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Category: Media Freedom

  • Mediawatch: Media in the middle of Gaza claims and counterclaims

    RNZ MEDIAWATCH: By Colin Peacock, RNZ Mediawatch presenter

    Major media organisations all over the world are copping criticism for the way they’re reporting what’s happening in Gaza and Israel. Mediawatch has asked BBC news boss Jonathan Munro how they’re handling it — even when it’s coming from the UK’s own government.

    “Palestinian health officials in Gaza say hundreds of people have been killed in an explosion at a hospital in Gaza. They’re blaming an Israeli strike on the hospital.

    “But the Israel DefenCe Forces said an initial investigation shows the explosion was caused by a failed Hamas rocket launch.”

    That was how RNZ’s news at 8am last Tuesday reported the single deadliest incident of this conflict so far — and likely to be the deadliest one in all of the five times Israel and Hamas have fought over Gaza so far.

    The Israeli Defence Force also singled out Islamic Jihad for the atrocity — but the absence of hard evidence put the media reporting it in a difficult position.

    “It’s still absolutely unclear. There are varying bits of information that are coming out for now. I don’t think anybody can quite say . . . it’s most likely to have been Israel,” the BBC Middle East editor Sebastian Usher told RNZ on Wednseday night.

    “They said it seems like it might be a misfired rocket,”

    Huge anger on streets
    “We can’t say for now, but I don’t think  — in terms of the mood in the Arab world and the Middle East — that that really matters. People out on the streets are showing huge anger and they will reject any investigation, any Israeli claim, to say that Israel is not responsible,” he said.

    Reporting those claims and counterclaims creates confusion among the audience. It’s also stoked the anger of those objecting to reporters’ choice of words.

    CNN’s Clarissa Ward, for example, was criticised heavily on social media for mentioning the Israeli Defense Force claims — and then expressing doubt about them at the same time.

    A video showing a pro-Palestinian protester calling Clarissa Ward “a puppet” has gone viral on social media. So did another falsely accusing her of faking a rocket strike.

    Her CNN colleague Anderson Cooper was also criticised online for referring to a huge civilian loss of life during the live report from Tel Aviv in Israel and repeating himself, but then without the word “civilian”.

    Among those who, alongside expert investigators, tried to sift the available evidence and cut through the information war was Alex Thompson, correspondent for UK broadcaster Channel Four

    "Who was behind the Gaza hospital blast? "
    “Who was behind the Gaza hospital blast? – visual investigation” Image: 4News Screenshot/PMW

    “Israel and Hamas can tweet what they like. The truth of what happened here requires independent expert investigation — not happening,” was Alex Thompson’s bleak conclusion.

    ‘A fierce information war’
    “Any doubt is due to a fierce information war that in truth matters little to the victims of the Gaza hospital tragedy,” another British correspondent — ITV Jonathan Irvine — said on Newshub at 6 last Tuesday.

    At times, broadcasters have used the wrong words and given audiences the wrong idea.

    Last week the BBC’s main evening news bulletin made a rapid apology for describing pro-Palestine protests in the UK as “pro-Hamas”.

    “We accept that this was poorly-phrased and was a misleading description,” the presenter told viewers just before the end of the bulletin.

    And earlier this month, people protested outside the BBC News headquarters in London about the BBC’s long-standing policy of not labeling any group as “terrorists”.

    “You don’t seem to be particularly interested. If the BBC seems to refuse to call terrorists even though the British Parliament has legislated them terrorists — that is a question I haven’t heard the BBC answer yet,” UK government Defence Secretary Grant Shapps told the BBC radio flagship news show Today.

    “Have you not seen any of the coverage on the BBC of the atrocities, the dead, the injured, the survivors?” the startled presenter asked him.

    “How can you say that we’re not interested?” she replied, when Shapps said he had.

    An obligation to audiences
    The BBC’s deputy chief executive of news Jonathan Munro was at Sydney’s South by Southwest festival this week to talk about how the BBC delivers news from and about conflict zones.

    Jonathan Munro, Deputy CEO BBC News & Director of Journalism
    BBC’s deputy chief executive of news Jonathan Munro . . . “We’ve already seen journalists lose their lives in this country, working for organisations who are also facing the same dilemmas as we are.” Image: RNZ Mediawatch

    “We’ve already seen journalists lose their lives in this country, working for organisations who are also facing the same dilemmas as we are,” said Munro, who is also the BBC’s director of journalism.

    “We’ve got an obligation to audiences to explain what’s going on and that involves lots of people on the ground as witnesses to events, but also the analysis that comes with expert knowledge,” he told Mediawatch.

    “Expertise is just invaluable. People like Jeremy Bowen (former Middle East editor and current international editor of BBC News) and our chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet and correspondents who are based in that region,” he said.

    “But the main story here is the catastrophic loss of life and the appalling conditions that people are living in and that the hostages are being held in — the humanity of that,” he said.

    A lot of reporting people will see, hear and read will come from Israel. Reporting from Gaza itself is difficult and dangerous — and access to Gaza at the border is restricted by Israel.

    “We have a correspondent in Gaza, but he’s moved from Gaza City to Khan Yunis in the south of the strip, a safer option. But he can’t report 24 hours a day, and he is looking after his family which is paramount.

    Need for transparency
    “So we do have to add to that [with] reporting from Israel and from London by people who know Gaza very well,” he said.

    “We have to be transparent about that and tell the audience and then the audience knows that wherever it’s coming from, and you still hold editorial integrity.”

    A lot of what people will be seeing from Gaza is amateur footage and social media content that’s very difficult to verify.

    The BBC recently launched BBC Verify, dedicated to checking out this kind of material and vetting its use.

    “There’s a huge amount of video out there on social media we can all find at the touch of a button. The brand of BBC Verify is a signpost that the material . . . has been checked by us using methods like geolocation and looking at the metadata,” he said.

    Even when verified, there are still ethical dilemmas.

    For example, BBC Verify used facial recognition software to analyse images of an individual in the Hamas surprise attacks on October 8. It identified one gunman as a policeman from Gaza.

    Independently verifying claims
    “It’s case-by-case — but something shouldn’t go out on the BBC without us knowing it’s true. There are occasions we would broadcast something and we would tell the audience that we’ve not been able to independently verify a claim . . . and we need to caveat our coverage of the reaction to it with the fact that we do not have our own verification of source material,” he said.

    Even before the Al Ahli hospital catastrophe amplified emotions, intense scrutiny of reporters’ work was adding to the stress of those reporting from the region.

    “Every word you say is being scrutinised so closely and is likely to be contested by one side or the other more or both — and that definitely adds to the pressure,” Channel Four correspondent Secunder Kermani told the BBC’s Media Show last week from Gaza.

    “In the Israel Gaza situation it is critical. Every word can be checked and rechecked and double checked for any implication which is either inferred or implied by accident.

    “Because our job is to be impartial, tell the reality of the story, and most importantly, share the witnessing of that story by our correspondents,” Jonathan Munro told Mediawatch.

    “That’s why we’ve got a significant number of correspondents in Israel and back in the newsroom in London are adding explanations and leaning into that scrutiny on language,” he said.

    Adjectives ‘can be dangerous’
    “We’re using expertise, our knowledge as an organisation and we’re making sure that at every stage of that every sentence, every paragraph is reflective of what we know to be true.

    “But adjectives can be dangerous, because they may imply something which is more emotive than we mean. We have to be quite clean in our language in these circumstances,” he said.

    “Of course, people can come on the BBC and express their views in language of their choice. All of those things help to keep our coverage straight and honest and ensure that correspondents on the ground aren’t in danger by slips or mistakes that are made in good faith elsewhere in the BBC output.”

    Last week at its annual conference, senior members of the Conservative Party — which is in power in the UK — heavily criticised the BBC for alleged bias and elitism. Some — including home secretary Suella Braverman and former prime minister Liz Truss made a point of praising GB News — the new right-wing TV channel backed by billionaire Brexiteers — for disrupting the news.

    “The criticism of the BBC from politicians is as old as the BBC itself. Just because they’re habitual critics doesn’t mean they’re wrong, but we’ve got a well developed set of editorial guidelines which have stood the test of time over many, many difficult stories,” Munro told Mediawatch. 

    “The editorial guidelines are robust and public. You can go online and look at them. All of our journalism abides by those guidelines and if you have guidelines that you believe in as an organisation, that’s a significant defence to some of the less well-founded attacks that we sometimes find ourselves on the end of,” he said.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • RSF condemns Middle East ‘bloody week’ with seven journalists killed

    Pacific Media Watch

    Global media freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has called on Israeli authorities to end military pactices that “violate international law” with the deaths of civilians, including journalists.

    This came in the wake of seven journalists being killed by Israeli security forces in the space of a week — six in the besieged Gaza Strip and the seventh in Lebanon.

    “We’re stunned by this sad record of seven journalists killed in seven days during this bloody week, as a result of Israel’s indiscriminate response to the horrific massacre committed by Hamas,” said Christophe Deloire, the secretary-general of RSF, in a statement.

    On Saturday, 14 October 2023, reporter Issam Abdallah was buried in the Lebanese town of El Khayam, where he was born and grew up.

    The videographer was killed the day before while reporting for the British news agency Reuters with several colleagues.

    The group of journalists, clearly identifiable according to several sources, was stationed near Alma al Chaab, in southern Lebanon on the border with Israel, to cover the clashes between Israeli military forces and those of the Islamist armed group Hezbollah in Lebanon.

    In total, around 10 journalists were killed in the region within a week, including seven in Gaza and Lebanon under Israeli bombardment and fire.

    Protest to Israel
    These include photojournalists Mohammed Soboh of the Palestinian news agency Khabar, Hisham al-Nawajha of the independent Palestinian news channel Al Khamissa, Ibrahim Lafi of the production company Ain Media, and Mohammad al-Salihi of the Palestinian news agency al-Sulta al-Rabia, as well as Saïd al-Tawil, editor-in-chief of Al Khamissa, and Mohammed Abou Matar, correspondent for Roya News.

    “We solemnly call on the Israeli authorities to put an end to military practices that violate international law and result in the deaths of civilians, including journalists,” said RSF’s Deloire.

    “RSF calls on the parties involved to implement their obligations to protect journalists during conflicts, and on international institutions to ensure that these protection measures are respected.”

    Issam Abdallah, 37, had worked for Reuters in Beirut for 16 years.

    A videographer in areas of tension, he has covered the conflict in Ukraine in recent months and, in 2020, the explosion in the port of Beirut.

    In his last photo posted on his Instagram account on October 7, the reporter paid tribute to Shireen Abu Akleh, a journalist from Al Jazeera and correspondent in Palestine, who was killed by an Israeli sniper in May 2022 while covering an Israeli army raid in Jenin on the West Bank.

    Six other journalists were wounded on Friday, October 13: two members of the Reuters team, Thaer Al-Sudani and Maher Nazeh, an image reporter (Dylan Collins), and a photographer (Christina Assi) from Agence France-Presse (AFP), as well as two journalists from the Qatari television channel Al Jazeera, Carmen Jokhadar and cameraman Elie Barkhya.

    They were taken to the American University of Beirut hospital. Their lives are out of danger, but Christina Assi was still in intensive care.

    The seven journalists killed by Israeli hostilities this month
    The seven journalists killed by Israeli hostilities this month. Montage: Reporters Sans Frontières

    Pacific Media Watch collaborates with Reporters Without Borders.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • IPI calls for respect of journalists’ safety amid Israel-Hamas war

    Pacific Media Watch

    The International Press Institute (IPI) global network has called on all parties involved in the ongoing hostilities in Israel and Gaza to ensure all measures are taken to protect the safety of journalists.

    IPI said in a statement that it was deeply alarmed by reports that at least seven Palestinian journalists had been killed since Saturday, with several others wounded.

    There are also reports that one Israeli journalist was abducted in southern Israel while two additional Palestinian journalists are reportedly missing.

    “We urge all sides involved in the hostilities to respect the right of journalists and media organiSations to safely cover armed conflict in accordance with international humanitarian and human rights law,” said the statement.

    According to reports, freelance journalist Mohammad Al-Salhi was shot and killed while reporting on the border to the east of al-Bureij, a Palestinian refugee camp in central Gaza on October 7.

    Ibrahim Mohammad Lafi, a photographer for Ain Media news agency was killed while reporting near Beit Hanoun checkpoint, close to the border in northern Gaza.

    According to a fellow journalist, he was wearing a press vest.

    Mohammad Jargon, a reporter with Smart Media, was shot dead while reporting in the east of Rafah city in southern Gaza.

    Killed in airstrikes
    Another four journalists, Saeed Al-Taweel, Asaad Shamlikh, Mohammad Rizq Sobh, and Hisham Al-Nawajha, were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, according to IPI sources.

    Meanwhile, the Israeli news organisation Ynet has reported that one of its photojournalists, Roy Idan, was abducted from his home in southern Israel by Hamas militants on Saturday, October 7.

    In addition, there were reports that two Palestinian photojournalists — Nidal Al-Wahidi and Haitham Abdelwahid — went missing on Saturday while covering events at the Beit Hanoun checkpoint.

    IPI sid it was also disturbed by reports that the offices of several Palestinian news organisations in Gaza were completely or partially destroyed in Israeli bombing raids.

    The Palestine Government Media Office said in a statement that more than 40 media offices in Gaza were targeted.

