Wednesday 15 April 2009

FIJI: Regime shuts ABC's FM radio stations

<fontfamily><param>Arial</param>Title – 6121 FIJI: Regime shuts ABC's
FM radio stations

Date – 15 April 2009

Byline – None

Origin – Pacific Media Watch

Source – The Australian, 15/04/09

Copyright – TA

Status – Unabridged

----------------------------

* Pacific Media Watch Online - check the website for archive and links:

<color><param>1A1A,1A1A,FFFF</param>www.pacmediawatch.aut.ac.nz</color>


* Post a comment on this story at PMW Right of Reply:

<color><param>1A1A,1A1A,FFFF</param>www.pacificmediacentre.blogspot.com</color>

<color><param>1A1A,1A1A,FFFF</param>pmc@aut.ac.nz</color>


<bold>FRANK BAINIMARAMA SHUTS ABC'S FM RADIO STATIONS IN FIJI

</bold>www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25337381-601,00.html<bold>


</bold>SYDNEY (<italic>TA Online/Pacific Media Watch</italic>): Frank
Bainimarama's military regime is forcing the ABC to shut down its
radio transmitters in Fiji to limit "negative" reports about the
government's undemocratic rule.


The broadcaster says it has been ordered to close its FM relay
stations in the capital, Suva, and in the tourist town of Nadi.


"Local sources have since confirmed Radio Australia is off the air in
both locations," the ABC said.


However, it is still able to broadcast in the troubled country on its
shortwave transmitter.


Coup leader Bainimarama believes freedom of speech causes trouble and
must be curbed to allow the military government to do its work.


In an attempt to justify tough restrictions on local and international
media reporting of recent political upheaval in the island nation,
Commodore Bainimarama said he did not like to hear opposition to his
plans.


"We want to come up with these reforms and the last thing we want to
do is have opposition to these reforms throughout," he told Radio New
Zealand today.


"So that is the reason we've come up with the emergency regulations."


His comments follow Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum's rejection
of Australia's criticism of the purge of Fiji's judiciary.


"The new judges will be just as independent as the old judges,"
Sayed-Khaiyum told <italic>The Australian</italic>.


Commodore Bainimarama has assumed greater power in recent days after
the abrogation of the constitution following a Court of Appeal ruling
that his government was illegal.


An information vacuum exists after he imposed severe coverage
restrictions on local media and expelled all Australian and New
Zealand journalists from the country.


Asked about every country's need to have open and free discussions,
Commodore Bainimarama said: "Not in Fiji".


"The circumstances have changed," he said.


"We (the government) now decide what needs to be done for our country."


He said freedom of speech had caused trouble in the past and was the
reason for the political upheaval in the past few days.


"That was how we came up with what has happened in the last few days,"
he said.


Fiji's central bank announced on Wednesday that its dollar has been
devalued by 20 percent with the latest political crisis.


The devaluation was announced by new Reserve Bank governor Sada Reddy
soon after he was installed by the military-led government.


It comes a day after the dismissal of former governor Savenaca Narube
and the introduction of exchange controls to prevent the flight of
capital.


<italic>* Comment on this item
<color><param>1A1A,1A1A,FFFF</param>www.pacificmediacentre.blogspot.com</color></italic>


+++niuswire


PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH ONLINE

<color><param>1A1A,1A1A,FFFF</param>www.pacmediawatch.aut.ac.nz</color>


PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH is a media and educational resource compiled by
the AUT Pacific Media Centre for the Pacific region.


(c)1996-2009 Creative Commons

<color><param>1A1A,1A1A,FFFF</param>http://creativecommons.org</color>


Items are provided solely for review purposes as a non-profit
educational service. Copyright remains the property of the original
producers as indicated in the header. Recipients should seek
permission

from the copyright owner for any publishing. Copyright owners not
wishing their materials to be posted by PMW please contact us. The
views expressed in material listed by PMW are not necessarily the
views

of PMW or the Pacific Media Centre.


