22 months ago, Stanley Simpson – the doyen of Fijian journalism and Secretary General of the Fiji Media Association – made an astonishing spectacle on what was then Twitter and is now “X” of shedding tears of joy over the abolition of the FijiFirst government’s media laws.
It was meant to herald in a new era of media freedom and there were similar scenes of emotion at the venerable Fiji Times – the media outlet that has since done more than all others to debase the quality of journalism in Fiji.
Let’s remind ourselves of Stanley Simpson’s posting and then think about the state of the Fijian media almost two years on and its betrayal of its readers, listeners and viewers. And of the national interest.
Rather than taking advantage of their new-found freedom and staking out a position of independence free from government control, the local media identified itself with the Coalition right from the start. This included putting the new Minister for Communications, Manoa Kamikamica, in pride of place at successive gatherings.
When the Fiji Media Council was subsequently reintroduced with great fanfare, Minister Kamikamica was also placed centre stage – a none-too-subtle message of continuing government influence over the media and clear evidence that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Did Stanley Simpson or any of the great luminaries of the media such as Vijay Narayan, Fred Wesley or Rosi Doviverata, ever think that this was sending the worst possible message to media consumers in Fiji about the independence of their media? Clearly not.
But we certainly got a whole lot of hype about how the bad guys who throttled media freedom were gone and the good guys had arrived to usher in a new era of transparency and accountability.
Two years on, where are we at, Fiji? In a new era in which the media and its patrons in government continue the pretence of media freedom when the previous government’s media laws have simply been replaced by something much more sinister – self censorship and media proprietors shamelessly using their outlets to manipulate the news to suit their own commercial purposes.
Our readers will have already noticed that we are gunning in particular for the Motibhai Patels – the owners of the Fiji Times – who have abandoned all pretence at editorial independence for the “freedom” of parading their prejudices and sucking up to their fellow travellers in the Coalition.
It reaches its apotheosis in the following astonishing article by Cheerieann Wilson – the former media advisor to the Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka – in her new role as Fiji Times reporter.
The subject is the SODELPA leader and Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro. And is one of the most disgraceful abuses of journalism that Grubsheet has ever had the misfortune to witness – naked propaganda that completely ignores Radrodro’s history as a domestic violence abuser who almost killed his former wife – the Prime Minister’s daughter – and gave Lynda Tabuya such a “brutal” rogering in Room 233 that she was left struggling to walk the following day.
Read on, Fiji, and weep. And then get very angry and boycott the Fiji Times, as well as any other Motibhai business including Prouds.
Then support any political party that commits itself to stripping the Motibhai Patel family of the Fiji Times. And tell the strutting cocks and timid hens of the Fijian media what you think of them and their debasing of democracy as members of a supine and impotent fourth estate* the next time they cross your path.
We have been duped, conned, betrayed by the pretence of a free media in Fiji. And it is time for media consumers to fight back.
Crikey. Now there’s something to really weep about. It doesn’t get much worse. Yet this outrage doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of the corruption of the Fiji Times and the malevolent influence on national life of the Motibhai Patels of Ba.
They are unfit to preside over Fiji’s traditional newspaper of record and the nation’s “first draft of history” and the evidence against them is mounting by the week.
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* the origins of the term “Fourth Estate”. The traditional role of the media explained by Wikipedia:
We need a media that asks questions. Questions like, how did a successful foreign company secure a tax holiday?
Asking questions of this government does not mean you support the last one. It means you want accountability, transparency and good governance for Fijians.
Once the media stops asking questions we are lost.
There was a post where he announced that they are waiting for donor agencies to give funds so they can review the Act and the policies.
Simpson is yet another overrated and useless so called journalist in Fiji. All he does is surface digging. Like a village gossip king.
I have boycotted all his media outlets already.
What a tool, fake tears and all.
“…strutting cocks and timid hens…”, is an apt description of the disgrace that is the Fiji media, especially the so-called ‘heavy-hitters’ or ‘stars’ of Fiji’s media. Stanley Simpson, Fred Wesley and Vijay Narayan. Just look at their publications on almost any given day and be appalled at the pathetic standards. As someone has aptly said, Fiji’s national media is a national disgrace.
Hahaha, heavy hitters or big guns of the Fiji media only in their own minds. They are more like “supine and impotent fourth estate” as GD rightly says. Or limp dicks.
The media in Fiji is a disgrace.
They are a bunch of idiots who have no investigative journalism skills.
All USP graduates. Another institution that has failed whole of Pacific in journalism.
I don’t read Fiji Times, Fiji Sun, and anything from Simpson’s ventures. I don’t even watch Fiji TV. Just shyte material with no credibility. They spin the truth like the stories around their kava sessions.