    “Amid the horrific developments that have taken place since Saturday in Israel and Gaza, we remind all parties of their obligations to protect journalists in situations of armed conflict, in accordance with international humanitarian and human rights law”, IPI director of advocacy Amy Brouillette said.

    “We are extremely disturbed by reports that at least seven Palestinian journalists have been killed and call on all parties involved to protect the right of journalists to cover the ongoing events. The flow of information remains essential during war and conflict.”

    Under the 1949 Geneva Convention on the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, journalists and media workers covering armed conflict must be treated and protected as civilians and must be allowed to report on events without undue interference.

    The intentional targeting of journalists, as civilians, is a war crime.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • 7 journalists killed since beginning of Israeli aggression on Gaza

    Pacific Media Watch

    Israeli occupation forces are intentionally targeting Palestinian journalists in the besieged Gaza Strip, media outlets warned after three reporters were killed Tuesday bringing the total number of journalists killed since Saturday to seven, reports Middle East Monitor.

    The Government Media Office’s Monitoring and Follow-up Unit in Gaza has documented dozens of attacks and crimes against journalists and media outlets.

    Israeli attacks have resulted in the killing of seven journalists: Ibrahim Lafi, Muhammad Jarghun, Muhammad Al-Salhi, Asaad Shamlikh, Saeed Al-Taweel, Muhammad Subh Abu Rizq and Hisham Al-Nawajaha.

    In addition, “more than 10 journalists have been injured with varying degrees of severity, and they lost contact with two colleagues, Nidal Al-Wahidi and Haitham Abdul-Wahed”.

    The monitoring unit added that the homes of journalists Rami Al-Sharafi and Basel Khair Al-Din had been targeted and destroyed.

    In contrast, the homes of dozens of other journalists were partially damaged.

    Furthermore, dozens of media institutions were either completely or partially damaged by Israeli strikes including on Palestine Tower and Al-Watan Tower, with more than 40 media headquarters being affected, the unit reported.

    Despite the risks, the government media office emphasised that their journalists will continue their professional role and national duty in covering the events, exposing the crimes of the occupation and debunking its false claims.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • NZ’s Stuff media group quits X (Twitter) over ‘disinformation’

    Pacific Media Watch

    Stuff, New Zealand’s biggest independently owned news business, today announced it will stop sharing content to X (formerly Twitter), effective immediately.

    A media statement said that decision followed Stuff’s increasing concerns about the volume of mis- and disinformation being shared, and the “damaging behaviour being exhibited on and enabled by the platform”.

    All Stuff brands including stuff.co.nz, and publishing mastheads brands The Post, The Press and Waikato Times will no longer post on X, with the exception of stories that are of urgent public interest — such as health and safety emergencies, said the statement.

    Stuff will also publish these stories on Neighbourly, to reach communities fast and with hyper-local information.

    The following message was sent to all staff from CEO Laura Maxwell:

    Trusted storytelling
    “When Stuff returned to New Zealand ownership in 2020, we set growth in public trust as a key measure of success. Three years on, our mission is to grow our business through trusted storytelling and experiences that make Aotearoa New Zealand a better place,” she said.

    “As a business we have made the decision that X, formerly known as Twitter, does not contribute to our mission.

    “We are increasingly concerned about the volume of mis- and dis-information being shared on the platform, and the damaging behaviours we have observed, and experienced.

    Stuff's CEO Laura Maxwell
    Stuff’s CEO Laura Maxwell . . . “We will also continue to assess our use of other social platforms.” Image: Linked-in/PMW

    “So, as of today, we will stop sharing our content on X. An exception to this will be stories that are of urgent public interest, such as health and safety emergencies. We will also publish these stories on Neighbourly.

    “We also encourage you all to consider how much you personally engage with X, if at all. The platform is diametrically opposed to our own values, as outlined in our Editorial Code of Practice and Ethics. It deliberately and actively seeks to undermine the value of our journalism.

    “We are aware many of you might use X for news gathering and as a way to share information with others. However, as a company that values truth and trust, this platform is no longer a tool for us.

    “As many of you know, this is not the first time Stuff has taken such a stance.

    “In July 2020, Stuff paused posting activity on Facebook. The move built on the decision to stop paid advertising on Facebook in 2019, following the live streaming and widespread dissemination of footage of the Christchurch mosque shootings on the platform. We will also continue to assess our use of other social platforms.

    “As New Zealand’s biggest news organisation, we benefit from a loyal audience, who engage with us every single day on our platforms, our papers, magazines and at our events.

    “As restless creators, our innovation mindset is enduring and so we’ll continue to innovate and invest in our platforms to deliver high-quality, trustworthy journalism that is relevant and reflective of Aotearoa.”

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • John Minto: Systemic NZ misreporting on Israeli occupation of Palestine and Palestinian resistance

    COMMENTARY: By John Minto

    The Hamas attack on Israel yesterday has brought the usual round of systemic misreporting by New Zealand news outlets as they repost stories from the BBC, AP and Reuters which bend the truth in favour of Israeli narratives of “terrorism” and “victimhood”.

    The worst comes from the BBC which is dutifully reposted by Radio New Zealand.

    As we said in a commentary earlier this year the systemic anti-Palestinian in reporting from the Middle East includes:

    Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa John Minto
    Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa John Minto . . . “‘Occupied’ is the status these Palestinian territories have under international law, United Nations resolutions and NZ government policy, and should be consistently reported as such.” TVNZ screenshot/APR

    The BBC, AP and Reuters typically talk about the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem when they should be reported as the occupied West Bank, occupied Gaza and occupied East Jerusalem.

    “Occupied” is the status these territories have under international law, United Nations resolutions and NZ government policy and should be consistently reported as such.

    The BBC, AP and Reuters typically refer to Palestinians resisting Israel’s military occupation Palestinian “militants” or “terrorists” or similar derogatory and dismissive descriptions.

    We would not call Ukrainians attacking Russian occupation forces as “militants” so why do our media think it’s OK to use this term to describe Palestinians attacking Israeli occupation forces?

    Palestinian right to resist
    Under international law, Palestinians have the right to resist Israel’s military occupation, including armed resistance and should not be abused for doing so by our media.

    Palestinian resistance groups should be described as “resistance fighters” or “armed resistance organisations” while Israeli soldiers should be described as “Israeli occupation soldiers”.

    The BBC, AP and Reuters typically give sympathetic coverage to Israelis killed by Palestinians but do not give similar sympathetic coverage to Palestinians killed, on a near daily basis, by the Israeli occupation (more than 240 killed so far this year, including dozens of children.

    Labour leader and NZ Prime Minister Chris Hipkins
    Labour leader and NZ Prime Minister Chris Hipkins . . . New Zealand “condemns unequivocally the Hamas attacks on Israel.” Image: TVNZ screenshot/APR

    The vast majority of these killings are simply ignored.

    Palestinians are the victims of Israeli apartheid policies, ethnic cleansing, land theft, house demolitions, military occupation and unbridled brutality and yet our media ends up giving the impression it’s the other way round.

    Wide coverage is given to Israeli spokespeople in most stories with rudimentary reporting, if any, from Palestinian viewpoints.

    For example, so far Radio New Zealand has reported on the views of New Zealand Jewish Council spokesperson Juliet Moses but has yet to interview any Palestinian New Zealanders who suffer great anxiety every time Palestinians are killed by Israel.

    Support for self-determination
    New Zealanders overwhelmingly support the Palestinian struggle for freedom and self-determination. They rightly reject Israel’s racist narratives and its apartheid policies towards Palestinians.

    Our government policy needs to change.

    We should not be calling for negotiations between the parties because Palestinians face both Israel and US at the negotiating table and this will never bring justice for Palestinians and will therefore never bring peace.

    Killings in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
    Killings in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict . . . a graph showing the devastating loss of life for Palestinians compared with Israelis in the past 15 years. Source: Al Jazeera (cc)

    Instead, we need a timeline for Israel to abide by international law and United Nations resolutions. This would mean:

    • Ending the Israeli military occupation of Palestine;
    • Ending Israel’s apartheid policies against Palestinians, and Allowing Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and land in Palestine

    This article was first published by The Daily Blog and is republished with permission.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • RSF hails decision to award Nobel Peace Prize to Iranian journalist

    Pacific Media Watch

    Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has hailed the news that Narges Mohammadi — an Iranian journalist RSF has been defending for years — has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her “fight against the oppression of women in Iran,” her courage and determination.

    Persecuted by the Iranian authorities since the late 1990s for her work, and imprisoned again since November 2021, she must be freed at once, RSF declared in a statement.

    “Speak to save Iran” is the title of one of the letters published by Mohammadi from Evin prison, near Tehran, where she has been serving a sentence of 10 years and 9 months in prison since 16 November 2021.

    She has also been sentenced to hundreds of lashes. The maker of a documentary entitled White Torture and the author of a book of the same name, Mohammadi has never stopped denouncing the sexual violence inflicted on women prisoners in Iran.

    It is this fight against the oppression of women that the Nobel Committee has just saluted by awarding the Peace Prize to this 51-year-old journalist and human rights activist, the former vice-president of the Defenders of Human Rights Centre, the Iranian human rights organisation that was created by Shirin Ebadi, the Iranian lawyer who was herself awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003.

    It is because of this fight that Mohammadi has been hounded by the Iranian authorities, who continue to persecute her in prison.

    She has been denied visits and telephone calls since 12 April 2022, cutting her off from the world.


    White Torture: The infamy of solitary confinement in Iran with Narges Mohammadi.

    New charges
    At the same time, the authorities in Evin prison have brought new charges to keep her in detention.

    On August 4, her jail term was increased by a year after the publication of another of her letters about violence against fellow women detainees.

    Mohammadi was awarded the RSF Prize for Courage on 12 December 2023. At the award ceremony in Paris, her two children, whom she has not seen for eight years, read one of the letters she wrote to them from prison.

    “In this country, amid all the suffering, all the fears and all the hopes, and when, after years of imprisonment, I am behind bars again and I can no longer even hear the voices of my children, it is with a heart full of passion, hope and vitality, full of confidence in the achievement of freedom and justice in my country that I will spend time in prison,” she wrote.

    She ended the letter with a call to keep alive “the hope of victory”.

    RSF secretary-general Christophe Deloire said:

    “It is with immense emotion that I learn that the Nobel Peace Prize is being awarded to the journalist and human rights defender Narges Mohammadi.

    At Reporters Without Borders (RSF), we have been fighting for her for years, alongside her husband and her two children, and with Shirin Ebadi. The Nobel Peace Prize will obviously be decisive in obtaining her release.”

    On June 7, RSF referred the unacceptable conditions in which Mohammadi is being detained to all of the relevant UN human rights bodies.

    During an oral update to the UN Human Rights Council on July 5, the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran expressed concern over the “continued detention of human rights defenders and lawyers defending the protesters, and at least 17 journalists”.

    It is thanks to Mohammadi’s journalistic courage that the world knows what is happening in the Islamic Republic of Iran’s prisons, where 20 journalists are currently detained.

    They included three other women: Elaheh Mohammadi, Niloofar Hamedi and Vida Rabbani.

    Pacific Media Watch collaborates with Reporters Without Borders.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • IFJ condemns Indonesia over bribery, harassment attempt on RNZ journalist

    Pacific Media Watch

    A Radio New Zealand Pacific journalist has alleged that an Indonesian official attempted to both bribe and intimidate him following an interview at the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) leaders’ summit in the Vanuatu capital of Port Vila last month.

    The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliates, the Media Association Vanuatu (MAV) and the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) Indonesia, have condemned the attempted bribery and harassment of the journalist and urged the relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate the incident.

    On August 23, RNZ Pacific journalist Kelvin Anthony reported that a representative of the Indonesian government, Ardi Nuswantoro, attempted to bribe him outside Port Vila’s Holiday Inn Resort after Anthony conducted an exclusive interview with Indonesia’s Australian ambassador, Dr Siswo Pramono.

    According to Anthony, Nuswantoro had previously expressed the Indonesian government’s displeasure at RNZ’s coverage of ongoing independence efforts in West Papua, reported the IFJ in a statement.

    The journalist had advised him of the outlet’s mandate to produce “balanced and fair” coverage and was invited to the hotel for the interview, where he questioned Dr Pramono on a broad range of pertinent topics, including West Papua.

    Following the interview, Anthony was escorted from the hotel by at least three Indonesian officials. After repeatedly inquiring as to how the journalist was going to return to his accommodation, Nuswantoro then offered him a “gift” of an unknown amount of money, which Anthony refused.

    Anthony reported that he felt harassed and intimidated in the days following, with Nuswantoro continuing to message, call, and follow him at the conference’s closing reception.

    Interview not aired
    RNZ chose not to air the interview with Dr Pramno due to the incident.

    In response to the claims of bribery and intimidation sent to the Indonesian government by RNZ, Jakarta’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Asia Pacific and African Affairs director-general Abdul Kadir Jailani said, “bribery has never been our policy nor approach to journalists . . . we will surely look into it.”

    RNZ Pacific journalist Kelvin Anthony
    RNZ Pacific journalist Kelvin Anthony . . . “harassed” while covering the Melanesian Spearhead Group leaders’ summit in Port Vila last month. Image: Kelvin Anthony/X

    In a September 6 interview, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins reiterated his government’s commitment to press freedom, stating the importance of free and independent media.

