Fiji has improved a massive 45 places on the Reporters Without Borders 2024 press index to be placed at 44 out of 180 countries when it comes to press freedom.
In 2023, when Fiji still had the draconian Media Industry Development Act, Fiji was ranked 89.
“After 16 years of recurring attacks on press freedom by former prime minister Frank Bainimarama, the pressure exerted on the media by civil and military authorities has eased since the election of Sitiveni Rabuka as head of the Republic of Fiji in 2022,” said Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
“The repeal of the draconian and unpopular Media Industry Development Act (MIDA) in April 2023 is an important step forward.”
The decree stated journalists could be jailed for up to two years for violating the law’s vaguely-worded provisions.
“The sedition laws, which were repeatedly used against The Fiji Times, also fuelled a climate of fear and self-censorship, with the threat of sentences of up to seven years in prison.”
RSF said from 2006 to 2022, press freedom was directly affected by recurring attacks by former prime minister Frank Bainimarama.
“But pressure exerted on the media by the civilian and military authorities has let up since Sitiveni Rabuka was elected Prime Minister in December 2022.
“Biman Prasad, who is Deputy Prime Minister in Rabuka’s Coalition Government, has shown strong support for press freedom.”
RSF said journalists’ interests in Fiji were currently represented by the Fiji Media Association (FMA).
After the repeal of the Media Act, the association has worked hard to restore independent journalism and public trust in the media.
“After the repeal of the Media Act, the FMA worked hard to restore independent journalism and public trust in the media.”