Unsubscribed from all media outlets in Fiji.
Grubsheet is far better. Y
Media is finally free Stanley.
You all do nothing.
Free to do nothing.
Free to be part of the corruption now.
This is one of the reasons why Fiji is struggling to keep up.
The tears and the emotions blur the lines of accountability and responsibility.
There is a time for the expression of emotions, well and good. However, when this sort of expressions become the norm, that is where it becomes very messy.
There are too many crocodile tears and too much hugs and kisses on the national stage in Fiji.
These emotional expressions are more often than not, seen as a license to continue abusing procedures and practices.
It’s times for emotionally strong people with strong moral convictions to take a stand and call these fakes out.
With the TRC in session later this year, these fake emotional responses and expressions need to be curtailed. Otherwise it’s just going to be another hugs and kisses crocodile tears episodes with no actual truth being told.
So Mr Simpson, you’ve had your fair share of crying about the new media freedom, now is the time for you to get out and start holding this rotten government to account.
Ask the hard questions:
1. Why did the government spend $8,000,000 on pay increases for the MPs?
2. Why is it taking so long for the tribunal report into Mr Prydes unfair suspension to be released to the public?
3. Why was the CJ appointment rushed through on Xmas eve?
4. Why is the police so under funded and understaffed when the crime rate is rapidly increasing?
There are so many more questions you must be asking if you’re so happy about the new media freedom. Why the reluctance Mr Simpson?
That triumvirate of Fiji journalism, Stanley Simpson, Fred Wesley and Vijay Narayan, are as effective as eunuchs in a harem.
Stanley is another one who is just a boy in big trousers.
Stanley needs to pull his head out of his arse and realise the international media know that there is no free and fair media reporting in Fiji.
Additionally, the journalism standards in Fiji are non-existent. They report with bias and prejudice. The research and reporting quality is shoddy and based on heresay.
This is why people turn to international news because the articles are worth reading and are analysed properly.
Fiji’s newspapers are only good for starting fires to cook food or as backup lavatory paper.
Having worked in one of the dailies there many years ago, I saw the bias first hand and how the editor or CEO would structure articles to benefit the companies/ministries/government which brought in the most revenue.
I had lots of hope for the Media Council in Fiji. That’s gone down the gutter.
I have unsubscribed from all paying media channels and now only read Grubsheet.
I am more informed about Fiji through this platform. Thank you GD.
A disgraceful piece by Wilson. She could not make it in PR and, as this article demonstrates, is not cut out to be a journalist too. She should be ashamed of herself for this write-up alone, but probably won’t be given the false bravado and self obsession that occupy the minds of most Fijian journalists, including Scornful Stanley, Loathsome Lice and Phony Fred Wesley.
They are all totally – and perhaps willfully – deaf, dumb and blind to the fact that the Fijian media has become a national laughing stock. MIDA was simply an excuse to hide their bias, lack of professionalism and cowardice. Now that MIDA is gone, the quality of journalism has some how sunk even lower. Make it make sense, please.
As a media consumer for over 40 years, I have more trust in sources like Grubsheet, Fijileaks, Fiji Transparency on Facebook and other independent online bloggers and thinkers. I have not bought a newspaper or watched the television news in nearly five years.
My doubts about the media’s true agenda only become stronger when thugs like Mac the Convict start using valuable newsprint to air their demented views. There needs to be a Commission of Inquiry into the state of the Fijian media. No-one should trust journalists in this country until then.
Is it the norm for an opinion piece to be written by a journalist from the news outlet? I have seen opinion pieces local and international publications but authored by external contributors. Surely this opinion by a senior reported (and manager) of the FT is blatantly showcasing bias? Clearly the move in recent days has been to puff up Aseri and distance him from the LT debacle by showcasing his “achievements”.
Every journalist worth their weight was forced to leave the media industry during the period of censorship under the military dictatorship. Now, everything in the news is either copy/paste of government press releases and ministerial statements or news that is handed to them on a platter. There is no investigative journalism being practised by any media organisation. The military government conducted a mass culling of any competent journalist who did not bend to their demands and the industry was left to scrape the bottom of the barrel for years to come as those competent enough knew to avoid the media industry that was under the heel of the military government and then FijiFirst for 16 years.
This is true to an extent. But the rot started pre-2006 as well. Remember the pro-Rabuka Fiji Times (led by Rabuka’s mistress at the time Wise) that hounded Mahendra Chaudry’s short lived government?
The role of the media is to tell the story as it is and keep the bastards honest, not cosy up to those in power.
