MEDIA FREEDOM DEPENDS ON BETTER TRAINING, COMMITMENT - AND PAY

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PACNEWS DIGEST

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"There can be no press freedom if journalism exists in conditions of corruption, poverty and fear," declares the website of the International Federation of Journalists in a message that resonates with the South Pacific. This is timely, with journalists at a Port Vila, Vanuatu, media workshop this week being told how vital enterprising journalism and reporting is in uncovering corruption in the region.

The IFJ, the world's largest journalist organisation with more than 500,000 members in more than 100 countries, is a global media freedom organisation. However, although both New Zealand's national journalists organisation, a branch of the NZEPMU union, and Australia's journalist section of the Media Alliance (MEAA) are affiliated, no Pacific media group currently belongs to the IFJ.

It isn't hard to see why. The IFJ believes that to have genuine media freedom, secure and equitable salary structures and working conditions are needed for journalists. Developing negotiating and lobbying skills with media employers for grassroots journalists along with professional standards and training are among the IFJ's strengths.

Salary structures and career paths have increasingly become an issue for the Pacific's growing numbers of graduates, especially in the wake of political and economic crises in Fiji and the Solomon Islands. Some neophyte journalists who graduate from journalism schools such as at the University of the South Pacific (USP) with a double major degree face a dilemma about their career when confronted with journalism starting wages as low as half the entry pay in alternative careers - including economics or teaching.

"Being a journalist is a challenging job and usually filters out the glamour-seekers," wrote final year USP student Joe Yaya in last month's Wansolwara newspaper. "Only the dedicated remain. But poor salaries and working conditions test even the most dedicated to the point where the rate of attrition is high."

However, some Pacific media organisations have not improved working conditions and salaries in more than a decade. Many journalists in the region believe that some media proprietors' organisations have neglected this issue and have been reluctant to even discuss it.

Among exceptions is Pacific Islands Broadcasting Association (PIBA) chief executive Jese Sikivou, who has raised the issue at some forums. In an interview with Wansolwara, he agreed that journalists in Fiji were paid less than what they deserved, compared to other service industries such as bank officers and teachers.

But he said media workers in the country should "sit down and draw up a log frame exercise plotting their overall working conditions, not just the pay".

In countries such as Australia and New Zealand, graduates get three years taken off their four-year industry cadetship. But in the Pacific - apart from Papua New Guinea - professional cadetships do not exist and graduates are often lumped with school leavers.

Former USP journalism coordinator David Robie, who is this month joining Auckland University of Technology's school of communication studies as senior lecturer, believes journalists in larger Pacific countries, such as Fiji and Papua New Guinea, need to take greater responsibility for "professionalising" journalism. Journalists could not expect better pay without greater commitment.

"What is needed are strong and independent journalist unions," he said. "If it is good enough for Pacific doctors, nurses, teachers, academics and many others to belong to unions and professional bodies, then it is also good enough for journalists."

Along with commitment, a positive approach to life-long training and education as journalists, is needed. According to Fiji Human Rights Commission director Dr Shaista Shameem, journalists need to upgrade their skills - and not just wait for donors.

"Anyone can learn the technical skills of journalism - that's the easy part," she told a recent seminar. "The hard part is to understand the world that you are writing about. My definition of a good journalist is someone with such in-depth understanding of the issues that the words, though simply written, virtually leap out from the page."

- Released by Pacific Media Watch
PACNEWS First Edition 05 July, 2002 Page 1 (c) Copyright PIBA 2002

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