    Journalists and civil society in West Papua have faced increasing threats, restrictions and violence in recent years. Indonesian media has disproportionately reflected state narratives, with state intervention resulting in the censorship of independent outlets and effective barring of local or international journalists from Indonesian-administered Papua.

    In February, renowned Jubi journalist Victor Mambor was subject to a bombing attack outside his Jayapura home.

    MAV said: “The Media Association of Vanuatu (MAV) is concerned about an alleged bribery attempt by foreign officials at a Melanesian Spearhead Group regional meeting.

    MAV president Lillyrose Welwel denounces such actions and urges MAV members to adhere to the Code of Ethics, as journalism is a public service. She encourages international journalists to contact the association when in the country, as any actions that do not reflect MAV’s values are not acceptable.”

    AJI calls for ‘safety guarantee’
    AJI said:“AJI Indonesia urges the Indonesian government to investigate the incident with transparency. This action must be followed by providing guarantees to any journalist to work safely in Papua and outside.

    “The Indonesian government must also guarantee the protection of human rights in Papua, including for civilians, human rights defenders, and journalists.”

    The IFJ said: “Government intervention in independent and critical reporting is highly concerning, and this incident is one in an alarming trend of intimidation against reporting on West Papua.

    “The IFJ urges the Indonesian government to thoroughly investigate this incident of alleged bribery and harassment and act to ensure its commitment to press freedom is upheld.”

    Pacific Media Watch condemnation
    Pacific Media Watch also condemned the incident, saying that it was part of a growing pattern of disturbing pressure on Pacific journalists covering West Papuan affairs.

    “West Papua self-determination and human rights violations are highly sensitive issues in both Indonesia and the Pacific. Journalists are bearing the brunt of a concerted diplomatic push by Jakarta in the region to undermine Pacific-wide support for West Papuan rights. It is essential that the Vanuatu authorities investigate this incident robustly and transparently.”

    According to a CNN Indonesia report on September 6, Indonesian authorities denied the attempted bribery and harassment allegation.

    Jakarta's "denial" reported by CNN Indonesia
    Jakarta’s “denial” reported by CNN Indonesia. Image: CNN Indonesia screenshot APR

  • IFJ condemns Indonesia over bribery, harassment attempt on RNZ journalist

    Pacific Media Watch

    A Radio New Zealand Pacific journalist has alleged that an Indonesian official attempted to both bribe and intimidate him following an interview at the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) leaders’ summit in the Vanuatu capital of Port Vila last month.

    The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliates, the Media Association Vanuatu (MAV) and the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) Indonesia, have condemned the attempted bribery and harassment of the journalist and urged the relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate the incident.

    On August 23, RNZ Pacific journalist Kelvin Anthony reported that a representative of the Indonesian government, Ardi Nuswantoro, attempted to bribe him outside Port Vila’s Holiday Inn Resort after Anthony conducted an exclusive interview with Indonesia’s Australian ambassador, Dr Siswo Pramono.

    According to Anthony, Nuswantoro had previously expressed the Indonesian government’s displeasure at RNZ’s coverage of ongoing independence efforts in West Papua, reported the IFJ in a statement.

    The journalist had advised him of the outlet’s mandate to produce “balanced and fair” coverage and was invited to the hotel for the interview, where he questioned Dr Pramono on a broad range of pertinent topics, including West Papua.

    Following the interview, Anthony was escorted from the hotel by at least three Indonesian officials. After repeatedly inquiring as to how the journalist was going to return to his accommodation, Nuswantoro then offered him a “gift” of an unknown amount of money, which Anthony refused.

    Anthony reported that he felt harassed and intimidated in the days following, with Nuswantoro continuing to message, call, and follow him at the conference’s closing reception.

    Interview not aired
    RNZ chose not to air the interview with Dr Pramno due to the incident.

    In response to the claims of bribery and intimidation sent to the Indonesian government by RNZ, Jakarta’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Asia Pacific and African Affairs director-general Abdul Kadir Jailani said, “bribery has never been our policy nor approach to journalists . . . we will surely look into it.”

    RNZ Pacific journalist Kelvin Anthony
    RNZ Pacific journalist Kelvin Anthony . . . “harassed” while covering the Melanesian Spearhead Group leaders’ summit in Port Vila last month. Image: Kelvin Anthony/X

    In a September 6 interview, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins reiterated his government’s commitment to press freedom, stating the importance of free and independent media.

    Journalists and civil society in West Papua have faced increasing threats, restrictions and violence in recent years. Indonesian media has disproportionately reflected state narratives, with state intervention resulting in the censorship of independent outlets and effective barring of local or international journalists from Indonesian-administered Papua.

    In February, renowned Jubi journalist Victor Mambor was subject to a bombing attack outside his Jayapura home.

    MAV said: “The Media Association of Vanuatu (MAV) is concerned about an alleged bribery attempt by foreign officials at a Melanesian Spearhead Group regional meeting.

    MAV president Lillyrose Welwel denounces such actions and urges MAV members to adhere to the Code of Ethics, as journalism is a public service. She encourages international journalists to contact the association when in the country, as any actions that do not reflect MAV’s values are not acceptable.”

    AJI calls for ‘safety guarantee’
    AJI said:“AJI Indonesia urges the Indonesian government to investigate the incident with transparency. This action must be followed by providing guarantees to any journalist to work safely in Papua and outside.

    “The Indonesian government must also guarantee the protection of human rights in Papua, including for civilians, human rights defenders, and journalists.”

    The IFJ said: “Government intervention in independent and critical reporting is highly concerning, and this incident is one in an alarming trend of intimidation against reporting on West Papua.

    “The IFJ urges the Indonesian government to thoroughly investigate this incident of alleged bribery and harassment and act to ensure its commitment to press freedom is upheld.”

    Pacific Media Watch condemnation
    Pacific Media Watch also condemned the incident, saying that it was part of a growing pattern of disturbing pressure on Pacific journalists covering West Papuan affairs.

    “West Papua self-determination and human rights violations are highly sensitive issues in both Indonesia and the Pacific. Journalists are bearing the brunt of a concerted diplomatic push by Jakarta in the region to undermine Pacific-wide support for West Papuan rights. It is essential that the Vanuatu authorities investigate this incident robustly and transparently.”

    According to a CNN Indonesia report on September 6, Indonesian authorities denied the attempted bribery and harassment allegation.

    Jakarta's "denial" reported by CNN Indonesia
    Jakarta’s “denial” reported by CNN Indonesia. Image: CNN Indonesia screenshot APR

  • PNG woman journalist hit by stray bullet during Moitaka shootout

    PNG Post-Courier

    Police in Papua New Guinea’s National Capital District are investigating the shooting yesterday of a woman reporter working with the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) Central during an alleged confrontation between police and settlers at 8-Mile in Port Moresby.

    In the midst of the firing, allegedly aimed at each other, a stray bullet hit the reporter who was among 13 journalists reporting at the Moitaka plant.

    Assistant Commissioner of Police-NCD and Central Anthony Wagambie Jr condemned the shooting, saying “I have directed Metsupt NCD to have police investigators look into this immediately.

    “We have to establish what happened and where the bullet came from.

    “If this was a stray bullet or intentionally fired. Everyone must respect the work of journalists and protect them as they are the voice of the people.”

    The Media Council of Papua New Guinea said in a statement that while commending PNG Power representatives who ensured that an ambulance was arranged to take the wounded journalist to hospital and covered her treatment, it reminded public and corporate organisations that when the media was invited to cover an event in “potentially hostile environments”, precautions must be made to ensure their safety.

    The council reaffirmed that it stood ready to work with the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) and other law enforcement agencies to find ways that the media could be protected, rather than be caught in the crossfire.

    This would take some time and work in sensitising both the public and the media on their equally important roles in the pursuit of truth, information, and awareness, the council statement said.

    Moitaka power station progress
    According to our reporters, the incident happened when the group had ended their tour of the facility organised by PPL.

    The purpose of the visit was to see the progress of the Moitaka Power station and the new Edevu Hydro power construction and transmission lines undertaken by the PNG Hydro Limited and PNG Power.

    While the team was at the Moitaka power station, a commotion erupted outside at the nearby residents where multiple gun shots were fired.

    A stray bullet from the shootout grazed one of the cameramen and hit the female journalist on her left arm.

    The stray bullet lodged into her left arm causing her to bleed as she fell to the ground in shock.

    The shootout continued for about 5 minutes with other journalists and PPL staff taking cover.

    The journalist was rushed to the Paradise Private Hospital for treatment.

    Other reporters did not sustain any injuries. However, they were in shock and traumatised.

    The team was accompanied by the PNG Power CEO, Obed Batia, PNG Hydro Ltd managing director Allan Guo, PNG Power chairman, McRonald Nale, and staff of PNG Power.

    Republished with permission.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • RNZ review: Changes to be made as ‘promptly as possible’, says chair

    RNZ News

    The integration of RNZ’s digital team with the wider news team was meant to take place during the merger with TVNZ that never eventuated, the organisation’s board says.

    It comes after an investigation into the inappropriate edits being written into news stories blamed differences between news teams, a lack of supervision and inconsistent editorial standards.

    However, a report released on Wednesday also accused RNZ’s leadership of over-reacting, saying it “contributed to public alarm and reputational damage” while the journalist “genuinely believed he was acting appropriately”.

    The independent panel was established by the RNZ board after it was revealed in June that some foreign news stories from wire services such as Reuters and the BBC were inappropriately edited.

    The panel made 22 recommendations, including merging the radio and digital news teams, a review of staffing levels and workloads, refresher training for journalists, and hiring a new senior editor responsible for editorial integrity and standards. It stressed the creation of a single news team “cannot happen soon enough”.

    RNZ has agreed to implement all the panel’s recommendations.

    Speaking to RNZ Morning Report, RNZ board chairperson Dr Jim Mather said the recommendations would be initiated as “promptly as possible”.

    Dr Mather accepted RNZ had been slower than other public media entities to integrate its digital team with the wider news team — but it had been endeavouring to do so.

    “The potential merger of RNZ and TVNZ that was being considered for a number of years was going to be the catalyst for that occurring. That didn’t go ahead so that issue came directly back onto the board table and it has been a priority.

    “I wouldn’t say we took our eye off internal issues, it was in anticipation of that potential merger moving forward and recognising that that would incorporate this, so when that didn’t happen, we as a board and the executive team through the chief executive reverted directly back to that plan and that is a priority.”

    An area of improvement
    Dr Mather said it had been identified as an area of improvement as RNZ “did want a unified leadership” over its news operation.

    The 2023 RNZ independent editorial review
    The 2023 RNZ independent editorial review. Image: RNZ

    Dr Mather accepted the panel’s finding that a lack of access to training had contributed to the editorial breach — and said RNZ needed to create a culture where training was implemented and effective.

    “The report did highlight that there was intense level of pressure on staff in the digital news content area and also the training needed to be more effective, ie provided on a regular basis, … noted and there needed to be audit and follow-up on confirmation that the training had been effective.

    “Once again, that’s another area of opportunity for the chief executive and our executive team to be looking at.”

    Dr Mather said there was a “significant body of work” to be done.

    “I think responsibility starts with the board, ultimately we are accountable for everything that occurs within the organisation and we accept that our level of responsibility of what’s occurred and with responsibility and leadership comes a requirement to make the necessary corrective actions.”

    Publishing complaints
    While Dr Mather said he believed RNZ to be a “very transparent organisation”, the report has indicated it could be more “robustly transparent”.

    It had noted that other public media entities, such as TVNZ, publish the overall number of editorial complaints and the number they uphold in their annual reports.

    “I expect that we will be following suit also,” Dr Mather said.

    He said RNZ remained the most trusted media organisation in Aotearoa and it was his “emphatic” objective for that to remain the case.

    “We will do whatever we are required to do to remain our country’s most trusted media entity.”

    RNZ’s response to breach
    Dr Mather accepted that RNZ’s trust was eroded to some extent — but the organisation responded very quickly to restore the public’s confidence and took the issue very seriously.

    The panel was critical of chief executive Paul Thompson’s initial public response in calling the edits “pro-Kremlin garbage” and said it contributed to the story gaining international attention.

    Dr Mather said he understood why Thompson made the comments he did.

    “We are all committed to ensuring that the integrity and trust that is held in RNZ is maintained and that was obviously factored into the way we responded.”

    The panel had said the issue was contained to a small section of RNZ and Dr Mather emphasised that the “vast majority” of its news output was of an “excellent standard” – which was reinforced by the panel in the report, he said.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • China trying to buy influence with Pacific media as it strengthens its presence in region

    By Mackenzie Smith and Toby Mann of ABC Pacific Beat

    Concerns have been raised about foreign influence in Pacific media after it was revealed Solomon Islands’ longest-running newspaper received funding from China in return for favourable coverage.

    Earlier this week the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) revealed how China has been attempting to gain influence in media outlets in Palau and Solomon Islands.

    In Palau, a failed media deal pushed by China has revealed how Beijing was seeking to exert its influence in the Pacific region by using political pressure and funding to capture local elites, including in the media.

    The OCCRP report published in Asia Pacific Report on Monday 31 August 2023
    The OCCRP report published in Asia Pacific Report on Monday. Image: OCCRP

    The OCCRP said at least one front page story had been supplied by an initiative that was backed by investors with ties to China’s police and military.