High crime rates, drugs, HIV, NCDs and violence are the results of underlying problems that journalists must investigate and report on without fear or favour.
Shedding light accurately on the root causes of these challenges makes it more likely that something be done about them.
So when you hear politicians say the media has an important role to play, you are entitled to be suspicious as you know that means only so long as the reporting doesn’t put them in a hot spot.
They are not your friends, journalists and politicians need to be reminded of each other. One has responsibility to do something about the problems, the other to report accurately – as it is.
Puff pieces written by public relations consultants should be seen for exactly what they are: spin, not news. Readers facing up to these challenges will see through PR and ask questions on what’s really being done to fix them.
This is the great strength of a free and fair democracy: a free media will keep the focus on difficult problems that need to be addressed and report fairly without fear of favour on what is being done or what others propose to do. One of the reasons those American cities once in decline with lawlessness have turned around.
It’s not a popularity contest. A thankless task that often draws criticism. But it’s an essential one.
And I thought Stanley Simpson was a kaivalagi all this time.
No wonder journalism in Fiji is where it is. They even have fake names!!!! Haha
Come on, that’s not fair. He is Kailoma from one of the great families in Fiji. We must play the issue, not the man.
Stanley was begotten by a local indo fijian from good old savusavu. Like many kailomas from there and other places aeound Fiji who were fathered by indo fijians, Stanley is just too embarrassed to be open about his indo fijian heritage cos of the general underlying inherent subtle racism against the “kaidia”. Their kailoma mother’s weren’t queasy about having flings with indo fijians…but their kids who are coy and embarrassed about their “indianess” don’t think being labeled half kaidia is good optics or fit either culturally or is good for their career opportunities. Stanley is so indo fijian looking that every kaidia that meets him for the first time says a few hindi words to him.😁. Stanley of course doesn’t let on about his heritage so he uses his mother’s maiden surname of Simpson. There are many in savsavu who are in the same boat…indo fijian father’s but using their mother’s Anglo surnames. And they are very proud of the names cos it also gets them places. Just like John Edwards who after the 87 coup suddenly “discovered” his itaukei heritage which just happened to get him an indigenous loan from FDB to start Eds bar and other businesses. Just like those itaukei who have “spare” Anglo names and vice verser. When the occassion arises George speight becomes Ilikimi Naitini, Stan Whippy became stan ritova, Viliame Gavoka becomes “Bill” etc etc. You get the picture. But they will always drop their “kaidia” father’s name in favour of their mums Anglo or itaukei name. Ask Ana Rokomokoti, Tarakinikini and many others who were/are too embarrassed to use their kaidia father’s names. Stanley Simpson is the same…the forced itaukei accent to fit in better and to keep his distance from him indianess. Now if he can bullshit so much about his life and heritage then of course he can squeeze out a few crocodile tears when it will “curry” a few favour’s from this chaotic govt that’s given him “freedom”.😂
Wow. Can anyone else corroborate this story? I don’t mean to pry in a nasty way but it sounds fascinating. Of course, we all come from somewhere and there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of whatever our antecedents. Though mine are decidedly less exotic.
Agree 100%. It is a typical Savusavu thing. Indian father and kailoma mother story and children grow up ignorant of their Indian side of father is not in the picture.
They will use their English surname to their advantage.
In Savusavu the English surname will give one a higher hierarchical status. Ask the kailoma who is allowed at Planters Club and Copra Shed back in the day and they will agree. The Indian and i-tailor surnames didn’t carry weight. Same as getting enrolled in government schools like Savusavu Government (Buca School). Families changed their surname to English surnames to fit in.
That is part of history and make up of many kailoma in Fiji. I won’t blame them. They had to belong somewhere and finding a place and identity was hard for them too. But doing the cosy thing of never accepting their Indian identity to gain acceptance is sad and it does happen.
Buca District School was my first school in 1959. After a period of “School of the Air” on FBC with written materials coming by post from Suva. I remember being envious of the lunches of the Indian kids in those stacked metal lunch boxes they used to carry. Better than my boring old sandwiches.
In early 2002 I worked with a Fiji part European person. She refused to call herself kailoma. She was from Levuka and a well off family.
I found her awkward. She never acknowledged her mother’s side of the indigenous people. Nor did her mother. They called the indigenous people natives. It was as if they had no i-taukei ancestors themselves.
Our team gathered that they didn’t associate themselves with anything “native” related. They were the elite kailoma who benefited from trying to be European. But this is what made us laugh. At the drop of a penny and if they had to use their i-taukei connections to get promotions or recognition they will do that straight away.
It was sad. When she died no i-taukei attended her funeral. The family didn’t want any masi, mats and kava at the reguregu. It was a sad funeral. But that is what one gets for living a life of wanting to be rather than be.
