THE Fiji Times is not ready to apply for the $375,000 direct Government funding allocated to the company under the 2026-2027 National Budget.
This follows the revelation in Parliament by Information Minister Lynda Tabuya of grants being allocated for media organisations in Fiji.
Yesterday, the company’s general manager, Christine Lyons, said while The Fiji Times acknowledged and appreciated the Government’s decision to extend support to Fiji’s media sector by including print media organisations for the first time, it preferred not to apply for this.
“For more than 156 years, The Fiji Times has built its reputation on independence, integrity and the trust of our readers, advertisers, business partners and the wider community,” she said. “Protecting that trust and maintaining our independence remain central to who we are as Fiji’s most trusted media organisation.”
Ms Lyons said The Fiji Times would continue working with Government agencies through established commercial advertising and public information campaigns.
Ms Tabuya said the lower allocation for The Fiji Times and Fiji Sun reflected their print and online reach compared with broadcasters offering television and radio services, which would receive $850,000 each.
Meanwhile, Mai TV director Stanley Simpson said the broadcaster would accept the funding and maintained that media organisations should maintain a clear distinction between publicly funded PSB programming and their independent editorial and news operations to safeguard editorial independence.
“Government does not approve the editorial content of PSB programs before broadcast,” Simpson said.
He said all media organisations had a role to play in producing public interest content for the benefit of Fiji.
