Articles by Pacific Islands News Association (PINA)
National TV and radio services back on the air
(PINA/IFEX) – New Caledonia’s Réseau France-Outremer (RFO) television and radio broadcasts resumed on the night of 9 October 1999 after six days of interruption due to union-led pickets, the newspaper “Les Nouvelles Calédoniennes” reported on 11 October. Since Monday 4 October, Union Syndicale des Travailleurs Kanaks Exploités (USTKE) members prevented anyone from entering the station’s […]
Unionists put New Caledonian TV and radio services off the air
(PINA/IFEX) – The French Pacific territory of New Caledonia’s national radio and television services remained off the air on 7 October 1999, three days after unionists forced a shutdown of services. The union members were protesting against sanctions imposed on technicians who prevented the 2 September broadcast of a current affairs programme featuring the leader […]
Fiji Islands media banned from reporting parliamentary question
(PINA/IFEX) – On 6 October 1999, the deputy speaker of the Fiji Islands House of Representatives banned journalists from reporting details of a parliamentary question he ruled out of order. Deputy Speaker Giyannendra Prasad’s ruling sparked outrage in the media, with the “Daily Post” of 7 October (local date) calling the House of Representatives the […]
Parliamentary newspaper reports “given benefit of the doubt”
(PINA/IFEX) – On 4 October 1999, the Fiji Islands House of Representatives privileges committee recommended “The Fiji Times” and “Daily Post” newspapers be “given the benefit of the doubt” over parliamentary reporting it investigated. It said no formal charges should be laid. However, the committee concluded that the House has the right to prohibit publication […]
Vanuatu editors reinstated after protests
(PINA/IFEX) – On 29 September 1999, the chairman of the Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation announced that two suspended editors had been reinstated “with full entitlements but a with a strong warning.” PINA members in Vanuatu reported that Kaloris said editor Moses Stevens and desk editor for radio and TV Hilaire Bule were reinstated after […]
Editors suspended, government interference alleged
(PINA/IFEX) – On 23 September 1999, PINA appealed for the fundamental human rights to freedom of expression and information to be respected in a political power struggle now taking place in Vanuatu. PINA said that it was deeply disturbed to hear of the suspension of the editor and desk editor of the Vanuatu Broadcasting and […]
Bid to start non-government radio in Kiribati leads to charges
(PINA/IFEX) – Efforts to set up the first non-government radio station on the main atoll in the central Pacific nation of Kiribati led to the station’s directors being charged in court on 17 September 1999. Ieremia Tabai and his partner in Newair FM, Atiera Tetoa, were jointly charged in the Magistrates’ Court at Bairiki, the […]
French council rules New Caledonia TV programme must be shown
(PINA/IFEX) – French Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisual (Audiovisual Council) President Hervé Bourges said that the council ruled that a television programme in New Caledonia should be shown despite efforts by unionists to stop it, the newspaper “Les Nouvelles Calédoniennes” reported on 11 September 1999. It quoted Bourges as saying that the current affairs programme should […]