KIRIBATI: Public broadcaster must uphold ethics, right of reply

Suspended Kiribati journalist Ueretan Bauro. Photo / Facebook

Rarotonga Cook Islands Wednesday 28 May 2014-- Regional media monitoring network the Pacific Freedom Forum has condemned the suspension of Kiribati journalist Ueretan Bauro by his state-broadcaster bosses, and says public broadcasters must uphold media ethics and standards if they are to serve their taxpayer-funded mandate.

The call comes as news emerges of the suspension of Bauro by management Radio Kiribati for 'failing to follow instructions' after he gave Opposition MP Tebuai Uaai right of reply to allegations in the state newspaper Te Uekera, that he had failed to return public funds during an official travel 12 years ago. The Te Uekera article did not feature any comment from the MP.

"We call on Radio Kiribati to reverse this curious decision as there was no specific instruction in this case. It seems a journalist with more than a decade of experience in his field has been unfairly punished for seeking to balance and follow up on a story that was already in the public domain," says PFF Chair Titi Gabi of Papua New Guinea.

"We remind Kiribati's elected leaders, and all our Pacific governments, that media agencies funded by public money must serve the public interest. This includes being informed by all elected leaders from both sides of Parliament, on any matters involving public money."

The trail of events leading up to Bauro's suspension began on May 5, when the Kiribati Independant newspaper published a release from Opposition MP Tebuai Uaai circulated to all Kiribati media. In the release the MP referred to allegations of misuse of public funds around travel entitlements for a Cabinet Minister who had taken his spouse with him on an official travel several years ago. At the time government had denied the claims but Uaai had based his release this month around new information that the Minister had since reimbursed the state for his wife's travel. He challenged government to clarify the matter.

After the Uaai release, the state newspaper published counter-allegations from Government alleging Uaai himself owed public funds from overseas travels during his time in office a decade ago. There was no right of reply given in that story, so the MP went to Te Uekera and Radio Kiribati asking to respond to government allegations. Ueretan Bauro, who was in the newsroom when Uaai visited, agreed to give him the right of reply and aired his story.

By last week he was was suspended for 20 working days for 'not obeying management', who have cited his employment contract clause where he has 'agreed to obey instructions' as the reason for his removal.

"We stand in solidarity with and commend journalists who stand by their ethics and integrity in the public interest, and ask his managers to reconsider this punitive decision," says PFF co-Chair Monica Miller of American Samoa.

"We also recommend to Kiribati and all Pacific parliaments that media awareness seminars be part of their induction training programs for all MPs, following on from any General Election. This will go a long way towards helping elected leaders understand the independence of government media as a powerful way of keeping in touch with the people who put them into power."--ENDS

LINKS:

Kiribati journalist suspended for defiance
http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/245564/kiribati-journalist-suspended-for-defiance

CONTACTS:

PFF Chair Titi Gabi | Freelance Journalist | Papua New Guinea Mail: PO Box 7776, Boroko, NCD, Papua New Guinea | Mob: (675) 7314 3929 | Email: titi.gabipng@gmail.com

PFF co-Chair Monica Miller | KHJ Radio | American Samoa Mob 684 258-4197 | Office 684 633-7793 | Email: monica@khjradio.com

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.

NAURU: PFF calls for MPs' suspension to be lifted

RAROTONGA, Cook Islands 18 May 2014 - The Parliament in Nauru must immediately lift its suspension of three opposition members, states the Pacific Freedom Forum.

"Constitutional freedoms of speech include the right for citizens to speak to any news media, anywhere, at any time," says PFF Chair Titi Gabi.

"Government in Nauru is deeply mistaken to suggest that its elected representatives lack these same rights."
Opposition MPs were suspended for criticising the Nauru government's refugee centre and revoking visas for the country's top judges.

Speaking from Port Moresby, Gabi says that Nauru is in a difficult position. "PFF shares the deep alarm expressed by ordinary citizens of Nauru and calls for steps to be taken to ensure their voices are heard, considered, and acted upon."

PFF co-Chair Monica Miller says that government claims against the opposition MPs shows the dangers of a lack of information.

