"Freedom of the press is limited to those who own one."
A. J. Liebling (1904 - 1963)
Fiji Media Council Chairman, wrote a letter to the Editor of the Fiji Daily Post and published on their website.
This is the excerpt:
FLP and the media
1-Aug-2007
Sir,
IT is sad day for Fiji when the President of a leading political party, and one that shares power with the government of the day, calls for legislation to regulate one of our fundamental freedoms - freedom of the media. For government to control the way the media operates is tantamount to putting restrictions on one of the people’s other essential freedoms - freedom of speech and expression.
If the Fiji Labour Party truly espouses democracy, it should know that in a democratic state the media is not controlled by restrictive legislation. No media is totally free. While freedom is guaranteed in our Constitution there are many specific restrictions.
It is extremely disturbing that our political leaders should be reverting to thinking like the leaders of the communist era. I am sure that it is not the party’s intention that Fiji should end up like the former Soviet state or like Zimbabwe.
But that could be the end result if they introduced legislative controls over the media. The media would be forced to conform to the will of any government of the day. It would not be allowed to publish criticism of the government.
It would have to publish government’s propaganda. One wonders what would happen to the commercial viability of the media organisations. And let us not forget that two of the current media organisations are public listed companies that are owned by the people of the nation.
Daryl Tarte,
Chairman
Media Council (Fiji) Ltd.
It is rather amusing to see that, Daryl Tarte has resorted to emotional appeal to further his outrageous cause. Tarte's claim that, since two media companies are publicly traded on the South Pacific Stock Exchange(SPSE) means these companies belong to all Fiji citizens makes him a laughing stock; especially when considering he is also the Chairperson of CMDA.
Would Tarte back up his statement, by showing the actual Share Certificates from these two companies, listing all Fiji citizens as joint stock owners. Sadly, lip service and rhetoric has always been the Modus Operandi for the media cartel in Fiji.
Fiji Ombudsman has announced a local consultant in a Fiji Times article, as the head of the Media Inquiry project as well as, outlining the overwhelming support for the inquiry from the community at large.
This is the excerpt:
Local to lead media inquiry
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
A LOCAL consultant has been engaged to carry out an inquiry into concerns of human rights violation in the media industry.
Fiji Ombudsman, Doctor Shaista Shameem said the identity of the consultant would be announced today when consultations begin. Dr Shameem said interest had poured in from hundreds of people including the international media who supported the inquiry."They talk about media freedom but where is the freedom of the journalists to express themselves. It's a contradiction."
"We even have journalists from media organisations that have opposed the inquiry," she said last night. Submissions are expected not only from journalists, but the public, unionists, civil servants and non-government organisations who, Dr Shameem said, have "all welcomed" the inquiry. Of the four media organisations that have indicated lack of participation into the inquiry, Dr Shameem said "the worst thing is that they prohibit their staff from making submissions".
"We have journalists from these organisations who have been told not to participate in the inquiry and if they do, they need the full authority of their bosses," she said.
All four media organisations, including The Fiji Times, have denied the allegations and say their staff are free to take part in the inquiry if they wish. The organisations said they had not refused to take part but had simply asked for further information and consultation on the terms of reference.
The date of submissions has been extended to August 10 to enable the consultant, who has technical support and Hansard reporters assisting him, time to cater to the large number of submissions that are expected.
Fiji Media Council chairman Daryl Tarte said he was appalled at the commission's stance not to identify the consultant.
Dr Shameem said it was no secret and this was owed to the fact that there were a number of applicants who were not advised of the successful applicant's name. "Why should it matter to him who the consultant is," Dr Shameem asked."The council has an agenda it seems. I regret Mr Tarte's point of view. Beats my comprehension why they're making a big song and dance about this.
"If the organisations don't want anything to do with the inquiry, they shouldn't stop their journalists," Dr Shameem said.
Mr Tarte said the commission had failed to consult the council members and stakeholders over the inquiry.
He said some members of the industry had expressed concern over a number of issues which remained unresolved and until they were resolved, the council's position on the inquiry would remain unchanged.
Dr Shameem said the commission was an independent body with its own mandate, duties and responsibilities and did not need to consult prior to the inquiry.
"The terms of reference were clear. It was advertised and sent to all media organisations and journalists. Do they want to override everything?" "I rang up a public member of the council after The Fiji Times ran a story against the inquiry.
"He said he didn't know anything about the decision of the council so I told him to consult with his members and find out.
Dr Shameem said she would not be involved in the inquiry and neither would her staff. Mr Tarte is expected to issue a statement today.
Dr Shameem may have inadvertently exposed the lack of transparency in the decision making process within the Fiji Media Council (FMC). It appears that the cartel of four largest media companies have dominated the FMC to such an extent that, it has become more of a proxy office responding only to the concerns of the cartel and failing to consult with the community appointed members; who appear to be just token members with little influence to control the direction and policies of FMC.
In a Fiji TV news segment, the heads of the four largest media companies backpedaled from their grandstanding threat of not participating in the inquiry, stating that they were just waiting for the terms of reference and the naming of the incumbent head to the Media Inquiry.
Meanwhile, the Radio Fiji news article actually names the incumbent.
This is the excerpt:
Dr James Anthony appointed to conduct Media Inquiry
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Dr JAMES Anothny has been appointed by the Fiji Human Rights Commission to conduct the media Inquiry.
The inquiry is based on the requirements of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other human rights instruments protecting and promoting freedom and independence of the media.
The Terms of Reference of the Inquiry is to provide an overview of the range of media available in Fiji including ownership and scope of operations.
It will also review the freedom and independence of the media and assess Fiji’s compliance with them and other issues.
The inquiry is an update of a report given by Dr. Shaista Shameem to the international NGO Article 19 in 1987.
Fiji media cartel of 4, responded to Dr. Shameem's remarks in an article by the Fiji Times and a Fiji Village article. Communications Fiji Ltd owner, William Parkinson, who asked for the terms of reference for the Media Inquiry on the Fiji Village article soundbite. Parkinson's response seems more of a flimsy explanation to the flip-flopping objection raised days earlier, by labeling this inquiry as biased.
Although, considered by many as long overdue, this media inquiry in Fiji comes at the unique time, when Fiji Times parent company News Corp, the flag ship company of Rupert Murdoch, just purchased the Dow Jones company and business daily, Wall Street Journal reported by an article by Wired. Incidentally, this resistance to the Media Inquiry in Fiji, would be a skirmish followed with much interest, even by Rupert himself.
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