There are 143 pages in today’s Fiji Sun but on none of them does the paper report the Prime Minister saying that the Judicial Services Commission was wrong to unlawfully cut off the salary of the suspended DPP, Christopher Pryde, after he formally complained about the prejudicial effect this would have on defending himself in the case brought against him for misbehaviour.
It is the second day running that a paper that pretends it has laid to rest its outrageous manipulation of the news under the former FijiFirst government has manipulated the DPP saga – first not reporting the letter that Christopher Pryde sent to the New Zealand Foreign Minister on Thursday – a copy of which was sent to the Fiji Sun – and then in today’s paper, ignoring the Prime Minister’s support for the DPP, including describing him as “respected” and saying he didn’t deserve to have been treated in the manner that he has been.
Why has the Fiji Sun chosen to deprive its readers of a story of national significance, so much so that it is on the front page of the Fiji Times for the second day running and has led the radio bulletins and television news for at least 36 hours? We all have a right as media consumers to demand an answer from publisher, Rosi Doviveirata and the paper’s owners , CJ Patel.
For the past 18 months, the Fiji Sun, along with the rest of the Fijian media, has proved itself very adept at going to successive gabfests moaning about how hard it has been for them to do their jobs. But it is unacceptable in the new era of supposed “media freedom” under the Coalition for any media outlet to simply pick and choose what stories it wants to cover and what elements of those stories that suit its agenda, with no regard for the right of the Fijian people to get the full news and nothing but the news.
Let’s call this for what it is. Censorship. Not by a government but the owners of a media organisation and its journalists. And Rosi Doviveirata and the rest of her team should hang their heads in shame.
Because the paper doesn’t publish on Sundays, the first chance Fiji Sunreaders will get to access any news again isn’t until Monday. And if by chance the Fiji Sun still doesn’t cover the Christopher Pryde story properly then, they can read all about themselves again in these columns. And face demands for them to be censured by the Media Council for a gross instance of selective reporting that is contrary to the national interest and the interests of its readers.
—————————–
The sole reference to Christopher Pryde in the Fiji Sun for two days running, ignoring altogether the most important part of the story – that the PM has said his salary should not have been cut off – and choosing selective comments to cast the DPP in the bad light. Flagrant manipulation.
And yet everywhere else in the media, the main import of what the Prime Minister said:
Two successive Fiji Times front pages on the DPP saga. From the Fiji Sun, none. Just six paragraphs this morning that manipulate the truth.
That is the choice of Fiji Sun to decide what to print and what not to.
It’s their company, who we to tell them.
End of the day if thier papers don’t sell than they face the consequences.
When Fiji sun was full of articles mainly about Bainimarama, we all criticized.
Now it doesn’t have articles we want to read we are again criticizing.
Human instincts or a hobby.
Vinaka Colo Joe. It might be like that at the Navala Sun but there’s something called media ethics that requires journalists not to selectively twist the facts and deprive their readers of the central narrative of any story.
The new era of supposed media freedom is meaningless if this is how the Fijian people are going to be manipulated.
While you at it, can you also tell Fox News to run stories of national importance which they always tend to ignore and not cover on a daily basis.
They never cover stories of Trump and all his lies which is of national importance when democracy is at stake.
Que? They have blanket coverage of Trump. But, yes, not his lies.
Hey Rajiv, What about the lies being spewed out every day on mainstream media by Cadaver Joe and his cronies.
TRUMP2024.
What has the scenic village and good people of Navala in the western highlands if. Viti Levu got to do with the Fiji Sun’s decision not to publish news on Christopher Pryde having his salary stopped by the Judicial Setvices Commission.
In accusing the Fiji Sun of bias you GD are revealing your own prejudice against people of the interior of Viti Levu. The Navala people have been welcoming tourists and home stays for decades showing their accommodating nature.
The same can’t be said of remote red neck settlements in the Australian outback. If you have an issue against the Australian-educated and a cultured Joe, attack his ideas but please don’t drag in innocent third parties to make your argument.
Sheesh. It was a joke, you idiot. Of course, it would be too much for you to get your head around the main point of what I was saying about media ethics. The usual knee-jerk attempt to create a sideshow out of a throwaway line and divert attention away from the main act. Seriously?
Vinaka taciqu Davis calling me Colo!
😀
People have own choices of which media they align with to get news.
Those that take great interest in politics and commentaries would like to read your articles.
Some might like Fijileaks,where 100’s of pages are presented about corruption or legal battles in Fiji
Who,how,and where?
Or even some can’t let go Fiji times.
Let me tell you one thing, I asked few of my colleagues if they knew Grubsheet.
Some had a lough about the name and said no.
Some said ,I heard but don’t read.
One said he reads briefly but not with great interest.
So everyone have their own choices. and interest of what news and articles they would like to read and from which forum.
“Vinaka taciqu”
Thanks for your critique, Colo Joe. Before Lynda Tabuya had me kicked off Facebook, I had 30,000 “followers” and since then up to 18,000 people a day have been accessing this website. So I am doing just fine, thanks.
Frankly I am not chasing numbers so much as chasing discerning, intelligent readers. If I manage to pick up a few intellectual stragglers like you and your kai vata, that’s a bonus. Enjoy the weekend and do keep spreading the word.
Rabuka is lying, he is the main player who initially stopped Prydes Salary and got him suspended
Of course Rabuka’s lying – just like he lied about Lynda’s weed & bonking in Melbourne and having no role in her subsequent dismissal as DL-PAP.
The Western world has become a Corporate Gulag.
MSM has become its propaganda arm.
It was not always like this, some dinosaurs might recall.
Given this problem, I have pondered on a solution.
Journalists setting up their own company, a co-operative maybe?
My good friend, Robert Keith-Reid, was a founder of a publishing company.
If one has on-line readership, surely one can get advertising revenue.
Revenue = pay for journalists?
Ian, if only RKR was still with us. He has left a gaping whole in Fijian journalism and the national discourse.
The world, Ian Simpson is indeed a corporate gulag, that is why we need to support President Trump for the US presidency.
He is the only one who will break that system and return America and big brother, Australia to manufacturing hubs they once were.
Australia will be a locomotive to pull the rest of the Pacific out of our system of dependancy we currently in. We buy more of our manufactures from them, and they buy more from us.
We rather pay our own way than rely on Australia and NZ for the customary “budget support” that our politicians exploit to pay themselves hefty salary increases and duty free privileges not available to ordinary citizens.
GD
You have forgotten the white haired guy of Fiji Sun
Do you have anything to say about him
You ran lots of articles about him at one stage.
He has gone. RIP (journalistically speaking)
The white haired saint aka Nemani Delaibatiki was the worst thing to happen to the Fiji Sun. The so-called ‘mentor /trainer’ has left a bewildered, confused, directionless wreck at the Fiji Sun in his wake. What else to expect from an editor who ran page one stories about a woman giving birth to snakes and ghost in parliament during his Daily Post days. Nemani Delaibatiki the Fiji First sellout is an abomination in Fiji journalism. The Fiji media is still reeling from the damage he has caused.