"Governments in Nauru have long denied open access to the public broadcaster.

"Lack of scrutiny has contributed to a situation where the government apparently believes it can do no wrong." 

Miller says the Nauru situation reinforces the dangers of cutting back on regional news sources, such as the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

"We welcome the call by the Australian Foreign Minister, Julie Biship, for Nauru to recognise that robust public debate underpins democratic development."

"But it is not enough to say the words, they must also be acted upon."

PFF has previously called for independent news from public broadcasters in the Pacific Islands to be given higher priority in regional development efforts.

SOURCES

Nauru MP dragged out of Parliament for comments to foreign media
http://www.smh.com.au/world/nauru-mp-dragged-out-of-parliament-for-comments-to-foreign-media-20140514-zrcu5.html
Nauru breaching international law, says UN
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/nauru-breaching-international-law-says-un-20140421-zqxe8.html
Australian foreign minister calls on Nauru to uphold free speech over
MP suspensions
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-16/an-australian-foreign-minister-calls-on-nauru-to-uphold-free-sp/5457262
Nauru Parliament erupts into chaos after opposition MPs suspended for
speaking to ABC, foreign media
https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/23494588/nauru-parliament-erupts-into-chaos-after-opposition-mps-suspended-for-speaking-to-abc-foreign-media/
Nauru defends MP suspension
http://www.islandsbusiness.com/news/nauru/5362/nauru-defends-mp-suspension/

PACIFIC FREEDOM FORUM

PFF CHAIR | Titi Gabi | PNGEdge.com | Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea | PO Box 7776, Boroko, NCD, PNG | Mob: +675 70686875 | titi.gabipng@gmail.com

PFF CO-CHAIR | Monica Miller | KHJ Radio | Pago Pago, America Samoa | Mob: +684 258 4197 | Office: +684 633 7793 | monica@southseasbroadcasting.com 

The Pacific Freedom Forum is 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.

REGION: Cuts to Australian broadcaster a regional concern

RAROTONGA, Cook Islands, 16 May 2014 - Budget cuts to the Australian public broadcaster and the abandonment of its regional arm send a chilling message to the region, states the Pacific Freedom Forum.

"Hidden in the talk of the cuts being just 1 percent of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's budget is the fact that the ABC's international services will be cut in half," said PFF Chair Titi Gabi, referring to the radio arm of the public broadcaster.

"This sends a chilling message to the people of the region - their access to independent news and information does not matter to Australia anymore."

ABC Managing Director Mark Scott this week said that the full impact of the cuts would be AU$120 million over the next four years.

The ten-year, AU$220 million contract for the ABC to run the regional television broadcaster, the Australia Network, was cancelled.

Speaking from Port Moresby, Gabi said that the decision to also cut all funding for the one year old Australian Network was evidence that Australia's ruling party placed little value in a free media

"Their campaign promise not to cut funding for the ABC, now broken, represents a failure of imagination in what is supposed to be an information age."

PFF co-chair Monica Miller said that despite increased access to the internet, radio remain by far the most widely used media source, especially for remote Pacific Islands.

With news from public broadcasters across the Pacific Islands, mostly controlled or censored by their governments, she said that the ABC was a rare source of news that could be relied upon.

"Australia's government is basically saying we don't need independent facts to make wise choices about our future choices.

"This leaves our islands increasingly isolated and vulnerable to potential mismanagement and corruption that stems from a lack of scrutiny."

Polls taken in Australia show that nine out of ten people there support the public broadcaster, and independent reviews do not support allegations of bias made by critics, she said.

Speaking from Pagopago, Miller called for Pacific media groups to show solidarity with public broadcasting in Australia and lobby against further cuts.

"With private media facing increasing losses of revenue streams to the internet, the need for stronger public broadcasting is needed more, not less."

She said there was also a danger that island governments would take the cuts in Australia to reduce what little support there was for their own public broadcasters.