I came to reflect on her life years later with few other part Europeans. We understood then what it meant for some to be elite kailoma of Fiji.
But Savusavu is supposed to be the hidden paradise.
Stanley’s late Kai idia father was not from Savusavu, but from Suva. An outspoken public figure, a man of principle and courage. Narcissistic Stanley will never match him in all his life.
What does his race or ethnicity have to do with what is being discussed? Which is the quality of journalism in Fiji.
Please do not be racist.
And his name is his real name. Not fake as you are suggesting.
“Please dont be racist.”
Lol. Like Rabuka, Siromi, Rabuku, Wise, Lynda, president pedo, the entire police force, military and large percentage of the civil service.
And more.
No racism old chap. I know that’s his real name. I was just pointing out the hypocrisy of a bunch of hypocrites. In fact it’s reverse racism when u go out of your to deny your roots and heritage.
And I thought John O’Connor (former CEO of the FRU) was a kaivalagi as well until I saw his big fat pic in the papers a long time ago. We imagine a person by their name and it is completely opposite to what we would think.
GD, I have just read Cheerieann Wilson’s article and it’s shocking! Not a single mention of the education minister’s violent past, or sexual indiscretions. And she’s a senior journalist! I’m shocked, but on reflection, not that surprised. This is what passes for journalism in Fiji. I have noticed that despite decades in their field, Fiji journalists can’t write for shit. They can’t think. There are no analytic skills whatsoever. Fred Wesley’s weak editorials are enough to put one to sleep. If Fijian politics is bad, then Fijian news media is worse.
Stanley,
I would applaud you if you ask the government these questions now given your closeness with them.
1. Why do we have a PM who is a coup leader and abuser of women and girls? What message does this give to a girl child today?
2. Why is it Ok to have a pedo President who sexually assaulted a 15 year old disabled child and impregnated her. He is also a coup leader. What message are we giving to a youth of Fiji today?
3. Why do Fijians deserve a Minister for Education who is a woman beater. He nearly killed his ex-wife (who happens to be the daughter of the PM). He never faced any charges. He is now the leader of the Sodelpa Party.
4. What’s happening to the many Minister’s in Fiji who are under investigation for fraudulent practices with FICAC? Shouldn’t they stand aside from their jobs while under investigation? Is this what Fijians voted for?
5. Why is Fiji’s police heavily compromised with drug trafficking gangs. Sexual assault is common with drug lords and drug traffickers. Children are increasingly involved in trafficking and prostitution. What is the Police doing to address these concerns and what actions are in place (immediate, short, medium, long term)?
6. The Minister for women, children and social protection was recently stood down from her portfolio because of her own sex video trending online. It shows that no one, even the Minister herself, is keen to safeguard those who need care and be respectful enough towards society’s protection. This is not the first time she has used gender based violence card to her advantage. Why was she not removed from her Ministerial role before? How can she guarantee safety of children in Fiji related to sexual abuse by adults given her own influence in what she is doing? Does this warrant an MP role paid by the taxpayers of Fiji?
7. The judiciary is seriously compromised and so is all legal procedures given the current situation in the country. How do Fijians feel about this? A poll might be helpful.
8. The media has compromised our democracy and safety. They have failed to inform Fijians about the facts and report with credibility. They have failed to hold decision makers accountable. Same goes for broadcasting companies. They have continued to abuse women and children. What will you do to bring credibility and respect back given your position and presence in the industry?
9. Donor agencies must be responsible and not give rise to corruption and sex and gender-based crimes in Fiji. Their investments into Fiji is questionable and they show no interest in fixing the misuse of donor funds. Most of the funds are spent on charitable organisations that have selective agenda of their own. They are failing the women and children of Fiji. What will Fiji media practice to make transparency and accountability possible?
10. The tourism industry is the backbone of Fiji’s economy. Many tourists are abused and now we have cases of sexual assault and rape coming to light. This is unacceptable. Our trust is deteriorating fast in terms of safety in Fiji. There is fights in the streets, high drug abuse, high HIV cases, lack of police presence, high levels of intoxicated people in bars, etc. This is putting everyday Fijians and tourists at risk. What is the immediate and long term plan for different sectors?
I hope the above gives you some ideas to dig deeper. You need to bring some sense of quality journalism back. You have let down many Fijians. The media industry has totally failed our safety and right to factual information. We not asking you to spin stories. We asking you to report with ethical standards and truth.
Fiji media is free.
Free to kiss a$$ of our politicians.
