Complaints have been filed against Viti FM and its parent company CFL for allegedly misleading listeners by saying that their commentator Malakai Veisamasama was providing live commentaries of the Rugby World Cup.
Veisamasama was in fact sitting in the CFL radio studio, watching the game on television and providing play by play rundown based on the TV coverage.
CFL was saying it would provide live radio commentary of the World Cup without disclosing that this would be based on what they watched on TV.
MIDA chairman Professor Subramani said CFL's response was that broadcasting from their studio using television footage is standard practice for them.
“That’s the explanation they gave, that these days the standard practice is to relay it from a studio and, according to them, there is no need for a person to be present in the actual stadium but we are going to look into that."
Meanwhile, Commerce Commission Chairman Dr Mahendra Reddy said CFL’s actions were questionable and if the MIDA is unable to resolve the matter then the commission will step in.
The Fiji Media Industry Decree does not allow organisations to mislead their listeners by making false promises.
The only media organisations that sent reporters to cover the World Cup were Fiji Television, Fiji Times and Fiji Broadcasting Corporation.
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Pacific Media Watch