    China had even more success gaining favour in Solomon Islands, where it has steadily been increasing its presence and influence since the Pacific nation switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in 2019.

    There, according to the OCCRP,  the Solomon Star newspaper received Chinese money after giving assurances it would push messages favourable to Beijing.

    Desperate for funding, editors at the Solomon Star wrote up a proposal to China’s embassy in Honiara in July last year.

    Paper struggling to keep up
    The paper was struggling to keep up and needed assistance — its printing machines were deteriorating and papers were often hitting the streets a day late, according to the proposal the Solomon Star sent to China.

    Its radio station, Paoa FM, was having difficulty broadcasting into remote provinces.

    “Reporters obtained a July 2022 draft funding proposal from the Solomon Star to China’s embassy in Honiara in which the paper requested 1,150,000 Solomon Islands dollars ($206,300) for equipment including a replacement for its ageing newspaper printer and a broadcast tower for its radio station, PAOA FM,” OCCRP said.

    “The Solomon Star said in the proposal that decrepit equipment was causing editions to come out late and ‘curtailing news flow about China’s generous and lightning economic and infrastructure development in Solomon Islands’.”

    According to the proposal, seen by the ABC’s Pacific Beat programme, China stood to gain “enormously”.

    “The intended outcome of this project . . .  is that Solomon Star newspaper will be produced on time for the benefits of its readers, subscribers and the advertising community,” it said.

    “China’s timely intervention in Solomon Islands’ infrastructure and economic development will also benefit enormously as news about this new-found partnership is published.”

    OCCRP has confirmed the printing equipment the Solomon Star wanted was delivered earlier this year.

    Alfred Sasako, Solomon Star’s editor, said the newspaper maintained its independence.

    He told the OCCRP that any suggestion it had a pro-Beijing bias was “a figment of the imagination of anyone who is trying to demonise China”.

    Sasako told the OCCRP the paper had tried unsuccessfully for more than a decade to get funding from Australia.

    Financial desperation drives ailing paper to Chinese backers
    Ofani Eremae, a journalist and co-founder at In-depth Solomons who used to work at the Solomon Star, said it has been struggling financially since COVID, and the majority of staff have left.

    “They are really in a very, very bad financial situation, so they are desperate,” he told the ABC.

    “I think this is what’s prompting them to look for finances elsewhere to keep the operation going.

    “It just so happens that China is here and they [Solomon Star] found someone who’s willing to give them a lot of money.”

    The Solomon Star building
    The Solomon Star newspaper is based in Honiara. Image: OCCRP

    Taking the assistance from China has raised questions about the paper’s independence, he said.

    “It’s a paper with the reputation people trust but in situations like that, you lose your credibility, you lose your independence and of course you become some kind of organisation that’s been controlled by outsiders,” Eremae told the ABC.

    Government spending on advertisements in the paper could help it somewhat, but Eremae said “democratic countries, especially the US” should step in and help.

    ‘Have to defend democracy’
    “They have to defend democracy, they have to defend freedom of the press in this country,” he told the ABC.

    “Otherwise China, which seems to have a lot of money, they could just easily come in and take control of things here.”

    University of South Pacific associate professor of journalism Shailendra Singh said “the Chinese offer hit the right spot” with the paper facing financial challenges due to covid and advertising revenues going to social media.

    “If you look across the region, governments are shaking hands with China, making all kinds of deals and also receiving huge amounts of funds,” he told the ABC.

    Dr Singh said media outlets had become part of the competition between large countries vying for influence in the region and warned other struggling Pacific media companies could be tempted by similar offers.

    “They would seriously consider surrendering some of their editorial independence for a new printing press, just to keep them in business,” he said.

    “Let’s just hope that this does not become a trend.”

    The concerns these kind of deals bring was clear.

    ‘Risk of compromising editorial independence’
    “This is simply because of the risk of compromising editorial independence,” Dr Singh told the ABC.

    “There is concern the country’s major newspaper is turning into a Chinese state party propaganda rag.”

    If China managed to sway both the Solomon Islands government and its main newspaper, that would create an “unholy alliance”, Dr Singh said.

    “The people would be at the mercy of a cabal, with very little — if not zero — public dissent,” he said.

    Despite the concerns, Dr Singh said there were some sound reasons for the Solomon Star to enter the deal.

    “If they don’t sign the deal they will continue to struggle financially and it might even mean the end of the Solomon Star,” he told the ABC.

    Only the Solomon Star publisher and editor had a full grasp of the situation and the financial challenges the paper faced, he said.

    ‘Makes business sense’
    “From our lofty perch we have all these grand ideas about media independence in theory, but does anyone consider the business realities?”

    “It may not make sense to the Americans or the Australians, but makes perfect sense to the Solomon Star from a business survival point of view.”

    Solomon Islands and Pacific outlets have been funded for media development by Australia and other governments.

    Third party organisations such as the ABC International Development supports the media community across the Pacific to promote public interest journalism and hold businesses, governments and other institutions to account.

    But Solomon Islands opposition MP Peter Kenilorea Junior said he was concerned by direct support given to the Solomon Star by a foreign government.

    “It’s totally inappropriate for any government — let alone the Chinese government — to be involved in our newspaper publications, because that is supposed to be independent,” he told the ABC.

    “I don’t think standards are kept when there is this, according to the report, involvement by the Chinese to try and perhaps reward the paper for saying or passing on stories that are positive about a particular country.”

    Georgina Kekea, president of the Media Association of Solomon Islands, said the financial support did not come as a surprise as most businesses were struggling.

    “It’s quite difficult for us to ensure that the media industry thrives when they are really floundering, where companies are finding it hard to pay their staff salary,” she told the ABC.

    "Solomon Star condemns [unrelated] attack by US-funded OCCRP"
    “Solomon Star condemns [unrelated] attack by US-funded OCCRP” reply by the main Honiara daily newspaper. Image: OCCRP

    Solomon Star says ‘stop geo-politicising’ media
    Following the OCCRP report, the Solomon Star on Tuesday published an response on page six headlined “Solomon Star condemns unrelated attack by US-funded OCCRP”.

    “It is sad to see the US-funded OCCRP through its agent in Solomon Islands, Ofani Eremae, and his so-called ‘In-depth Solomons’ website making unrelented attempts to tarnish the reputation of the Solomon Star Newspaper for receiving funding support from China,” the paper said.

    “One thing that Solomon Star can assure the right-minded people of this nation is that we will continue to inform and educate you on issues that matter without any geopolitical bias and that China through its Embassy in Honiara never attempted to stop us from doing so . . .  Solomon Star also continued to publish news items not in the favour of China and the Chinese Embassy in Honiara never issued a reproachment.

    “It is indeed sad to see the OCCRP-funded journalists in Solomon Islands and the Pacific trying to bring geopolitics into the Pacific and Solomon Islands media landscape and Solomon Star strongly urges these journalists and their financiers to stop geo-politicising the media.”

    OCCRP said it “is funded worldwide by a variety of government and non-government donors”.

    “OCCRP’s work in the Pacific Islands is currently funded by a US-government grant that gives the donor zero say in editorial decisions,” it said.

    Dr Singh said whether aid came from China, the US or Australia: “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.”

    The ABC has sought comment from the Solomon Star and the Chinese Embassy in Solomon Islands.

    Republished from ABC Pacific Beat with permission.

  • Pacific media should be supported post-covid, says PJR report

    By Kelvin Anthony, RNZ Pacific lead digital and social media journalist

    The media sector in the Pacific should be supported with an enabling environment to report “without fear” in the face of ongoing challenges brought about since the covid-19 pandemic, according to a new study.

    The paper, titled Pacific media freedom since the pandemic, is published in the latest edition of the Pacific Journalism Review.

    As part of the research, the authors hosted an online panel discussion with senior Pacific journalists and news editors from Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Fiji in December 2021 and held a follow-up discussion with those journalists in March 2023.

    The latest Pacific Journalism Review . . . July 2023
    The latest Pacific Journalism Review . . . July 2023.

    Researchers from the Australian National University and the University of the South Pacific said there was a need for “ongoing vigilance with regards to media freedom in the Pacific Island countries” post-pandemic.

    ANU’s Dr Amanda Watson and USP’s Dr Shailendra Singh, who are the paper’s co-authors, said covid-19 exposed the difficulties faced by media organisations and journalists in the region.

    “Covid-19 has been a stark reminder about the link between media freedom and the financial viability of media organisations”, they said, adding “especially in the Pacific, where the advertising markets are relatively small and profit margins correspondingly limited”.

    They said media companies “faced challenges during the height of the pandemic due to revenue downturns”.

    ‘Strives for impartial reporting’
    However, the industry “continues to strive to conduct impartial reporting, for the benefit of citizens and the societies in which they live,” they said.

    “Media professionals and businesses face various challenges and thus it is important to support their work and ensure that they are able to operate without fear of violence or any other forms of reprisal,” the researchers concluded.

    A media study from 2021 found that Pacific journalists were among the youngest, most inexperienced and least qualified in the world.

    Dr Singh has told RNZ Pacific in the past that capacity building of local journalists must become a priority for mainstream media to improve its standards and Pacific governments must also play a key role in investing in the industry’s development.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Solomon Star promised to ‘promote China’ in return for funding

    By Bernadette Carreon and Aubrey Belford

    A major daily newspaper in Solomon Islands received nearly US$140,000 in funding from the Chinese government in return for pledges to “promote the truth about China’s generosity and its true intentions to help develop” the Pacific Islands country, according to a leaked document and interviews.

    The revelation comes amid Western alarm over growing Chinese influence over the strategically located country, which switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in 2019 and then signed a surprise security agreement with Beijing last year.

    Solomon Islands journalists have complained of a worsening media environment, as well as what is perceived to be a growing pro-China slant from local outlets that have accepted funding from the People’s Republic.

    A document obtained by OCCRP shows how one of these outlets, the Solomon Star newspaper, received Chinese assistance after providing repeated and explicit assurances that it would push messages favorable to Beijing.

    Reporters obtained a July 2022 draft funding proposal from the Solomon Star to China’s embassy in Honiara in which the paper requested SBD 1,150,000 (about $137,000) for equipment, including a replacement for its aging newspaper printer and a broadcast tower for its radio station, PAOA FM.

    The Solomon Star said in the proposal that decrepit equipment was causing editions to come out late and “curtailing news flow about China’s generous and lightning economic and infrastructure development in Solomon Islands.”

    The document shows the Chinese embassy had initially offered SBD 350,000 in 2021, but revised this number upward in recognition of the newspaper’s needs.

    A dozen pledges
    In total, the proposal contains roughly a dozen separate pledges to use the Chinese-funded equipment to promote China’s “goodwill” and role as “the most generous and trusted development partner” in Solomon Islands.

    In interviews, both the Solomon Star’s then-publisher, Catherine Lamani, and its chief of staff, Alfred Sasako, confirmed the paper had made the proposal, but declined to speak in detail about it.

    Sasako said the newspaper maintained its independence. He said any suggestion it had a pro-Beijing bias was “a figment of the imagination of anyone who is trying to demonise China.”

    Sasako said the paper had tried unsuccessfully for more than a decade to get assistance from Australia’s embassy in the country. Other Western countries, such as the United States, had neglected Solomon Islands for decades and were only now showing interest because of anxiety over Chinese influence, he added.

    “My summary on the whole thing is China is a doer, others are talkers. They spend too much time talking, nothing gets done,” he said.

    Press delivered
    OCCRP was able to confirm that the printing equipment the Solomon Star had requested was indeed purchased and delivered earlier this year.

    “I can confirm what was quoted was delivered in February and the payments came from the Solomon Star,” said Terry Mays, business development manager of G2 Systems Print Supply Division, the Brisbane, Australia, based supplier named in the proposal.

    The Solomon Star funding is just one part of a regional push to get China’s message out in the Pacific Islands, as well as build relationships with the region’s elites, reporters have found.

    Earlier this month, OCCRP reported on an aborted deal in the northern Pacific nation of Palau involving the publisher of the country’s oldest newspaper and a Chinese business group with links to national security institutions.

    Bernadette Carreon and Aubrey Belford report for the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). OCCRP is funded worldwide by a variety of government and non-government donors. OCCRP’s work in the Pacific Islands is currently funded by a US-government grant that gives the donor zero say in editorial decisions.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Fiji media condemn ‘distasteful, unacceptable’ threats by former PM

    By Rakesh Kumar in Suva

    The Fijian Media Association (FMA) has labelled comments made by former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama this week to media workers of Mai TV, Fijivillage and Fiji Sun outside the Suva courthouse as “distasteful, unbecoming, and unacceptable”.

    Bainimarama told the Mai TV cameraman in the iTaukei language on Tuesday: “Qarauna de dua tacaqe, au na qai caqeta yani na muna.” (“Be careful no one stumbles, for I will then kick your backside.”)

    The former prime minister also told the Fijivillage cameraperson “watch out, you slip, and then I will kick your backside”.

    Earlier in the week, Bainimarama also told a Fiji Sun press photographer “kwan kwan”, a derogatory term commonly used to chase away dogs or animals.

    In a statement, FMA said they found these comments highly offensive.

    “The FMA continues to reiterate that journalists, photographers and videographers are doing an important work of informing the public, and threats of violence against them is unacceptable,” the statement read.

