FIJI: Fiji media 'blacklist' draws foreign concern

The news director of a New Zealand television station whose journalist was banned from entering Fiji on Sunday is concerned about Fiji's lack of respect for press freedom

Pacific Media Watch
Wednesday, May 26, 2004

SUVA (Radio Fiji/Fijilive/Pacific Media Watch): The news director of a New Zealand television station whose journalist was banned from entering Fiji on Sunday is concerned about Fiji's lack of respect for press freedom.

TV3 news director Mark Jennings says he supports New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark's call for Pacific blacklists to be made public so tourists are not turned away at airports.

It is understood that journalist Jeff Hampton, a former Fiji TV news director, had no prior notification from Suva that he was not allowed to enter Fiji.

Hampton, who arrived on Sunday with his family for a holiday, was stopped by immigration officials at Nadi Airport.

Fiji Immigration Director Joe Browne says Hampton is on the "prohibited list".

Hampton was put on the next flight to New Zealand while his family has been allowed to continue with their holiday in Fiji.

Browne says Hampton was banned for stories that aired on TV3 news and were "untrue". The stories featured footage of soldiers armed with guns at a school in Labasa.

The items were subject to a complaint by Fiji's then High Commissioner, Isimeli Bainimarama, to the Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) in New Zealand.

Bainimarama claimed the stories were "inaccurate and misleading".

Fiji's current High Commissioner to New Zealand, Bal Ram, says Hampton's ban could be reviewed. He suggested that Hampton should check with the high commission there before he intends to visit Fiji next time.

Ram pointed out that Hampton had produced a misleading and inaccurate report, which used old footage from a military exercise and claimed that it showed soldiers shooting Indo-Fijians.

Prime Minister Clark said she understood the footage was about what was happening in Fiji and Hampton wrote his story around that.

She said New Zealand defended freedom of speech and fair opinion and she hoped Fiji would be able to see it that way.

The BSA upheld only one aspect of the complaint but there was no penalty.

Browne says Hampton would have to apply to be reconsidered if his name was to be removed from the blacklist.

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Date Posted: 5/26/2004