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CONCERNS RAISED OVER BROADCASTING BILL

Fiji's parliament has tabled a bill that, if passed, would give the government powers to control broadcast media, warn the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA), ARTICLE 19 and Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF).

The proposed Broadcast Licensing Bill calls for the creation of a Broadcast Licensing Authority (BLA) that would approve and withdraw broadcast licences. It would replace the Fiji Media Council, the independent body that currently regulates the media.

Under the Bill, the Information Minister would have the authority to appoint all six members of the BLA, as well as its chief executive officer. The minister would also have powers to formulate policy and give policy directions without having to consult his own ministry.

"[These] are sweeping controls that would have a remarkably harmful effect on broadcast media in Fiji and, as a consequence, on media freedom in the country," says PINA President Ken Clark.

PINA, ARTICLE 19 and RSF have urged the Fijian government to revise the draft Bill to ensure that the media regulatory body is independent of government.

In a brief submitted to the government containing recommendations for reform, ARTICLE 19 said, "It is well-established under international law that bodies with regulatory powers over the media should be protected against political and commercial interference. The current draft broadcasting bill in Fiji fails to respect that principle and effectively leaves broadcast licensing subject to government control."

In 2004, ARTICLE 19 worked with the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development to help draft a broadcasting law for the Fijian government. The current bill is an amended version of the original ARTICLE 19 draft, but does not contain many of the provisions that would otherwise guarantee the independence of the regulating body.

Visit these links:

- PINA Submission to Parliamentary Committee: http://www.voy.com/166636/357.html
- ARTICLE 19 Analysis of Draft Bill:
http://www.article19.org/pdfs/analysis/fiji-broadcasting-law.pdf
- RSF: http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=18679
- Text of Draft Bill: http://www.article19.org/pdfs/laws/fiji.bro.06.pdf
- IPI Backgrounder on Fiji: http://www.freemedia.at/cms/ipi/freedom_detail.html?country=/KW0001/KW0007/KW0188/