NFP: Is there collusion between Government and Fijian Holdings CEO Nouzab Fareed leading to interference in Fiji ONE TV News? What did Fareed tell Shanal Sivan resulting in him not being seen or heard on TV?

19/2/2017

February 19, 2017

MEDIA RELEASE

FHL CEO INTERFERING WITH FIJI TV NEWSROOM

Restrictions placed on a Fiji Television journalist from covering political stories and running Government news without balance from Opposition party figures falsely implicated by Government in its propaganda is a clear sign of collusion between Government and the Chief Executive of Fijian Holdings Limited, the majority shareholder of Fiji TV.

The National Federation Party’s observations of news bulletins for the past two weeks and the fact that a journalist was reportedly told that he can no longer work in the Fiji One Newsroom because of his political stories despite them being balanced and factual, clearly point to interference into the newsroom by Fijian Holdings Limited (CEO) Nouzab Fareed.

The journalist in question Mr Shanal Sivan has not been seen or heard doing news reporting after prominently reporting on Government’s policy failures and false promises from the beginning of this year. (We enclose links to those stories at the end of this statement).

Similarly, after balanced, ethical and accurate coverage of parliamentary proceedings of 6th February of both Government and Opposition responses during debate on various issues in Parliament, Fiji TV News coverage has degenerated into extremely one-sided pro-Government bulletins.

During the parliamentary sitting, apart from 6th February, hardly any response by the Opposition to numerous ministerial statements or contribution to debate was reported in the major bulletins.

Even if it was, it was a small piece compared to long and three or four contributions from Government on the same issue.

And this week, the Attorney General’s statement on issues raised in parliament by the Opposition during debate on the Electoral Amendment Act, particularly why his role as Elections Minister conflicts with his positions as Registered Officer/General Secretary of Fiji First, as well as the Supervisor of Elections being the Secretary to Electoral Commission, was covered three times, on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday this week.

Yet there was no chance given to the Leader of NFP and Opposition MP Mr Semesa Karavaki to respond to the AG despite them being named by the AG as making false statements. The NFP Leader had even issued a statement rebutting the AG’s claims on Thursday but it received no coverage from Fiji TV (and not surprisingly from the taxpayer funded Fiji Broadcasting Corporation(which also ran the AG’s comments) known for its totally pro Government stance for obvious reasons).

The exodus of prominent journalists and senior staff clearly point to interference in Fiji TV Operations and Newsroom. And this is seemingly caused by Mr Fareed’s collusion with Government leading to his interference in Fiji TV Newsroom and other operations.

A clear example of this was his apology to the CEO of Fiji Broadcasting Corporation (FBC) over Fiji’s reporting of Waisea Basha , saying both Fiji TV and FBC needed to cooperate with each other. His actions are undeniably leading to a demoralized work force.

We therefore ask the following: -

Is Mr Fareed in contact with or being contacted by Government whenever Fiji TV runs stories exposing Government policies and failures of Government Ministers?
Why is he interfering and undermining the ethics of accuracy, balance and fairness of Fiji TV Newsroom?
What did Mr Fareed tell Mr Shanal Sivan resulting in him not being seen or heard doing major news stories?
Did he tell Mr Shanal Sivan that Mr Sivan’s news stories were hurting Government?
Did he tell Mr Sivan not to do political stories or keep away from mainstream Fiji One News?
Did he tell Fiji One Newsroom to re-run the AG’s statement on questions raised in Parliament by the Opposition on his and the Supervisor’s role, and not to run any response from the Opposition as clearly witnessed?
Why is the Fiji Media Association silent on the matter despite this receiving widespread publicity on the social media?
Will the Fijian Holdings Limited Board immediately investigate Mr Fareed’s role in Fiji TV?

These are questions that Mr Fareed, the FHL and the Fiji Media Association must answer in the matter of public interest.

Authorised by

Professor Biman Prasad
NFP Leader

Encl: Links to Fiji TV Stories done by Shanal Sivan

https://www.facebook.com/fijionenews/videos/1405147512884120/

https://www.facebook.com/fijionenews/videos/1404001719665366/

https://www.facebook.com/fijionenews/videos/1399874140078124/

https://www.facebook.com/fijionenews/videos/1397836596948545/

https://www.facebook.com/fijionenews/videos/1393189770746561/

https://www.facebook.com/fijionenews/videos/1353771314688407/

From Fiji Exposed Forum, a citizen's journalism website

5 Comments

Rajend Naidu

19/2/2017 01:21:00 am

Editor,
Donald Trump, the US president with " undisguised contempt " for journalists, has called the media " the enemy of the American people" ( smh 19/2 ).
Donald Trump is a leader who does not tolerate criticism. He flatters himself about everything and wants everyone to flatter him on everything he does. Journalists who are critical of him and question his actions become targets for his vitriolic attack ( see ' An Unimaginable Combination : Journalists React to the Jorge Ramos - Donald Trump Confrontation' by Ronald Bishop PhD, Drexel University in International Journal of Hispanic Media Volume 8, 2015 ).
Going after the messenger/ the journalists exposing the truth about his failures is a convenient scapegoat for Trump.
That leadership style is not uncommon among leaders who can't handle democratic criticism and opposition.
We have had our own experience of that variety of leadership in post coup Fiji.
Trump should know the real " enemy of the American people" are the corporate crooks and Wall Street bankers who have no qualms about screwing the American people, forcing many to loose their homes and livelihoods and savings.
Many of these real enemies of the American people are Trump's best mates ( some now being recruited into his Cabinet ).
That alliance between the ruling elite and the corporate gang has reached new heights in post coup Fiji, as illustrated in this Fijileaks story among several others.
Sincerely,
Rajend Naidu

Gulong

19/2/2017 08:40:30 am

In the valley of the blind (Fiji) the one eyed is King. He who sees with both eyes is eliminated

Shannon

19/2/2017 06:41:45 pm

Dear Editor,

Has anyone made an attempt to reach out to Shivam and seek clarification about this? While o agree that it is/would be worrying if the allegation is true, one would assume that in the interests of ensuring the correctness of the statement, his views are also sought?

Rajend Naidu

20/2/2017 02:24:03 am

Editor,
Hounding Journalists
We read in the Aljazeera article ' Egypt extends Mahmoud Hussein's detention by 45 days' ( Feb 20 ) that Aljazeera denies charges against Mahmoud and calls for his release as detention is extended for the fourth time.
Hussein, an Egyptian national and journalist with more than two decades of experience was arrested on Dec 20 after arriving at Cairo international airport for a holiday from Qatar were he is lives.
Five days after his initial arrest Egypt's interior ministry accused him of " incitement against state institutions and broadcasting false news with the aim of spreading chaos".
That's the kind of phoney charges the State in communist China and rogue regimes around the world fabricate to silence critical journalist.
And, Egypt we hear is now a democracy following the end of the Mubarak dictatorship.
Is it?
And, just what kind of democracy does Fiji have if the Shanal Sivan story is true?
Sincerely,
Rajend Naidu

Bahuki

22/2/2017 09:30:42 am

And the regime spreads its tentacles everywhere, so this is nothing new since media freedom is badly muzzled.

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NFP: Is there collusion between Government and Fijian Holdings CEO Nouzab Fareed leading to interference in Fiji ONE TV News? What did Fareed tell Shanal Sivan resulting in him not being seen or heard on TV?

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