NEWS
ABC, SBS bosses blast Tony Abbott's broken promise on funding
http://www.smh.com.au/business/federal-budget/abc-sbs-bosses-blast-tony-abbotts-broken-promise-on-funding-20140514-zrcdi.html

Budget 2014: ABC, SBS funding cut, Australia Network contract cancelled
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-13/budget-2014-abc-sbs-funding-cut-ausnet-contract-cancelled/5450932

ABC managing director Mark Scott responds to Budget cuts
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/mark-scott/5451576

PACIFIC FREEDOM FORUM

PFF CHAIR | Titi Gabi | PNGEdge.com | Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea | PO Box 7776, Boroko, NCD, PNG | Mob: +675 706 86875 | titi.gabipng@gmail.com

PFF CO-CHAIR | Monica Miller | KHJ Radio | Pago Pago, America Samoa | Mob: +684 258 4197 | Office: +684 633 7793 | monica@southseasbroadcasting.com 

The Pacific Freedom Forum is 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.

FIJI: PFF concerned over Fiji TV dismissal, regional coordinator resignation

RAROTONGA, Cook Islands, 8 May 2014 -- Regional media rights monitoring network the Pacific Freedom Forum, PFF, has noted with concern circumstances around the dismissal of broadcast news veteran Anish Chand from Fiji TV, and the confirmed resignation of Suva-based coordinator Ricardo Morris.

Fiji TV did not issue a statement linked to Chand's dumping around World Press Freedom Day, but it's understood the station management have resisted pressure for his immediate removal. He is working through the notice period on his termination, which came in the wake of a staff production planning meeting for Fiji TV's proposed election coverage. During that session, Chand voiced concern about the need for the elections program to have views from a broad cross section of society and not just pro-regime supporters.

One of the Fiji TV people present made this known to the interim Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, who reportedly called on the board and CEO for Chand's dismissal.

"It speaks so powerfully of the state of media freedom in Fiji when a journalist doing the simple task of ensuring balance and a voice for all, was 'dobbed in' for being a professional -- by another colleague," says PFF Chair Titi Gabi from Papua New Guinea.

"Journalists who make a point of calling for balanced coverage and inclusion of all viewpoints as a critical part of reporting elections are to be welcomed, not silenced, and elections observers and donors should note this frightening evidence of a gagged media," says Gabi.

"We stand in solidarity with colleagues who are losing the means of supporting their families, simply for doing their jobs-- and we acknowledge the difficulty of being an independent media worker in Fiji at this time."

The removal of Chand from Fiji TV comes after his sidelining in recent years into program productions from newsroom work along with veteran journalist Merana Kitione, following previous regime pressures over their reporting. Kitione has since moved on from the organisation.

"We urge the Fiji Media Industry Development Authority (MIDA) body to provide training on neutrality and media independence to key officials in government and boards deciding who can be a broadcaster or media operator in Fiji. We also ask that MIDA investigate and publish findings on forced removals of journalists from Fiji TV in the last 12 months to uphold their own claims around media independence and freedom being protected during the election period," says co-Chair Monica Miller.

"At this time, we remain concerned that a campaign of words is mounting in Fiji, pitching a rosy situation which is far from truthful at a time when truth and balance for airtime should remain above interference from those whose actions are throwing their own claims into doubt," she says.

Both Gabi and Miller also expressed strong disappointment over the pressures behind the resignation this month of Fiji publisher and investigative journalist Ricardo Morris, who has now vacated the role of Regional Coordinator of the Pacific Freedom Forum. Morris accepted the position of leading the PFF in September 2013, replacing former Coordinator Jason Brown.

"We honour Ricardo's contribution and commitment, but like him, have to respect the realities of living and working as a journalist in Fiji at this time."

The PFF regional coordination now falls on the Co-chairs with an interim volunteer expected to be announced soon.

ENDS
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PACIFIC FREEDOM FORUM

PFF CHAIR | Titi Gabi | PNGEdge.com | Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea | PO Box 7776, Boroko, NCD, PNG | Mob: +675 706 86875 | titi.gabipng@gmail.com

PFF CO-CHAIR | Monica Miller | KHJ Radio | Pago Pago, America Samoa | Mob: +684 258 4197 | Office: +684 633 7793 |monica@southseasbroadcasting.com 

The Pacific Freedom Forum is 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.