    The FMA stated that journalists had come through a period — 17 years of media repression since the 2006 military coup — where they had been beaten, intimidated, and abused and would not let these threats to deter them from doing their duty.

    Former prime minister Bainimarama and suspended police commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho are on trial on a count each of attempting to pervert the course of justice and abuse of office over an abandoned investigation relating to the University of the South Pacific in 2020.

    Rakesh Kumar is a Fiji Times reporter. Republished with permission.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Papuan media groups condemn police repression over mangrove forest destruction reporting

    Jubi News

    Media organisations in Papua — including the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) of Jayapura City, the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) of Papua and the Indonesian Television Journalists Association (IJTI) of Papua — have lambasted intimidation against Abdel Gamel Naser, a reporter with the Cenderawasih Pos.

    The incident occurred while he was covering the issue of mangrove forest destruction in the Youtefa Bay Nature Park conservation area in Jayapura City last Tuesday.

    Gamel, as he is commonly known, allegedly faced intimidation from two police officers who were present near the location.

    The officers approached Gamel and questioned why he was photographing the area.

    Despite explaining that he was a journalist, the officers forced him to delete three images from his reportage.

    “To avoid further conflict so I can continue my reporting elsewhere, I deleted the photos,” he explained.

    “As I was leaving the location, [the police officers] issued further threats,” Gamel said in a press release issued by the media groups.

    A halt to logging
    Gamel was among a group of about a dozen journalists who were covering the halt of logging and material stockpiling in the mangrove forest area of Youtefa Bay Nature Tourism Park.

    The halt was carried out by the Papua Forestry and Environment Service, the Papua Natural Resources Conservation Center, and the Papua Police Special Crimes Unit.

    According to Gamel, the intimidation occurred while he was capturing images near a location where police lines had been established, and several police officers were nearby.

    Lucky Ireeuw, chair of the AJI Jayapura, strongly condemned the alleged intimidation faced by Gamel during his work. he said such repressive actions hindered the exercise of press freedom in Papua.

    “The intimidation suffered by Gamel obstructs press freedom and violates Law No. 40/1999 on Press,” Ireeuw said.

    He called on the Papua police to take decisive action against the officers implicated in the alleged intimidation.

    “We urge the police to ensure press freedom in Papua,” Ireeuw added.

    ‘Arrogant’ display
    Meanwhile, PWI Papua deputy chair Ridwan Madubun strongly condemned the “display of arrogance” that resulted in the intimidation of his fellow journalist Gamel. Madubun saoid such actions were unjustifiable, especially when they happened while journalists were carrying out their responsibilities in the public domain.

    He also expressed dismay at the ongoing repressive acts against journalists in Papua.

    Journalists are safeguarded by law in carrying out their coverage duties to inform the public.

    Papua police spokesperson Senior Commander Ignatius Beny Ady Prabowo said efforts had been made within the police institution to educate officers about press freedom since their training at the National Police School.

    “I have just been made aware of the alleged intimidation against Gamel,” Prabowo said.  “Journalists who encounter such incidents can report them to our Internal Division.”

    Republished from Jubi with permission.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Mr Speaker, we’re not your enemies. We’re reporting without fear or favour

    EDITORIAL: PNG Post-Courier

    Mister Speaker, our collective question without notice is to you mister Speaker. We want the Prime Minister and his deputy to take note Sir.

    Our question from the Media Gallery is specifically directed to you, Mr Speaker, because of events that have transpired in the last 48 hours in which the freedom of the media in the people’s house has been once again curtailed.

    Mr Speaker, we are aware of proposed changes to laws that are yet to reach the House that have been circulated by the Minister for Communications for consultation with all stakeholders in the media industry on the media development policy document, we are still concerned about what these will further impinge on the operations of mainstream media in PNG in covering, questioning and investigating Parliament, politicians and government departments and their activities.

    PNG POST-COURIER
    PNG POST-COURIER

    Last week, our members’ movements in and around the National Parliament at Waigani was further restricted by members of the Parliamentary Security Services.

    We are now restricted to the press gallery and cannot further venture around the House in search of news. Mr Speaker, is the media really a serious threat to you and the members of the House that you have to apply such stringent measures to curtail our movements?

    Parliament is an icon of our democracy. It is rightfully the people’s House, might we remind you mister Speaker, that we are guaranteed freedom of movement, freedom of speech, freedom to engage with all leaders mandated by the people to represent them here.

    What then is the reason for you to set up barriers around the hallways, offices of MPs and public walkways, Mr Speaker?

    Your Parliamentary Clerk is lost, Mr Speaker. In our queries not aware of any order to gag the media in the people’s House. His deputy is muted and cannot find a reason for this preposterous decision to restrict our movements in the House.

    Acting Speaker's defiant reply to the Post-Courier
    Acting Speaker’s defiant reply to the Post-Courier about his media restrictions . . . “the Speaker is responsible for upholding the dignity of Parliament.” Image: The National screenshot APR

    Mr Speaker, we consider this a serious impingement on the freedom of journalists to access Parliament House, report on the proceedings, seek out and question MPs on the spot.

    Sir, Mr Speaker, we are well aware of the processes, procedures and decorum of the house, and where we as political reporters and photographers can traverse and that we always stay on our side of the fence.

    Mr Speaker, let us remind you once again that Parliament belongs to the people. Their voice must be heard. Their MPs must be on record to deliver their needs and wants and their views.

    The people cannot be denied. This will be a grave travesty Mr Speaker, if you deny the people their freedom to know what is transpiring in Parliament by silencing the media.

    In the past, the media had a very good relationship with your office and we are pleased to say that the Speaker has on more than one occasion, assisted the members of the media with accreditation, and even transportation.

    But Mr Speaker, don’t entertain any point of order from other Members on our question. They have had their day on the floor.

    Mister Speaker, we members of the media are not primitives. Far from it, we are just the messengers of the people.

    One last friendly reminder Mr Speaker. The very people that you are trying to restrict are the ones that you will need to get the message out to the people and to the world.

    We are not your enemies. We are here to ensure your all 118 MPs do a proper job transparently without fear or favour.

    Thank you Mr Speaker.

    This PNG Post-Courier editorial was published under the headline “A Question without Notice” on 12 June 2023. Republished with permission.

    This content originally appeared on Asia Pacific Report and was authored by Pacific Media Watch.

  • NZ’s Media Freedom Council slams mayor Brown’s ban attempt as ‘insult to voters’

    RNZ News

    New Zealand’s Media Freedom Council has called Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown’s exclusion of some media outlets from his budget speech today “unacceptable”.

    In an appearance at Auckland Transport’s Viaduct headquarters, Brown took time out of pitching his plan to sell the city’s holdings in Auckland Airport to complain about road cones, his “not financially literate” councillors and target the “nasty” media.

    Brown’s team invited journalists from only a few organisations to the announcement. RNZ was allowed in, but Stuff, TVNZ and Newshub were not.

    Stuff reported among those allowed in were “business leaders, former politicians and former rugby league coach Sir Graham Lowe”.

    Some reporters threatened to walk out of the event in protest, drawing this response from the mayor: “They weren’t invited, but some of the media have been pretty nasty. We did invite media who are sensible; and the media who are not weren’t invited, and have now decided, some of them, to bugger off — well, that’s all right with me”.

    Stuff queried the mayor’s decision, and was told only a “select few journalists… we feel were best able to convey the mayor’s message” were invited.

    Media Freedom Council chair Richard Sutherland — also head of news at RNZ — wrote to Brown shortly afterwards, to “express our deep concern about the attempted exclusion of journalists from today’s budget presentation in Auckland”.

    Richard Sutherland
    Media Freedom Council chair Richard Sutherland . . . wrote to say “it is unacceptable to cherry-pick journalists based on who you think will give you the easiest ride.”. Image: RNZ

    In addition to RNZ, the MFC represents Newshub, Newsroom, NZME, Stuff, The Spinoff and TVNZ.

    ‘Today’s events troubling’
    “Today’s events are troubling. The media plays a crucial role in informing the public and holding officials accountable. Denying access to journalists compromises the public’s right to be informed,” Sutherland wrote.

    “Furthermore, we are aware that invitations that were issued were selectively targeted to specific journalists. It is imperative to ensure equal opportunities for all bone fide journalists to cover significant public events, irrespective of their perceived affiliations or perspectives.

    “To be blunt, it’s unacceptable to cherry-pick journalists based on who you think will give you the easiest ride.”

    Sutherland called Brown’s decision an “affront to the democratic process and an insult to voters”.

    Brown did not take questions after his speech, saying he did not have time.

    He has had a strained relationship with the media since taking the mayoral chains last year. Mediawatch in April described it as “frosty”, at best.

    In January, as Auckland suffered its worst floods in living memory, he called journalists “drongos” in messages to friends, upset he had to cancel a tennis engagement to deal with the media. He later apologised.

    He refused 106 media requests in his first month of office, granting only two.

    ‘Sell them all’
    The guts of Brown’s speech was to convince his councillors that selling the city’s 18 percent stake in Auckland Airport was the only way to avoid massive cuts to services and rate hikes.

    He has his deputy Desley Simpson on side. She told RNZ’s Midday Report she did not want to sell the shares at first, but had listened to advice and had been convinced.

    She said the mayor’s second budget proposal was as good as it was going to get, and she hoped other councillors agreed to it.

    “In my heart, I didn’t want to sell the airport shareholding. But professional staff advice has said ‘sell them all’. And you know, that’s a hard pill to swallow when in your heart, you want to keep them.

    “It’s an emotional wrestle that I think a lot of people are struggling with.”

    Simpson said selling shareholding was not just a short-term fix, and would save the council $100 million a year in debt interest.

    The council’s debt is currently more than $11 billion.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Historic day for Fiji journalism as ‘draconian’ media law scrapped

    By Lydia Lewis and Kelvin Anthony, RNZ Pacific journalists

    The Fiji Parliament has voted to “kill” a draconian media law in Suva today, sending newsrooms across the country into celebrations.

    Twenty nine parliamentarians voted to repeal the Media Industry Development Act, while 21 voted against it and 3 did not vote.

    The law — which started as a post-coup decree in 2010 — has been labelled as a “noose around the neck of the media industry and journalists” since it was enacted into law.

    While opposition FijiFirst parliamentarians voted against the bill, Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad said binning the act would be good for the people and for democracy.

    Removing the controversial law was a major election promise by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s coalition government.

    Emotional day for newsrooms
    The news was “one for the ages for us”, Fiji Times editor-in-chief Fred Wesley, who was dragged into court on multiple occasions by the former government under the act, told RNZ Pacific in Vanuatu.

    He said today was about all the Fijian media workers who stayed true to their profession.

    “People who slugged it out, people who remained passionate about their work and continued disseminating information and getting people to make well-informed decision on a daily basis.”

    “It wasn’t an easy journey, but truly thankful for today,” an emotional Wesley said.

    “We’re in an era where we don’t have draconian legislation hanging over our heads.”

    He said the entire industry was happy and newsrooms are now looking forward to the next chapter.

    “The next phases is the challenge of putting together a Fiji media council to do the work of listening to complaints and all of that, and I’m overwhelmed and very grateful.”

    Holding government to account
    He said people in Fiji should continue to expect the media to do what it was supposed to do: “Holding government to account, holding our leaders to account and making sure that they’re responsible in the decisions they make.”

    Fiji Media Act repealed on Thursday. 6 April 2023
    Fiji Times editor-in-chief Fred Wesley and Islands Business editor Samantha Magick embrace each other after finding out the the Fijian Parliament has repealed the MIDA Act. Image: Lydia Lewis/RNZ Pacific

    Journalists ‘can be brave’
    Islands Business magazine editor Samantha Magick said getting rid of the law meant it would now create an environment for Fiji journalists to do more critical journalism.

    “I think [we will] see less, ‘he said, she said’, reporting in very controlled environments,” Magick said.

    “Fiji’s media will see more investigations, more depth, more voices, different perspectives, [and] hopefully they can engage a bit more as well without fear.

    “It’ll just be so much healthier for us as a people and democracy to have that level of debate and investigation and questioning, regardless of who you are,” she added.

    RNZ Pacific senior sports journalist and PINA board member Iliesa Tora said the Parliament’s decision sent a strong message to the rest of the region.

    “The message [this sends] to the region and the different regional government’s is that you need to work with the media to ensure that there is media freedom,” said Tora, who chose to leave Fiji because he could not operate as a journalist due of the act.

    “The freedom of the media ensures that people are also able to freely express themselves and are not fearful in coming forward to talk about things that they see that governments are not doing that they [should] do to really govern in the countries.”

    ‘Step into the light’ – corruption reporting project
    Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project co-founder and publisher Drew Sullivan told RNZ Pacific that anytime a country that was not able to do the kind of accountability journalism that they should be doing, this damaged media throughout the region.

    “It creates a model for illiberal actors in the region to imitate what’s going on in that country,” Sullivan said.

    “So this has really moved forward in allowing journalists again to do their job and that’s really important.”

    Fiji journalists, Sullivan said, had done an amazing job resisting limitations for as long as they could.

    “Fiji was really a black hole of journalism [in] that the journalists could not participate in on a global community because they couldn’t find the information; they weren’t allowed to write what they needed to write.

    “So this is really a step forward into the light to really bring Fiji and media back into the global journalism community.”

