AUCKLAND (Radio NZ International/Pacific Media Watch): The editor of the Kiribati Independent newspaper says the sacking of Radio Kiribati's editor because of her reporting of the death penalty bill is an attack on media freedom.
Aneta Moote was fired after Radio Kiribati rebroadcast a story from Radio New Zealand International, which said President Anote Tong supported the bill, as reported by Pacific Media Watch last week.
Kiribati Independent editor Taberannang Korauaba said following public criticism of the bill, the government back-tracked on its support and was embarrassed by the Radio Kiribati story.
He said the sacking was a clear warning by the government.
"It does not require punishment as high as that one - like sacking or firing a reporter or editor. There are a lot of incidents there, quite a number of reporters being sanctioned, it's not the first time. Even the government, they are saying they support media freedom, but what happens on the ground is quite contrary."
The Broadcasting and Publications Authority said Moote was not fired because of reporting which reflected negatively on the government, but because the story was incomplete and unbalanced.
The BPA chairman Bootii Nauan said:
"Three weeks or four weeks before that, the president gave a, presented a press release on that issue. From what the president mentioned, everything the president mentioned was not reflected in the news that was broadcasted at that time."
Bootii Nauan said the BPA did not place any restrictions on what its reporters could cover.
World Media Freedom Day is marked on Sunday, May 3.
Radio Kiribati editor sacked - earlier story
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Pacific Media Watch