I started reading Fiji Times and Fiji Sun some 40 years ago. We read it religiously in the outer parts of Fiji. You can imagine it was the only thing we could read apart from everyday school books. The Sun Air would arrive to our town after 1pm everyday and we had the newspaper arrive. The shopkeeper would put the newspapers in the afternoon bus and we would get it by 4pm at our house everyday.
As a family of 7, we all took turns to read the newspapers and we would even go through the classifieds back then. We would giggle at the man finding a woman to marry section.
I look at the quality of reporting now and shake my head. It is worrying. As a woman I don’t even bother buying the newspapers anymore. We find that it is a total waste of money. And it goes to say that I am not the only one to stop buying newspapers in our area.
I am not sure if anyone in Fiji is a journalist anymore. The quality of reporting is very poor and of bad taste.
Cheerieann Wilson was doing PR for the People’s Alliance and after the election ended up in the prime minister’s, office before she resigned on bad terms. The way she is promoting SODELPA and lauding Radrodro in her article clearly indicates that she has switched sides is grinding an axe against the PA, although throughout her career, she never was a journalist of any note. She was at best mediocre. So it appears that the Fiji Times has become a newspaper which is used by its journalists to either settle scores or curry favor. That’s the state of the media in Fiji today. That is why the Fiji First government brought in the media decree. Once the Fiji Times may have been the traditional newspaper of record and the nation’s “first draft of history”. Not any more. As someone earlier on said, it’s best used as a fire starter for cooking, or as emergency toilet paper.
A former “journalist” who cannot even go onto a consultant role and ends up writing for the daily rag. That is self evident of her lack of any talent.
My side job is to identify articles that are written by AI. I can tell you with full confidence that Ms. Wilson’s entire article was fully written by AI. Go figure.
Ai Paranoia. What if I say this sentence was originally written by AI, humanised by another Ai, and am about to make myself a coffee prepared with the help of Ai? There’s no way of u knowing.
Sure, I may not be able to tell how you like your coffee, how your toast is buttered or which side of the bed you got up from this morning. But, as a person who marks papers for a living, I picked up really quickly that the line right at the end which states, “By carving out its own path while navigating the complexities of coalition governance, SODELPA is not just shaping policy but also the future of Fiji’s political landscape.” Is very much an AI piece. I ran it through marking software to confirm — 98.5% AI. haha.
A very timely and great penning GD.
Just out of curiosity, is there a relationship between a Matt Wilson and Cheerieann Wilson? If so, what does this article mean for the proximity between the PM’s speechwriter and the PM?
Apart from the names mentioned, there are a few others, namely Lice Mavono, Kelvin Anthony, Semi Turaga, Netani Rika and Steven Ratuva.
It’s refreshing to see so many others also calling out the appalling state of the media and its flag bearers.
No, as far as I know, those Wilsons are not related. But I stand to be corrected.
The so called journalists of Fiji are only good in a few things: reporting live on how many gold, silver and bronze medals are being won by which schools during the Coke Games; copying and pasting press releases, showing up to press conferences where free food will be served and trying to convince themselves that they are great journalists.
I read Wilson’s piece and it sounded like a bad written report from a Year 12 student. She had a fallout with PAP and now she is a SODELPA propagandist.
As for Stanley, I am from Savusavu too and yes his father is Indo Fijian but I digress. He is a nice guy, funny, caring and smart.
But a terrible journalist!
Stanley has 19,000 followers on his Facebook. He posts regularly about things that matter most. Example kava crew related gossip that mostly kailoma like.
What baffles me, as I have not seen this with any other journalist, is that on that same public page he posts about his family non-stop. I might be living under a rock overseas but I have never seen any journalist share so
much about their private and family life. What is this trend?
I see many MPs do the same in Fiji. They want to be a celebrity. See Filimone Vosarogo’s wife and rest of the family, the former AG Siromi, Tabuya, and others.
Then there is wannabe MPs who have failed terribly in elections but use their so called writing skills to sound acceptable and stay relevant. These ones ride on the success of their children. One looks like she was crowned Ms Hibiscus and not the daughter. Kaila much.
Fijians, your private life should be private. Your public life is only for a duration of few years. It is not your life but work.
Learn to keep things separate. It is for the safety of your family now and their future.
One would have thought, looking at poor Stanley and his fake tears, that he was just freed from slavery in the Alabama in 1850. At least he sure would have had a name like such. The poor shyte probably still does not realise what a shyte government he is vying for. The prejudice which he as a slave would have endured in the USA is all in reverse. It is plain to see and it is rather emotional and stupid at the same time.
The prejudice, the hate of Kai and Bai and the f**king stupidity of people who should have more brains is plain to see. And than they all wonder why Fiji is where it is. It is people like Stanley who make Fiji what it is today.