    Korean cult investigation
    Last year, OCCRP published a major investigation on Fiji, working with local journalists to expose the expansion of the controversial Korean Chirstain-cult Grace Road Church under the Bainimarama regime.

    Rabuka’s government is currently investigating Grace Road.

    Sullivan said OCCRP will continue to support Fijian journalists.

    “But [the repealing of the act] will allow a lot more stories to be done and a lot more people will understand how the world really works, especially in Fiji.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    Fiji Media Act repealed on Thursday. 6 April 2023
    Fred Wesley and Rakesh Kumar from The Fiji Times, Samantha Magick from Islands Business, and OCCRPs co-founder and publisher Drew Sullivan in Port Vila. Image: Lydia Lewis/RNZ Pacific

  • Fiji’s longest active newsroom keen for ‘kicking out’ of tough media law

    By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist

    The man in charge of Fiji’s oldest newspaper has high hopes for press freedom in the country following the tabling of a bill in Parliament this week to get rid of a controversial media law.

    Fiji’s three-party coalition government introduced a bill on Monday to repeal the 2010 Media Industry Development Authority (MIDA) Act.

    The MIDA Act — a legacy of the former Bainimarama administration — has long been criticised for being “draconian” and decimating journalism standards in the country.

    The law regulates the ownership, registration and content of the media in Fiji.

    Under the act, the media content regulation framework includes the creation of MIDA, the media tribunal and other elements.

    “It is these provisions that have been considered controversial,” Fiji’s Attorney-General Siromi Turaga said when tabling the bill.

    “These elements are widely considered as undemocratic and in breach of the constitutional right of freedom of expression as outlined in section 17 of the constitution.”

    Not a ‘free pass’
    Turaga said repealing the act does not provide a free pass to media organisations and journalists to “report anything and everything without authentic sources and facts”.

    “But it does provides a start to ensuring that what reaches the ordinary people of Fiji is not limited by overbearing regulation of government.”

    Fred Wesley
    Fiji Times editor-in-chief and legal case veteran Fred Wesley . . . looking forward to the Media Act “being repealed and the draconian legislation kicked out”. Image: Lydia Lewis/RNZ Pacific

    The Fiji Times editor-in-chief Fred Wesley said he had a sense of “great optimism” that the Media Act would be repealed.

    Wesley and the newspaper — founded in 1869 — were caught in a long legal battle for publishing an article in their vernacular language newspaper Nai Lalakai which the former FijiFirst government claimed was seditious.

    But in 2018, the High Court found them not guilty and cleared them of all charges.

    “After the change in government, there has been a change in the way the press has been disseminating information,” Wesley said.

    “We have had a massive turnover [of] journalists in our country. A lot of young people have come in. At the The Fiji Times, for instance, we have an average age of around 22, which is very, very young,” he said.

    Handful of seniors
    “We have just a handful of senior journalists who have stayed on who are very passionate about the role the media must pay in our country.

    “We are looking forward to Thursday and looking forward to the act being repealed and the draconian legislation kicked out.”

    He said two thirds of the journalists in the national newspaper’s newsroom have less than 16 years experience and have never experienced press freedom.

    He said The Fiji Times would then need to implement “mass desensitisation” of its reporters as they had been working under a draconian law for more than a decade.

    He added retraining journalists would be the main focus of the organisation after the law is repealed.

    ‘Things will get better’
    Long-serving journalist at the newspaper Rakesh Kumar told RNZ Pacific that reporting on national interest issues had been a “big challenge” under the act.

    Kumar recalled early when the media law was enacted and army officers would come into newsrooms to “create fear” which he said would “kill the motivation” of reporters.

    “We know things will get better now [after the repeal of the act],” Kumar said.

    But he said it was “important that we have to report accurately”.

    “We have to be balanced,” he added.

    Rakesh Kumar
    Fiji Times reporter Rakesh Kumar . . . Image: Lydia Lewis/RNZ Pacific

    The bill to repeal the MIDA Act will be debated tomorrow.

    While the opposition has already opposed the move, it is expected that the government will use its majority in Parliament to pass it.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • ‘I feel vindicated’ – Vanuatu Daily Post in landmark work permit win

    Vanuatu’s Supreme Court has ruled in favour of Trading Post Ltd, the owner of the Vanuatu Daily Post newspaper, BUZZ FM96 and other media outlets, in a case against the government’s refusal to renew the company’s former media director’s work permit.

    Dan McGarry, who served as a director of the company when he had his visa revoked in 2019, said the ruling was a “big win for independent media”.

    McGarry’s work permit application was rejected by then Prime Minister Charlot Salwai’s government.

    The reason given by the Labour Commissioner Murielle Meltenoven at the time was that McGarry’s role — who at the time had lived and worked in Port Vila for 14 years — could be taken up by a ni-Vanuatu person and that he had failed to train his local staff.

    The Daily Post claimed that the decision to revoke McGarry’s visa was made after the newspaper had published stories concerning the arrest and arbitrary deportation of a group of Chinese nationals, some of whom had been granted Vanuatu citizenship.

    McGarry and the company claimed that Meltenoven’s decision was a political one and argued that the government had no right to meddle in their lawful hiring decisions and appealed the decision.

    The issue had escalated and he was barred by the government from returning to the country, a decision which was later overturned by the Supreme Court.

    Acted unlawfully
    On Tuesday, March 28, Justice Dudley Aru ruled that both the Labour Commissioner and the Appeals Committee acted unlawfully in barring McGarry’s employment.

    “After three long years, I feel vindicated,” McGarry, who testified in the case, said in a statement.

    “Sadly, it took so long to get justice that I had to move on to other work, but this is a crucial principle that had to be defended.”

    The use of bureaucratic measures to meddle in private business decisions and stifle our free and independent media is unacceptable in a free and democratic society,” he said.

    “I’m grateful to the owners of the Daily Post and to all my colleagues and friends there who have never wavered in their stalwart defence of our right to chart our own course,” he said.

    “This is a big win for the Daily Post, and a big win for independent media in Vanuatu.”

    McGarry said it was not known whether a state appeal is forthcoming.

    RNZ Pacific has contacted the Vanuatu’s labour office for comment.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    • Editor’s Comment: Dan McGarry has been a valued contributor to Asia Pacific Report for several years. We congratulate him and the Vanuatu Daily Post for this victory for media freedom in Vanuatu and the Pacific.

  • Today FM hosts abruptly taken off air and told ‘play music’ in radio shock

    RNZ News

    The Mediaworks’ radio station Today FM abandoned scheduling today when presenters broke from programming to question the future of their employer.

    Broadcasters told their audience they were going off air and had been instructed to play music.

    Today FM hosts Duncan Garner and Tova O’Brien told listeners before 9am the station and staff were being cut.

    “We’ve been told to play music.”

    “This is it, folks.”

    While still on-air, O’Brien said the station had not been given a chance.

    Staff had been told they had the support of the chief executive, the board, the executive “and they have f…..d us”, she said.

    Garner responded: “This is betrayal.”

    Crying staff
    “He said other staff had joined the two radio hosts in the studio and several of them were crying.

    “Radio is one of those projects, where you have to settle in, and slowly but surely get your numbers, get your ratings, get your revenue,” Garner said.

    He said the company was “bleeding cash”.

    A short time later the station began playing music.

    Show producer Tom Day tweeted that the Mediaworks board had made a proposal to shut down Today FM.

    “They have given us only until the end of this afternoon to make submissions. I have no words.”

    ‘Gutting’ to be axed
    Day told RNZ it was gutting to have their station axed by Mediaworks.

    He confirmed the Mediaworks board had proposed to close down the Today FM Brand in a meeting this morning.

    He wished they had been given more time to build their brand after being on the air for just over a year.

    He said staff had attended a meeting with Palmer and HR staff this morning and it seemed clear the station would be shut down.

    “It’s pretty much a done deal.”

    Staff had been told there was a five-year plan for the station but instead it looked like it would close after just one year.

    “We feel pretty gutted and let down,” he said.

    ‘Serious uncertainty’
    A story on Today FM’s website says it is facing “serious uncertainty”.

    It also references the appearance just before 9am of its key broadcasters Garner and O’Brien who went on air and used a swear word banned in most circumstances by the Broadcasting Standards Authority to describe their current situation.

    In the on-air segment O’Brien said that following the resignation of Mediaworks head of news Dallas Gurney, soon after the sudden departure of chief executive Cam Wallace, the team had not been able to get the same level of assurance from the board or acting chief executive Wendy Palmer about the future of the radio station.

    “We’ve got to hold out hope here, but we’re scared,” she said.

    Duncan Garner asks the chief censor why he banned the manisfesto.
    Today FM Co-host Duncan Garner . . . “This is betrayal.” Image: RNZ/Screenshot/AM

    Tim Murphy, the co-editor of Newsroom, wrote that today’s development was shocking and gutting for many journalists and the industry.

    Station-wide meeting
    A station-wide meeting had been called with Palmer, the story said.

    In a statement, Palmer said: “This morning at the MediaWorks board’s request, we have taken Today FM off air while we consult with the team about the future of the station.

    “This is a difficult time for the team and our priority is supporting them as we work through this process.”

    She said more information would be released at a later date.

    Today FM was set up a year ago to replace Magic Talk, which had struggled to make inroads in the ratings.

    MediaWorks also operates the Edge, the Breeze, Mai FM and the Rock among other stations.

    Media commentator blames poor ratings
    RNZ Mediawatch commentator Colin Peacock told Midday Report the company had spent a reported $6 million to $9 million to set up Today FM in a bid to compete with talkback radio market leader NewstalkZB.

    The station needed to build its own news operation because Newshub and the TV channels had been sold to Discovery in 2021.

    “The ratings didn’t work out bluntly over the past year,” he said.

    The departures of Wallace and Gurney within the last month meant the biggest supporters of the station had left and current management was determined to cut costs.

    He said “there was a lot to sort out” because the company would want to use the frequency and there would probably need to be payouts to any staff made redundant.

    “They’ve really burned bridges with their staff so there will be fallout from this that will be financial as well.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ. 

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • PNG’s Masiu denies ‘control of media’ but calls for ‘accountability’

    By Gorethy Kenneth in Port Moresby

    Communication Minister Timothy Masiu has hit back at recent reports termed as “inaccurate” over the control of media in Papua New Guinea from his ministerial statement in Parliament.

    He said it was not true that the government was trying to control the media by setting up a Media Council.

    He refuted the report, saying that the government would not control the media.

    In his responce to questions raised, Masiu clarified the intent and purpose of the Media Development Policy which was basically to establish an enabling framework to recognise and develop the media in PNG to “support our development agenda”.

    “Current research and recent consultations have led us to the consolidation of four main issues within the media sector,” he said.

    “First is the concerns on [the] quality of journalism. By concerns we observe the decline of quality investigative journalism, the impact of substandard reporting on the development agenda, and the concerns on conduct, ethics, and accountability of journalists.

    “My ministry, through the Department of ICT [Information Communications Technology], is currently collating both quantitative and qualitative data to verify the concerns on safety of journalists. We recognise that, at the moment, there is a lack of protection mechanisms for journalists.

    ‘Reorganising’ state-owned media
    “My ministry has for the last three years looked at options on how to reorganise state-owned media outlets so that we coordinate dissemination of government information better.

    “We recognise that us as government are lacking coordination in government information.

    “The ministry has identified that SMEs [small and medium-sized enterprises], particularly in the modern media space, are not recognised as professionals and not given appropriate support.

    “By promoting access to information, media diversity, and responsible journalism, the policy aims to support the development of a more informed, engaged, and empowered citizenry in Papua New Guinea.

    “On the question of how this policy will promote media freedom, early this year we released draft version 1, followed by a version 2 of the National Media Development Policy.

    “In both versions of the draft policy, we proposed for the re-establishment of the PNG Media Council as an independent arm to represent and maintain standards within the media professions.

    “The ministry maintains the view that the PNG Media Council, through its self-governing model, is not doing enough to grow the profession and hold journalists accountable.

    Media Council ’empowered’
    “Through the ministry’s proposal, the PNG Media Council would be empowered and hold mainstream media outlets accountable and establish [a] protection mechanism for journalists.

    “I want to inform Members of Parliament that we have had a consultation workshop and as a result, my department is working on identifying a model where we can find common ground with all stakeholders.

    “I want to remind all that this policy is not about regulating but more on building capacity and recognition within the media profession.

    “The department is reviewing whether to include provisions for oversight on social media platforms and we will inform in version 3 of the draft policy.

    “As a matter of update, my department will be publishing a consultation report this week.

    “Following this, the consultation itself is leading us to undertake a series of nationwide surveys to better define our media landscape and ascertain data necessary to consolidate issues highlighted in the recent consultation workshop.

    “My department is expected to be releasing a version 4 of the draft policy towards the end of April.

    “This version 4 will be subject to further feedback. I expect to take to cabinet as early as May and should legislation be proposed, we would also start the drafting process in May.”

    Gorethy Kenneth is a senior PNG Post-Courier journalist. Republished with permission.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Fiji to scrap ‘dead in water’ media law with with pledge to back independent journalism

    By Kelvin Anthony, RNZ Pacific lead digital and social media journalist

    The Fiji government has announced it will repeal the controversial Media Industry Development Act 2010.

    Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said cabinet had approved the tabling of a bill to repeal the Act “as a whole.”

