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PNG: shipping owner Hamish Sharp can be seen in this screengrab,
hand blurred, lunging for the camera.
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PFF | Rarotonga | Cook Islands:
Regional
media networks are combining to expose an unprecedented level of scrutiny when
it comes to journalism ethics and public accountability, says the Pacific
Freedom Forum.
“From Northern Mariana right across to French Polynesia , we are seeing an upswing in the
number of freedom alerts for our region,” says PFF Chair Titi Gabi.
“These are
of course a concern but can also be considered positive in that more time and
attention is being paid to raising standards.”
Recent
weeks and days have seen a wide range of issues raised.
PFF has put
out news releases on leading concerns, but other issues are piling up across a
range of platforms, including Facebook.
“We encourage
moves to greater professionalism and formalisation of media standards, and the
debate that goes with industry and community concerns,” says Gabi.
PFF ALERTS
> PFF - calls
on authorities in Pape’ete to ensure equal access to all political parties, as
per French constitutional and other law.
> PFF - urges
authorities in CNMI to place precedence on First Amendment rights under US
> PFF - urges
management of EMTV to not allow a culture of impunity to continue when it comes
to assaults on media workers, and calls for an official complaint to be laid.
> PFF - decries
shock tactics by media, operating outside of generally accepted practice,
especially in newspapers where content can be viewed by all ages.
> PFF –
notes that there is considerable public alarm at the talkback show, and earlier
ones like it, in terms of community standards. PFF calls on radio management to
ensure that the fine lines between information, entertainment and exploitation of
community standards are not crossed.
> PFF –
regrets news of the cancellation, and the apparent lack of due process in
seeing the press conference dropped. Police should be seen to make their own
decisions, and not open to influence from governments of the day when it comes
to a free flow of information.
> PFF –
understands an earlier arson attempt was made against the paper, fortunately
unsuccessful. Even on social networks, making threats is a serious matter.
Region: low pay causing journalists to abandon news in
favour of public relations positions, and accepting of bribes, compensation and
so-called custom payments.
> PFF – notes
worldwide concerns over falling journalism pay and staff numbers, exposing a
growing need for more policy debate surrounding the role and resources of the
Fourth Estate.
LINKS
(in French)
CNMI: Subpoenaed Marianas
journalist prepared for jail sentence
Region: Pacific
journalists need better pay, says free media advocate
CONTACTS :
PFF Chair Titi Gabi | Freelance Journalist | Papua New Guinea | +67573143929 | titi.gabipng@gmail.com
PFF co-Chair Monica Miller | KHJ Radio | American Samoa | + 6842584197 | monica@khjradio.com
PFF coordinator Jason Brown | Pasifika media | Aotearoa, New Zealand | +642102484560 | avaiki.nius@gmail.com
ABOUT PFF :
The Pacific Freedom Forum are a regional and global online network of Pacific media colleagues, with the specific intent of raising awareness and advocacy of the right of Pacific people to enjoy freedom of expression and be served by a free and independent media. We believe in the critical and basic link between these freedoms, and the vision of democratic and participatory governance pledged by our leaders in their endorsement of the Pacific Plan and other commitments to good governance. In support of the above, our key focus is monitoring threats to media freedom and bringing issues of concern to the attention of the wider regional and international community.
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