Fiji clamps down further on media

SUVA - Fiji's military-led regime has released a draft decree that would increase its already tight control over the South Pacific nation's media, currently subject to daily censorship of news, observers said.
Since Commodore Frank Bainimarama seized power in a coup in December 2006, foreign reporters and media managers have been expelled, journalists have been arrested and interrogated and military censors have operated in media newsrooms on a daily basis.
The decree would require media outlets' allegiance to Fiji under a new code to be monitored by a new agency, Fiji Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum said at the start of three days of consultations with media representatives, convened by Bainimarama.
Bainimarama said media representatives must take part in the meeting. "Nobody is going to escape this consultation," he said.
Khaiyum told the meeting that the decree would establish a media code of standards in ethics and practice while emphasising fair and responsible reporting. He said media organisations must be "accountable to the people of Fiji in terms of contributing to the development of Fiji".

"They need to have a certain level of allegiance to Fiji, irrespective of what other positions may be taken by other governments," he said in a reference to both the offshore-owned Fiji Times and to strong opposition to the regime by Australia, New Zealand and some other South Pacific governments.
The decree would establish a media industry development authority to monitor the media's compliance with the code and ensure that nothing is printed or broadcast that is against national interest or public order, Khaiyum said.
There would also be restrictions on cross-media ownership. Khaiyum said that the decree could be in force within weeks, though he gave no firm date.
Professor Ursula Cheer of Canterbury University, a New Zealand media law expert, said the draft decree doesn't mention freedom of expression but dwells on exerting control.
`"This appears to be all about control - control of ownership, control of content and control of just anything connected with publishing in Fiji," Cheer told Radio New Zealand International.
Breaching proposed content regulations could result in organizations being fined up to half a million Fiji dollars ($259,000). Publishers, editors or journalists could face a fine of up to $100,000 Fiji dollars ($52,000) and up to five years in prison.
Regulations would require all printed news to name the author and similar provisions would apply to broadcast material.

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