    “The decision is pursuant to the People’s Coalition Government’s commitment to the growth and development of a strong and independent news media in the country,” said Rabuka in his post-cabinet meeting update.

    “It has been said that ‘media freedom and freedom of expression is the oxygen of democracy’,” he said.

    “These fundamental freedoms are integral to enable the people to hold their government accountable.

    “I am proud to stand here today to make this announcement, which was key to our electoral platform, and a demand that I heard echoed in all parts of the country that I visited,” he added.

    The announcement comes just days after Rabuka’s government introduced a new draft legislation to replace the act.

    Strongly opposed
    The move to replace the 2010 media law with a new one was strongly opposed during public consultations by local journalists and media organisations.

    They said there was no need for new legislation to control the media and called for a “total repeal” of the existing regulation.

    The country’s Deputy Prime Minister, Manoa Kamikamica, told RNZ Pacific last Friday that there were areas of concern that local stakeholders had raised during the consultation session of the proposed new bill.

    “We hear what the industry is saying, we will make some assessments and then make a final decision,” he said.

    But Rabuka’s announcement today means that the decision has been made.

    RNZ Pacific has contacted the Fijian Media Association for comment.

    ‘Good decision’ but investment needed
    University of the South Pacific head of journalism programme Associate Professor Shailendra Singh said the announcement was expected.

    Dr Singh said repealing the punitive legislation was a core election platform promise of the three challenger parties which are now in power.

    “This is a good decision because the Fijian media and other stakeholders were not sufficiently consulted when the decree was promulgated in June 2010.”

    But he said while getting rid of the media act was welcomed, the coalition was working on a new legislation and “we have to wait and see what that looks like”.

    “The media act was dead in the water or redundant before the change in government. The new government could not have implemented it after coming to power, having criticised it and campaigned against it in their election campaign,” he said.

    “Repealing the act removes the fear factor prevalent in the sector for nearly 13 years now.”

    Dr Singh said the government had committed to the growth and development of a strong news media.

    Public good investment
    But that, he said, would require more than the repeal of the act.

    “[Improving standards] will require some financial investments by the state since media organisations are struggling financially due to the digital disruption followed by covid.”

    He said among the many challenges, the media industry was struggling to retain staff.

    “So incentives like government scholarships specifically in the media sector could be one way of helping out.

    “Media is a public good and like any public good government should invest in it for the benefit of the public.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Repeal ‘draconian’ MIDA Act, urge Fiji media and journalism stakeholders

    By Kelvin Anthony, RNZ Pacific lead digital and social media journalist

    The Fiji government is signalling that it will not completely tear down the country’s controversial media law which, according to local newsrooms and journalism commentators, has stunted press freedom and development for more than a decade.

    Ahead of the 2022 general elections last December, all major opposition parties campaigned to get rid of the Media Industry Development Act (MIDA) 2010 — brought in by the Bainimarama administration — if they got into power.

    The change in government after 16 years following the polls brought a renewed sense of hope for journalists and media outlets.

    But now almost 100 days in charge it appears Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s coalition is backtracking on its promise to get rid of the punitive law, a move that has been condemned by the industry stakeholders.

    “The government is totally committed to allowing people the freedom of the press that will include the review of the Media Act,” Rabuka said during a parliamentary session last month.

    “I believe we cannot have a proper democracy without a free press which has been described as the oxygen of democracy,” he said.

    Rabuka has denied that his government is backtracking on an election promise.

    “Reviewing could mean eventually repealing it,” he told RNZ Pacific in February.

    “We have to understand how it [media act] is faring in this modern day of media freedom. How have other administrations advance their own association with the media,” he said.

    He said he intended to change it which means “review and make amendments to it”.

    “The coalition has given an assurance that we will end that era of media oppression. We are discussing new legislation that reflects more democratic values.”

    And last week, that discussion happened for the first time when consultations on a refreshed version of a draft regulation began in Suva as the government introduced the Media Ownership and Registration Bill 2023.

    The bill is expected to “address issues that are undemocratic, threatens freedom of expression, and hinders the growth and development of a strong and independent news media in Fiji.”

    The proposed law will amend the MIDA Act by removing the punitive clauses on content regulation that threatens journalists with heavy fines and jail terms.

    “The bill is not intended as a complete reform of Fiji’s media law landscape,” according to the explanations provided by the government.

    No need for government involvement
    But the six-page proposed regulation is not what the media industry needs, according to the University of the South Pacific’s head of journalism programme Associate Professor Shailendra Singh.

    Dr Shailendra Singh
    Associate Professor Shailendra Singh . . . “We have argued there is no need for legislation.” Image: RNZ Pacific

    “We have argued there is no need for legislation,” he said during the public consultation on the bill last Thursday.

    “The existing laws are sufficient but if there has to be a legislation there should be minimum or no government involvement at all,” he said.

    The Fijian Media Association (FMA) has also expressed strong opposition against the bill and is calling for the MIDA Act to be repealed.

    “If there is a need for another legislation, then government can convene fresh consultation with stakeholders if these issues are not adequately addressed in other current legislation,” the FMA, which represents almost 150 working journalists in Fiji, stated.

    Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, FMA executive member and Communications Fiji Limited news director Vijay Narayan said “we want a total repeal” of the Media Act.

    “We believe that it was brought about without consultation at all…it was shoved down our throats,” Narayan said.

    “We have worked with it for 16 years. We have been staring at the pointy end of the spear and we continue to work hard to build our industry despite the challenges we face.”

    ‘Restrictions stunts growth’
    He said the Fiji’s media industry “needs investment” to improve its standards.

    Narayan said the FMA acknowledged that the issue of content regulation was addressed in the new law.

    But “with the restrictions in investment that also stunts our growth as media workers,” he added.

    “The fact that it will be controlled by politicians there is a real fear. What if we have reporting on something and the politician feels that the organisation that is registered should be reregistered.”

    The FMA has also raised concerns about the provisions in relation to cross-media ownership and foreign ownership as key issues that impacts on media development and creates an unequal playing field.

    Sections 38 and 39 of the Media Act impose restrictions on foreign ownership on local local media organisations and cross-media ownership.

    According to a recent analysis of the Act co-authored by Dr Singh, they are a major impediment to media development and need to be re-examined.

    “It would be prudent to review the media ownership situation and reforms periodically, every four-five years, to gauge the impact, and address any issues, that may have arisen,” the report recommends.

    Fijian media stakeholders
    Fijian media stakeholders at the public consultation on the Media Ownership and Regulation Bill 2023 in Suva on 23 March 2023. Image: Fijian Media Association/RNZ Pacific

    But Suva lawyer and coalition government adviser Richard Naidu is of the view that all issues in respect to the news media should be opened up.

    Naidu, who has helped draft the proposed new legislation, said it “has preserved the status quo” and the rules of cross-ownership and foreign media ownership were left as they were in the Media Act.

    “Is that right? That is a question of opinion…because before the [MIDA Act] there were no rules on cross-media ownership, there were no rules on foreign media ownership.”

    Naidu said the MIDA Act was initially introduced as a bill and media had two hours to to offer its views on it before its implementation.

    “So, which status quo ought to be preserved; the one before the [MIDA Act] was imposed or the one as it stands right now. Those are legitimate questions.”

    “There is a whole range of things which need to be reviewed and which will probably take a bit of time.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • PNG draft media development policy ‘contemptuous’ of public interest

    Asia Pacific Media Network’s chair Dr Heather Devere, deputy chair Dr David Robie and Pacific Journalism Review editor Dr Philip Cass last month made a submission on Papua New Guinea’s draft national media development policy in response to PNG journalists’ requests for comment. Here is part of their February 19 submission before the stakeholders consultation earlier this month.  

    ANALYSIS: By Heather Devere, David Robie and Philip Cass

    An urgent rethink is needed on several aspects of the Draft National Media Development Policy. In summary, we agree with the statement made by the Community Coalition Against Corruption (CCAC) on 16 February 2023 criticising the extraordinary “haste” of the Ministry’s timeframe for public consultation over such a critical and vitally important national policy.

    However, while the ministry granted an extra week from 20 February 2023 for public submissions this was still manifestly inadequate and rather contemptuous of the public interest.

    In our view, the ministry is misguided in seeking to legislate for a codified PNG Media Council which flies in the face of global norms for self-regulatory media councils and this development would have the potential to dangerously undermine media freedom in Papua New Guinea.

    The draft policy appears to have confused the purpose of a “media council” representing the “public interest” with the objectives of a government department working in the “national interest”.

    If the ministry pushes ahead with this policy without changes it risks Papua New Guinea sliding even further down the RSF World Press Freedom Index. Already it is a lowly 62nd out of 180 countries after falling 15 places in 2021.

    Some key points:

    • Article 42 of the Papua New Guinea Constitution states that “Every person has the right to freedom of expression and the right to receive and impart ideas and information without interference, including the freedom to seek, receive and impart information and opinions of any kind in any form.” (Our emphasis)

    • Article 43 of the Constitution further states that “Every person has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, including the freedom to manifest and propagate their religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance.”

    • These provisions in the Constitution reflect the importance of media freedom in Papua New Guinea and the commitment to a free, diverse, and independent media environment. There are existing laws in PNG that support these principles.

    • In September 2005, Pacific Journalism Review published a complete edition devoted to “media ethics and accountability” which is available online here. In the Introduction, the late Professor Claude-Jean Bertrand, a global expert in M*A*S (Media Accountability Systems) and media councils and free press in democracies, wrote: “Accountability implies being accountable, accountable to whom? To the public, obviously. [i.e. Not to governments]. While regulation involves only political leaders and while self-regulation involves only the media industry, media accountability involves press, profession and public.” The PJR edition cited published templates and guidelines for public accountability systems.

    • On World Press Freedom Day 2019, António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General, declared: “No democracy is complete without access to transparent and reliable information. It is the cornerstone for building fair and impartial institutions, holding leaders accountable and speaking truth to power.”

    • On 12 November 2019, the Melanesia Media Freedom Forum (MMFF) was established and it declared: “A better understanding is needed of the role of journalism in Melanesian democracies. Awareness of the accountability role played by journalists and the need for them to be able to exercise their professional skills without fear is critical to the functioning of our democracies.”

    • The Forum also noted: “The range of threats to media freedom is increasing. These include restrictive legislation, intimidation, political threats, legal threats and prosecutions, assaults and police and military brutality, illegal detention, online abuse, racism between ethnic groups and the ever-present threats facing particularly younger and female reporters who may face violence both on the job and within their own homes.” The full declaration is here.

    • Media academics who were also present at this inaugural Forum made a declaration of their own in support of the journalists, saying that they “expressed strong concerns about issues of human rights, violence, and freedom of expression. They also expressed concerns about the effect of stifling legislation that had the power to impose heavy fines and prison sentences on journalists.” (Our emphasis). The full statement is here.

    APMN proposals regarding PNG’s Draft Media Policy:

    • That the Ministry immediately discard the proposed policy of legislating the PNG media Council and regulating journalists and media which would seriously undermine media freedom in Papua New Guinea;

    • That the Ministry extend the public consultation timeframe with a realistic deadline to engage Papua New Guinean public interest and stakeholders in a meaningful dialogue;

    • That the Ministry ensures a process of serious consultation with stakeholders such as the existing PNG Media Council, which do not appear to have had much opportunity to respond, journalists, media organisations and many other NGOs that need to be heard; and

    • That the Ministry consult a wider range of media research and publications and take guidance from media freedom organisations, journalism schools at universities, and an existing body of knowledge about media councils and systems.

    • Essentially journalism is not a crime, but a fundamental pillar of democracy as espoused through the notion of a Fourth Estate and media must be free to speak truth to power in the public interest not the politicians’ interest.

    Dr Heather Devere, formerly Director of Practice for the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies; Dr David Robie, founding Professor of Pacific Journalism and director of the Pacific Media Centre, convenor of Pacific Media Watch and a former Head of Journalism at the University of Papua New Guinea; and Dr Philip Cass, a PNG-born researcher and journalist who was chief subeditor of the Times of Papua New Guinea and worked on Wantok, and who is currently editor of Pacific Journalism Review.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Top PNG journalist challenges state media ‘regulation’ plans at stakeholder consultation

    The National in Port Moresby

    Senior Papua New Guinean television journalist and columnist Scott Waide has challenged the government on what it actually wants to “regulate” in the draft national media development policy.

    During a policy consultation workshop with media stakeholders in Port Moresby last Thursday, he said “in the media ecosystem, there are many professions”.

    “There are radio broadcasters, directors, editors, producers, camera operators, photographers, engineers, who have to be licensed, ICT professionals, public relation professionals, bloggers, podcasters, video content producers, social media influencers and a whole heap of them.

    What do you want to regulate?” he asked.

    “And there’s the problematic niche of news media and journalism. That’s the part politicians and legislators don’t really like.”

    He said as a journalist, he was expected to follow rules which were enforced by the editor and the organisation.

    “I am not supposed to lie, defame, slander, be disrespectful, harm, show nudity on the platform that I operate on. Those are the rules,” he said.

    “And I disagree with the presenter from National Information and Communications Technology Authority (NICTA) who says self-regulation does not work. This is my self-regulation right here.

    “I am supposed to be honest, have integrity, accuracy, provide contextual truth, transparency, have respect and fairness, and be independent.