I have been informed by a reliable source that the CJ Temo is also a wife basher. I am sure that is a well known fact as well but because these iTaukeis are an endangered species, just like the pedo President, this is all kept under wraps. People like Stanley Simpson believe that that is the ideal situation as long as the vulagi are kept at bay. It is rather an emotional thing when one has achieved this feat by kicking out a vulagi government after all this time. Just ask people like Stanley and his ilk. Shameless racism and standards of a true third world and a third-rate country with third-rate reporters and third-rate people.
Very well written GD. In any democracy, the media is expected to function as the fourth estate, a crucial pillar that holds power to account, informs the public, and safeguards democratic principles.
However, in Fiji, the state of the media leaves much to be desired. Rather than fulfilling their role as impartial arbiters of truth, these media outlets have devolved into mouth pieces for the Coalition government, prioritizing appeasement over accountability and narrative control over investigative rigor.
The lack of balanced reporting is glaring. News stories predominantly echo the government’s perspective, sidestepping critical analysis and ignoring dissenting voices. Issues such as corruption, illegal appointments, constitutional breaches and questionable governance practices are either down played or omitted entirely.
The situation is worsened by the absence of investigative journalism. While governments globally face scrutiny through in depth reporting that uncovers hidden truths, Fijian journalists seem reluctant or ill-equipped to take on this role. Allegations of corruption, abuse of office, constitutional breaches and illegal appointments which should dominate headlines remain untouched. Their approach is to talk bad about the opposition and not highlight the misdeeds of the government. The media coverage of Opposition MPs’ intervention in Parliiament is virtually no existent.
Broadcast interviews further illustrate the malaise. Radio and TV hosts regularly engage goverment ministers, and officials and supporters of givernment, yet these interactions rarely extend beyond rehearsed talking points. Unlike international platforms such as BBC’s Hardtalk, which demand transparency through sharp questioning, Fijian media interviews often appear superficial, failing to challenge their subjects or highlight discrepancies in their narratives.
Adding to the crisis is the lack of journalistic competency emerging from Fiji’s educational institutions. Universities like USP and FNU which are tasked with training future journalists, have fallen short of their responsibilities. The failure to cultivate skilled, critical thinkers in the media workforce has further eroded the profession’s credibility.
Despite claiming to be “free” and ” independent”, the media in Fiji often acts as a government ally rather than a watchdog. Journalists and editors appear unwilling to rock the boat, carefully avoiding stories that might upset the status quo. This complicity has created a media landscape that is complicit in shielding the government from criticism. In addition these media editors and owners like Mac Patel have aligned themselves with government.
As long as Journos and media hosts like Stanley Simpson, Vijay Narayan, Fred Wesley, Anish Chand and other appeasers are around the media in Fiji will not be transparent and balanced and standards will hit the bottom. These guys themselves resonate as powerful operators under the shade of the Coalition government. The media is not “free” and “independent” by any measure. In fact the government and media are destroying Fiji.
Ratu Samisoni commented on Jiaoji Savou’s FB post 2 hours ago. It sums what we are battling in Fiji’s media.
“Australian authorities knew very well that the current government and local media will try to cover this case up, thus they got their own media agencies involved.
Let us examine local media agencies.
Fijione, an entity of fijian holding. So they will not broadcast any negative news regarding the current government. Board members of Fijian Holdings are appointed by the government so they cannot report against their bosses.
Fbc, has board members appointed by the current government and needs government funding to survive. So they will not publish any news which gives bad publicity to the current government.
Fijitimes, a family run company which was affected by the previous government interms of revenue collection, thus needs current governments tenders to recover previous loss.
So they will not publish negative news regarding the current government. Because they need those government tenders.
Fiji broadcasting cooperation, which is heavily used by the current government to give good publicity is paid handsomely. Biman will get intouch with Vijay Narayan when ever he needs publicity and Vijay Narayan will entertain him on him various news mediums. Like straight talk and publicity on fijivillage web site. Inexchage Biman makes sure that majority of the government advertisement tenders are awarded to CFL. Vijay Narayan is also anti FFP, and has dislike for Banimarama. He will do what ever he can to give better mileage to his opponents.
Now, that only leaves FijiSun which has limited access to news material information. Biman and governments media arms make sure that no information which could make news in Fijisun is ever given to Fijisun. So with limited accessibility to news worthy materials they cannot publish credible news.
Good on Australian government to take this Proactive measures, if not the victims of these heinous crimes would not have received justice in Fiji.