For further information or joining the Pacific Media Watch listserve,
go to:

<color><param>1A1A,1A1A,FFFF</param>http://lists.apc.org.au/listinfo.cgi/pacific_media_watch?apc.org.au</color>


Email:

<color><param>1A1A,1A1A,FFFF</param>pmc@aut.ac.nz</color>

Fax: (+649) 921 9987

SnailMail: Pacific Media Centre, School of Communication Studies, AUT

University, Private Bag 92006, Auckland 1142, Aotearoa/New Zealand


Website: <color><param>1A1A,1A1A,FFFF</param>www.pmw.c2o.org</color>

_______________________________________________

Pacific_media_watch mailing list

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</fontfamily>---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: [Pacific_media_watch] 6121 FIJI: Regime shuts ABC's FM radio
stations
From: "Pacific Media Watch nius" <pacific_media_watch@lists.apc.org.au>
Date: Wed, April 15, 2009 08:11
To: "Pacific Media Watch" <pacific_media_watch@lists.apc.org.au>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title – 6121 FIJI: Regime shuts ABC's FM radio stations
Date – 15 April 2009
Byline – None
Origin – Pacific Media Watch
Source – The Australian, 15/04/09
Copyright – TA
Status – Unabridged
----------------------------
* Pacific Media Watch Online - check the website for archive and links:
www.pacmediawatch.aut.ac.nz

* Post a comment on this story at PMW Right of Reply:
www.pacificmediacentre.blogspot.com
pmc@aut.ac.nz

FRANK BAINIMARAMA SHUTS ABC'S FM RADIO STATIONS IN FIJI
www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25337381-601,00.html

SYDNEY (TA Online/Pacific Media Watch): Frank Bainimarama's military
regime is forcing the ABC to shut down its radio transmitters in Fiji
to limit "negative" reports about the government's undemocratic rule.

The broadcaster says it has been ordered to close its FM relay stations
in the capital, Suva, and in the tourist town of Nadi.

"Local sources have since confirmed Radio Australia is off the air in
both locations," the ABC said.

However, it is still able to broadcast in the troubled country on its
shortwave transmitter.

Coup leader Bainimarama believes freedom of speech causes trouble and
must be curbed to allow the military government to do its work.

In an attempt to justify tough restrictions on local and international
media reporting of recent political upheaval in the island nation,
Commodore Bainimarama said he did not like to hear opposition to his
plans.

"We want to come up with these reforms and the last thing we want to do
is have opposition to these reforms throughout," he told Radio New
Zealand today.

"So that is the reason we've come up with the emergency regulations."

His comments follow Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum's rejection of
Australia's criticism of the purge of Fiji's judiciary.

"The new judges will be just as independent as the old judges,"
Sayed-Khaiyum told The Australian.

Commodore Bainimarama has assumed greater power in recent days after
the abrogation of the constitution following a Court of Appeal ruling
that his government was illegal.

An information vacuum exists after he imposed severe coverage
restrictions on local media and expelled all Australian and New Zealand
journalists from the country.

Asked about every country's need to have open and free discussions,
Commodore Bainimarama said: "Not in Fiji".

"The circumstances have changed," he said.

"We (the government) now decide what needs to be done for our country."

He said freedom of speech had caused trouble in the past and was the
reason for the political upheaval in the past few days.

"That was how we came up with what has happened in the last few days,"
he said.

Fiji's central bank announced on Wednesday that its dollar has been
devalued by 20 percent with the latest political crisis.

The devaluation was announced by new Reserve Bank governor Sada Reddy
soon after he was installed by the military-led government.

It comes a day after the dismissal of former governor Savenaca Narube
and the introduction of exchange controls to prevent the flight of
capital.

* Comment on this item www.pacificmediacentre.blogspot.com

+++niuswire

PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH ONLINE
www.pacmediawatch.aut.ac.nz

PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH is a media and educational resource compiled by the
AUT Pacific Media Centre for the Pacific region.

(c)1996-2009 Creative Commons
http://creativecommons.org

Items are provided solely for review purposes as a non-profit
educational service. Copyright remains the property of the original
producers as indicated in the header. Recipients should seek permission
from the copyright owner for any publishing. Copyright owners not
wishing their materials to be posted by PMW please contact us. The
views expressed in material listed by PMW are not necessarily the views
of PMW or the Pacific Media Centre.

For further information or joining the Pacific Media Watch listserve,
go to:
http://lists.apc.org.au/listinfo.cgi/pacific_media_watch?apc.org.au

Email:
pmc@aut.ac.nz
Fax: (+649) 921 9987
SnailMail: Pacific Media Centre, School of Communication Studies, AUT
University, Private Bag 92006, Auckland 1142, Aotearoa/New Zealand

Website: http//www.pmw.c2o.org
_______________________________________________

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