Articles by Pacific Islands News Association (PINA)
UNESCO support helps PINA produce TV, radio and press kits for World Press Freedom Day
(PINA/IFEX) – PINA members in 21 countries and territories of the region will commemorate World Press Freedom Day with a campaign called “Media Freedom Is Your Freedom.” Television and radio stations and newspapers will broadcast and publish material produced by the PINA Secretariat in Suva as part of the lead up to the 3 May […]
Ombudswoman’s reports back on Radio Vanuatu
(PINA/IFEX) – Radio Vanuatu, a national radio service operated by the country’s only broadcaster, the government-owned Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation (VBTC), has once again aired remarks made by Vanuatu’s Ombudswoman Marie Noelle Ferrieux Patterson relating to political corruption. In a letter to Evelyn Toa, the Radio Vanuatu news editor, she indicated that she was […]
“Samoa Observer” case sent back to Supreme Court for trial
(PINA/IFEX) – The criminal libel charge brought by Samoa’s Prime Minister, Tofilau Eti Alesana, against two “Samoa Observer” editors has been sent back to the Supreme Court for trial. This follows a decision delivered by the Court of Appeal in the Samoan capital, Apia, on 7 March 1998. Supreme Court Chief Justice Tiavaasue Falefatu Sapolu, […]
Tongan Pro-Democracy parliamentarian, publisher cleared of criminal libel
(PINA/IFEX) – Tongan Pro-Democracy Movement parliamentarian and publisher Akilisi Pohiva has been acquitted by the kingdom’s Supreme Court of a criminal libel charge brought against him by the government. The charge followed a 1994 interview Pohiva gave to the United States’ newspaper, the “Wall Street Journal”, and comments he later made in his own publication, […]
Prime Minister won’t speak English to foreign journalists
(PINA/IFEX) – Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister, Bill Skate, says he will no longer speak English to foreign journalists because he says he is being treated unfairly by the Australian news media. Instead, Skate says he will now speak in Papua New Guinea’s two other main languages, Tok Pisin (Pidgin) and Motu. **Updates IFEX alert […]
Vanuatu Ombudswoman says reports being kept off air
(PINA/IFEX) – Vanuatu’s Ombudswoman, Marie Noelle Ferrieux Patterson, says the important Bislama language news service of government-owned Radio Vanuatu is no longer carrying her findings of misconduct by government ministers. She says her office has tried unsuccessfully to meet the news editor of Radio Vanuatu to discuss this. ** Updates IFEX alert dated 13 January […]
Fiji Government says no licensing but independent regulatory council
(PINA/IFEX) — The Fiji government has approved the drawing up of new media laws which include an independent media regulatory council but exclude suggestions for licensing newspapers and magazines. The Press Correction Act, introduced in the British colonial era, is also to be scrapped. **Updates IFEX alert of 9 December 1997** The Cabinet (government ministers) […]
Vanuatu radio and tv forced off air, reporter assaulted, photographers flee
(PINA/IFEX) – Vanuatu’s national radio and television stations were forced off the air on 12 January by rioters who warned staff not to send out news about rioting in the capital Port Vila. A journalist trying to cover the riot was assaulted and a photographer’s equipment was smashed. The riot erupted following growing tension over […]