To the Fijian media agencies. You all have sold your souls for money you are the worst form of media journalists. One day it will be your loved once that will get raped and no one will do anything about it. Your very own colleagues will cover the case up because they cherish money over morales. Pathetic indeed you all are.”
Stanley may pretend to be a kailoma, he certainly does not look like a kailoma to me.
I get the feeling that Stanley and others like him with Anglo names are all pretenders.
I wonder if he was abandoned by his Indian father and that is why he does not like to be associated with the kaindia. I am sure there is a long story. But pretending will not solve anything. In fact it has made it worse for Stanley I am sure.
Give the guy a break.
He has many Indian mates.
I have known the guy long enough to say that he is good sorts with all Fijians.
Let’s discuss the issue and not him please.
We are not discussing his parents here.
That’s a bit low.
I didn’t mention Stanley Simpson to provoke an ethnic pile-on. It is about the state of the Fijian media and he is head of the Fiji Media Association. So please, people. Stick to the issues. His ethnic origins may be interesting to those like me who are unaware of them but they have nothing to do with his role as a media luminary and journalistic leader.
Stanley’s face here looks like he is suffering from a bad case of hemorrhoids.
Really. You must have one to know one.
I had a lot of hope in Stanley and the media council. That is all dead now. They have totally forgotten about the hype they created. Media freedom or official buried in Fiji.
USP states:
Bachelor of Arts (Journalism)
On successful completion of this programme, graduates are expected to be able to:
Critically discuss the role of the media in society, with reference to historical background and theoretical frameworks in the Pacific and global contexts;
Practise all aspects of journalism in a way that conforms to legal frameworks, ethical standards and cultural norms, both locally and internationally;
Communicate accurately, appropriately and in a timely manner in all media formats and platforms;
Use technical and professional competencies for practising journalism in different contexts and different media, including social media, both individually and collaboratively;
Conduct journalistic and academic research using appropriate methods for different contexts and following ethical standards and procedures in Pacific contexts.
I don’t see any graduate of USP so far having any of these skillsets. They cannot even get local context right, leave alone global. No wonder the whole country is failing.
Have you seen the mumbling head of Journalism at USP? Another Pal/Biman lackey. I rest my case.
The general modus operandi of the Fiji media is either regurgitating press releases word for word or “he said she said” where they ask a politician or high profile person “so and so said this, what is your response?”and then print their response word for word, often with a blaring sensationalist headline. This can go on for multiple news cycles, dragging out the topic and filling airtime and pages. Oh and reprinting pieces from international media when it’s a slow news day. Looking at the newspaper editorials, Fiji Sun’s are miles ahead of the Fiji Times, what with Wesley’s incredibly poor writing and analytical skills. To think the FT once had editors such as Vijendra Kumar, a bona fide master of prose. How far the standards of the Fiji media has fallen.
Stanley’s pretend ethnicity and associated prejudice has a direct correlation to the state of journalism
In Fiji. The bias and sucking up to this government and posing with members of government does not bode well in respect of independence and integrity.
With the emotion shown by Stanley and his like after the repeal of the MIDA Act, the fake Christian emotion is plain to see. I can see the prejudice in his eyes all the way from here. What has Stanley and other so called journalists done about independent reporting. These are all self serving masipolos. These people are no good for the country. They have played a direct role in why the country is going to the dogs. They are all after freebies.
“These are all self serving masipolos….
And sadly self hating vulagi running away from their true heritage.
He is not alone though. Nor should such persons be faulted for choosing whatever works best for them.
One can only imagine it must not be easy on anyone with mixed ethnicity to function successfully in our polarized society.
We should focus on the issues the media fail to raise or address, plus fair and transparent journalism.
Journalism thrives on trust. At its core, the ethical backbone of journalism is built on a commitment to principles that ensure the credibility and reliability of information. Without ethics, journalism risks devolving into a tool for manipulation rather than a force for enlightenment.
Journalism is about keeping the public informed with accuracy, fairness, accountability, and credibility. Journalist must not form friendships with the State or the Government. If they do, they blur the line between honest truth and bias.
The MIDA act hasn’t been reviewed yet. There is no broadcasting standards either so we have broadcasters talk about all sorts of rubbish to students on buses now. All a talk and no work by Stanley.
Unfortunately for Stanley we have seen time and time again that he has one too many friends in the government now. He is seen taking selfies and calling them mates or colleagues. His ethical conduct is poor and one that cannot be trusted. He will never be able to report honestly. We see the same with others in Fiji’s media. Look at Communiations Fiji Ltd who have diversified to multimedia platforms but say next to nothing that is not vomit material but also a copy and paste of other news. FBC is only regurgitating what others have written. There is no hardcore content investigation.
