SUVA (Pacific Media Watch): Fiji's newest daily newspaper, the Sun, has challenged some of its rivals over "interpretations" of media freedom in the wake of allegations of suppression of information by broadcast news media during the Court of Appeal constitutional hearing this week.

In an editorial on 24 February 2001, headlined "Whose story is it anyway?", the newspaper expressed concern over claims that some media may have been "ordered" not to broadcast, or voluntarily excluded certain content because "they perceived that free speech, by some, was dangerous to the public order".

The newspaper was apparently referring to alleged exclusion of pro-democracy civil society news and views since the May 2000 coup by failed businessman George Speight.

The Fiji Sun was also critical of some media coverage of this week's police pressure on Fiji Television to postpone its "leaders forum" meeting at a seaside suburb resort hotel. This was to have been broadcast in a special edition of the Close-Up current affairs programme on February 22.

"It is a matter of interpretation whether there was any infringement of the news media, since the event could be restaged in a studio," the newspaper said.

"Fiji TV's position was that the forum was only an extension of their regular weekly Close-Up programme and not a public meeting. They also believed the promised participation of [Police] Commissioner [Isikia] Savua indicated all was well for the event.

"However, the point of view from the police was that the forum constituted a public meeting and required a permit under the emergency decree, therefore it could not legally take place."

Fiji TV decided to postpone the event faced with a large police presence and few of the invited guests turning up. It has been rescheduled for next week and Fiji TV is applying for a permit.

The Suva-based Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) president, William Parkinson, a private broadcaster, described the police action as "overreaction, unfortunate and deplorable," and as a major threat to freedom of expression in Fiji.

But the Fiji Sun said in its editorial: "It was a rare instance of direct confrontation between civil authorities and the news media under the emergency decree.

"Despite the national crisis raging for more than nine months, it must be pointed out that the police and the military did little to directly interfere with freedom of the news media. Indeed, they respectfully asked most news media for cooperation in maintaining peace and order for the citizens of Fiji."

The Fiji Sun, owned by a consortium of Indo-Fijian businesses and the indigenous investment company Fijiian Holdings Ltd, has tried to present itself as more "independent" than the two other dailies, government-owned Daily Post and the Rupert Murdoch-owned Fiji Times.

"Certainly, there was direct intervention when [state-run] Fiji Broadcasting Corporation reporters were questioned about the source of a crucial report from within the military, but by all accounts the military was more concerned about its own internal security than suppressing the story," said the Fiji Sun.

"The reporters, perhaps somewhat intimidated by the attention, were not abused and later shown to have been on the mark.

"However, evidence introduced at the recent Court of Appeal hearing exposed the shadows of a more sinister type of media control.

"Testimony alleged the interim government suppressed support for the 1997 constitution through control of state broadcasters and may have gained tacit agreement from private broadcasters who believed they were helping the nation by avoiding some content, perhaps deemed 'inflammatory'.

"This is where the question lies, not in the action by a television station and the police, but in the action NOT taken by news media trusted with providing a full picture of what is going on.

"They may have been ordered not to broadcast certain content, or perhaps voluntarily did not broadcast such content because they perceived that free speech, by some, was dangerous to the public order."

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