    Independent journalist Scott Waide at the media policy consultation
    Independent journalist Scott Waide and a former EMTV deputy news editor … “There’s the problematic niche of news media and journalism. That’s the part politicians and legislators don’t really like.” Image: Belinda Kora/ABC

    “All these are already self-regulation in the industry.”

    Ideas ‘will form basis of draft policy’
    The media stakeholders have been told that their comments, sentiments and ideas shared during the workshop on the draft policy would form the basis of the next draft version.

    Minister for Information and Communications Technology Timothy Masiu told the workshop that consultation was “ongoing”.

    He denied that the proposed policy was an attempt by the government to regulate, restrict, censor or control the exercising of the freedom of expression or speech enshrined in the Constitution.

    “Your comments, sentiments and ideas have been captured and will form the basis of the next version [of the draft policy],” he said.

    PNG's Information and Communication Technology Minister Timothy Masiu
    PNG’s Information and Communication Technology Minister Timothy Masiu . . . “For those who are saying it’s a rushed thing, we had to start from somewhere.” Image: PNG govt

    “For those who are saying it’s a rushed thing, we had to start from somewhere.”

    He added that the proposed policy was to outline “objectives and strategies for the use of media as a tool for development, such as the promotion of democracy, good governance, human rights, and social and economic development”.

    Call for ‘meaningful’ consultation
    Transparency International chairman Peter Aitsi called for proper, genuine and meaningful consultation, saying that it should not be a “three-week process”.

    The first version of the draft policy was released on February 5 with 12 days allowed for review, the second was released with six days for review, and the most recent one was on Wednesday — a day before the workshop.

    Department of Information and Communications Technology Deputy Secretary (Policy) Flierl Shongol said his team had noted all the comments.

    “We’ve got some comments in written form. We’ve also taken notes of comments presented in this workshop. So, we will respond to those comments,” he said.

    “You can also respond to tell us if our response actually reflects your views. [It] will form the basis of the next policy that will come out.”

    Republished from The National with permission.

    Four of PNG's media industry stalwarts at the media policy consultation
    Four of PNG’s media industry stalwarts at the media policy consultation . . . Harlyne Joku (from left), Priscilla Raepom, Tahura Gabi and Sincha Dimara. Image: Belinda Kora/ABC

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Free media ‘underpins justice’ message to PNG government by united media

    By Gorethy Kenneth in Port Moresby

    The Papua New Guinean government has been bluntly and frankly reminded to leave mainstream media alone as a long awaited consultative workshop on the recently introduced National Media Development Policy took place in Port Moresby.

    Media stakeholders stood in unity with the PNG Media Council yesterday to express their concerns on the alleged threat it would pose if the government enforced control over the media in PNG.

    Transparency International-PNG chair Peter Aitsi reminded the government that a “free and independent media deters corruption and underpins justice”.

    “If we take some more independence away from the media, we [are] only adding more fuel to the flames of corruption,” Aitsi said.

    TIPNG’s response to the policy was that licensing through a government-enforced process would be a threat to the media professionals and that there were already existing laws that the media was abiding by.

    Also the draft policy did not explain why this was not sufficient to ensure accountability.

    Before Aitsi spoke, PNG Media Council president Neville Choi said the purported policy was not encouraged and that the national government’s push to control narrative was not supported.

    He stressed that every media house in PNG had its own complaints mechanism, own media code of ethics, code of conducts as guides and that there were laws that the media abided by. He saw no reason, based on the draft policy, for it to be progressed.

    ‘Lack of government support’
    “We remind government, that the current level and standard of journalism performers is largely a result of lack of government support to the journalism schools and institutions in our country,” Choi said.

    “And we remind government that before this policy was announced, the Media Council had already begun a reform process to address many of the concerns contained in this draft policy.

    “We ask that this process be respected, and supported if there is a will to contribute to improving the work of the media.

    “We call for full transparency and clarity on the purpose of this policy, and reject it in its current v2 form.

    “And I say this on the record, so that this continues throughout the rest of this consultation process.

    “We acknowledge that there are areas of concern from which solutions can be found in existing legislation and currently available avenues for legal redress.

    ‘Too much at stake’
    “There is too much at stake for this to be rushed.

    “There are too many media stakeholders, both within our country, the region, and internationally, who are watching closely the process of this policy formation.

    “We all owe it to our future generations, to do this right.”

    Prominent PNG journalist Scott Waide was also also highly critical of the government’s draft policy and warned against it going a step further.

    Pacific Media Watch reports that last month Waide wrote a scathing critique of the policy on the Canberra-based DevPolicy blog at the Australian National University.

    Gorethy Kenneth is a senior PNG Post-Courier journalist. Republished with permission.

  • PNG Post-Courier: Let’s talk first on media policy and transparency

    EDITORIAL: PNG Post-Courier

    The discussions on Papua New Guinea’s new draft media development policy will come to the fore today when the media industry presents its response to the government.

    It is expected the PNG Media Council, which we are a member of, will present the position of the industry in response to the draft policy and members of the media fraternity, and other concerned institutions will also present their views to the Department of Information that is handling this exercise.

    The policy paper outlines the government’s strategies to use the media as a tool for development, however the consultation progresses amidst a growing fear in the industry that legislation is ready to go before Parliament and the consultation process is only an academic exercise.

    PNG Post-Courier
    PNG POST-COURIER

    Included in the proposed policy is the proposal to legislate the PNG Media Council and laws to impose penalties against journalists and media houses that are accused [of] bad reporting.

    The industry is of the view that the proposed changes will erode the independence of the media and the journalists and ultimately the freedoms relating to free speech that are enshrined in the national constitution.

    One cannot blame the industry and its practitioners for their concern considering the latest version to the policy document 2.1 contains 31 mentions of the word “regulation” in various instances among other things.

    In the entire document its transparency on penalties also goes as far as 6 words alone without any more being uttered in its delivery mechanisms.

    The PNG Media Council, for the record, is not a journalist organisation. It is an industry body and it functions to protect the interest of the industry.

    Today the council is in existence, with its executive members operating from their homes, while the media industry is operating with its newsroom managers dealing daily with challenges like the growing concerns of a country with many issues on top of the self-regulation of unethical journalism, poor presentation and story selections and accountability, among many that are a daily task at hand.

    On the other side, the government and its agencies are working in isolation, with no clear, honest and transparent media and communication strategies and allocate a budget to work with the mainstream media.

    At Independence, PNG inherited an information and communication apparatus that comprised the Office of Information, the National Broadcasting Commission, the Public Library, the National Archives and the National Museum, all with networks spread throughout the provinces.

    These institutions coordinate and disseminate government information to the masses, most of them illiterate at that time.

    Today a new generation of people live in PNG, the Department of Communication replaces the Office of Information, the NBC had moved into television, competing with more radio and TV networks, but the public libraries, archives and museums are either run down or closed.

    And the communication landscape has changed drastically with the advancement in information technology, including social media.

    All state agencies have media and communication units that are operating on ad hoc basis, sending invitations out only for groundbreaking ceremonies, report presentations and a few random press releases, hoping that the mainstream media will “educate, inform and communicate” to the masses and mobilise their support behind the state.

    Communication and stakeholder engagement is the least funded activity in government. This is a fact, and yet the government expects the mainstream media to be proactive and promote its work.

    How can the media, as an independent industry do that when its role is not encompassed into the entire government planning?

    The media is an important pillar of our democracy and is a useful tool for development. We just have to build an honest, transparent and workable partnership for the mutual benefit of everyone. This must happen.

    But it cannot work with a stick, sword, or even a gun to the head of any pillar of our governance and society.

    We look forward to the discussions today with the proponents of this policy document, and we hope to see more transparency on what is the end game that is mutually beneficial where we have to plot a new course in media-government relationship.

  • ‘Chilling effect on journalism’ – Fiji academic warns PNG against media law change

    By Kelvin Anthony, RNZ Pacific digital and social media journalist, and Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific journalist and Pacific Waves presenter

    A Pacific journalism academic has warned proposed amendments to media laws in Papua New Guinea, if “ill-defined”, could mirror the harsh restrictions in Fiji.

    Prime Minister James Marape’s government is facing fierce opposition from local and regional journalists for attempting to fasttrack a new media development policy.

    The draft law has been described by media freedom advocates as “the thin edge of the web of state control”.

    PNG’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Department released the Draft Media Development Policy publicly on February 5. It aims “to outline the objectives and strategies for the use of media as a tool for development”.

    The department gave stakeholders less than two weeks to make submissions on the 15-page document, but after a backlash the ICT chief extended the consultation period by another week.

    “I recognise the sensitivity and importance of this reform exercise,” ICT Minister Timothy Masiu said after giving in to public criticism and extending the consultation period until February 24.

    Timothy Masiu
    ICT Minister Timothy Masiu . . . “I recognise the sensitivity and importance of this reform exercise” Photo: PNG govt/RNZ Pacific

    Masiu said he instructed the Information Department to “facilitate a workshop in partnership with key stakeholders”, adding that the Information Ministry “supports and encourages open dialogue” on the matter.

    “I reaffirm to the public that the government is committed to ensuring that this draft bill will serve its ultimate purpose,” he said.

    The new policy includes provisions on regulating the media industry and raising journalism standards in PNG, which has struggled for years due to lack of investment in the sector.

    But media leaders in PNG have expressed concerns, noting that while there are areas where government support is needed, the proposed regulation is not the solution.

    “The situation in PNG is a bit worrying if you see what happened in Fiji, even though the PNG Information Department has denied any ulterior motives,” University of the South Pacific head of journalism, Associate Professor Shailendra Singh, told RNZ Pacific.

    “There are concerns in PNG. Prominent journalists are worried that the proposed act could be the thin edge of the wedge of state media control, as in Fiji,” Dr Singh said, in reaction to Masiu’s guarantee that the policy is for the benefit of media organisations and journalists.

    “If you look at the Fiji situation, the Media Act was implemented in the name of democratising the media, ironically, and also improving professional standards.”

    Dr Singh said this is what is also being said by the PNG government but “in Fiji the Media Act has been a disaster for media rights”.

    Shailendra Singh
    USP’s Associate Professor Shailendra Singh . . . “In Fiji the Media Act has been a disaster for media rights.” Image: RNZ Pacific

    “Various reports blame the Fiji Media Act for a chilling effect on journalism and they also hold the Act responsible for instilling self-censorship in the Fiji media sector,” he said.

    “If the PNG media policy provisions are ill-defined, as the Fiji Media Act was, and if it has harsh punitive measures, it could also result in a chilling effect on journalism and this in turn could have major implications for democracy and freedom of speech in PNG.”

    The Media Industry Development Act (MIDA) 2010 and its implementation meant that Fiji was ranked 102nd out of 180 countries by Reporters without Borders in 2022.

    Earlier this month Fiji’s Attorney-General Siromi Turaga publicly apologised to journalists for the harassment and abuse they endured during the Bainimarama government’s reign.

    But Dr Singh said PNG appeared to have been “emboldened” by the Fijian experience.

    Media freedom a Pacific-wide issue
    He said other Pacific leaders had also threatened to introduce similar legislation and “this is a major concern”.

    “Fiji and PNG are the two biggest countries in the Pacific [which] often set trends in the region, for better or for worse. The question that comes to mind is whether countries like Solomon Islands or Vanuatu will follow suit? [Because] over the years and even recently, the leaders of these two countries have also threatened the news media.”

    A major study co-authored by the USP academic, which surveyed more than 200 journalists in nine countries and was published in Pacific Journalism Review in 2021, revealed that “Pacific journalists are among the youngest, most inexperienced and least qualified in the world”.

    Dr Singh warned the research showed that legislation alone would not result in any significant improvements to journalism standards in Pacific countries, which is why committing money in training and development was crucial.

    “Training and development are an important component of the Fiji Media Act. However, our analysis found zero dollars was invested by the Fiji government in training and development,” he said.

    “If we are to take any lessons from Fiji, and if the PNG government is serious about standards, it needs to invest at least some of its own money in this venture of improving journalism.”

    This is a sentiment shared by Media Council of PNG president, Neville Choi, who said: “If the concern is poor journalism, then the solution is more investment in schools of journalism at tertiary institutions, this will also improve diversity and pluralism in the quality of journalism.

    “We need newsrooms with access to training in media ethics and legal protection from harassment,” Choi added.

    Dr Singh said that without proper financial backing in the media sector “there is unlikely to be any improvement in standards, [but] just a cowered down or subdued media [which] is not in PNG’s public interest, or the national interest, given the levels of corruption in the country.”

    APMN calls for ‘urgent rethink’
    The publisher of the Pacific Journalism Review, the Asia Pacific Media Network, has also condemned the move, calling for an “urgent rethink” of the draft media policy.

    The group is proposing for the communications ministry to “immediately discard the proposed policy of legislating the PNG Media Council and regulating journalists and media which would seriously undermine media freedom in Papua New Guinea”.

    The network also cited the 1999 Melanesian Media Declaration as a guideline for Pacific media councils and said the draft PNG policy was ignoring “established norms” for media freedom.

    The statement was co-signed by the APMN chair Dr Heather Devere; deputy chair Dr David Robie, a retired professor of Pacific journalism and author, and founding director of the Pacific Media Centre; and Pacific Journalism Review editor Dr Philip Cass, who was born in PNG and worked on the Times of Papua New Guinea and Wantok newspapers.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.