The ABC and RNZ team who I had some hope for have also diluted every aspect of their work too. Lice Movono speaks with an accent that I have yet to figure out and her racist bias is equivalent to Fox News in USA. She is totally irrelevant and hopeless.
In fact, Fiji’s Tiktokers sound more relevant nowadays.
Media has been compromised and dead as a in Fiji. Fiji stands no chance of deep dive journalism and leaves the public misinformed and forever assuming. It is a dangerous country with a media bias towards the government. They do have censorship powers and they use it for their profits and other benefits.
Fiji Media Council is another pathetic institution, that probably has not formally convened since its inception in April 2023.
So complaints about the media coverage are swept under the rug; much to the detriment of the Fiji public. Radio stations are polluting Fiji’s airwaves with substandard language and ridiculous conversations that just contaiminate the minds of the younger Fiji populace.
There was a Fiji Media Watch organization, but not sure what became of it. Many mass media standards in Fiji have since been removed but need to be reinstated like advertising of alcohol, and pharmaceutical products. Should there be a Advertising Standards organization as well?
Perhaps time for Stanley to make a formal statement and let Fiji know so he can be held accountable for the media council he is overseeing.
These are special people from Savusavu. They rob in daylight and they don’t care. They go all out to prove their point and worth to all of Fiji. Their fanfare are the broken English flag bearers of Fiji.
We have seen the CBM entourage in the government already. Rabuka has special ties to Gujerati families in Savusavu, namely the Gulabdas family. Satish Gulabdas was once a mayor of Savusavu, Rabuka’s close friend. During the 1987 and 2000 coup it was the Gulabdas shop that mostly remained open while all other shops were shut. Satish was blacklisted from Fiji.
The past administrator for Savusavu town, Mr Lal, was removed from his job by FICAC. His case is under investigation two years on. Mr Lal used to host many carnivals in town and no one till today knows where the money went from decades of carnival fundraiser. Stanley was one of the carnival committee members and was parading himself like a hotshot even when it was revealed that the carnival committee had failed the people of Savusavu for years. Stanley was abusing those openly on Facebook who raised concerns. This was as recently as 5 or 6 years ago. His brigade of broken English clowns were there to cheer him on. There are many Simpson’s in Savusavu. Some good. Some bad. Some very ugly with their sexual predator manners. And these are women too. Ask the locals. Ask Rabuka. He knows one Simpson too well in his womaniser list.
These are the special people as we know. Specially made in the Paradise of everyday Hidden gems. Nothing deters them. Lasa i tuba and stealing is second nature.
Stanley is one boci wannabe journalist. Sold his soul to coalition govt to get favors. Doesn’t care about fair reporting.
Agree. It is so evident on all his social media post.
I am saddened by some comments here picking on Stanley Simpson’s ethnicity and parentage.
It may not be his fault that he hasn’t acknowledged his paternal side. This is common in most single parent children, even of not mixed parentage.
I do not know this person, he is probably a nice person as alluded to by some people on this forum.
Let’s confine our discussion in his ability as a journalist. Which most of us believe he is not very good at. And we even agree that he is a sucker for the current government.
And let us not tarnish all Kailomas or even kailomas of Savusavu with the same brush.
Sadly this forum is starting to become like Chat Fiji or some of those groups whose commentators have very little intelligence.
We are better than that.
“Sadly this forum is starting to become like Chat Fiji or some of those groups whose commentators have very little intelligence.”
People express themselves in different ways. Some are perhaps articulate, some may be not so much. Should that mean we exclude those opinions that don’t meet our “standards” whatever those might be?
No. Variety is the spice of life.
Who are we to judge how any person comes across? We don’t know their life journeys. Different experiences form different opinions and people have obviously their own way to express those thoughts.
They may not all meet your high standards or expectations but they have same rights to say what they want to say and how they can.
A person’s background contributes to his/her outlook. Educational, social, economic, cultural, traditional values, life experiences, and many other factors make people want to be part of any discussion. Another factor is that English is a second language to most in Fiji.
This is not to defend the insults, racism, gender misogyny, and other similar tripes and tropes that we see and strongly disagree with. However, that is who they are and it speaks more about them than to those the abuse/insult may be directed to.
The key is GS allows different opinions, regardless of the view points expressed. There likely no other inter-active forum as GS and with plenty of well presented opinions from readers. And responsibly moderated by GD.
Finding a similar level and quality of writing by Graham Davis is as rare as hen’s teeth in these parts and more particularly writings about Fiji’s current situation.
It would be unfair to expect everyone to be up to one standard. Aren’t we being judgemental to say some have very little intelligence?
Live and let live.