Three years after the repeal of restrictive media laws, the Fijian Media Association (FMA) says progress in press freedom, while encouraging, remains fragile.
In a statement to mark World Press Freedom Day, the FMA noted that Fiji has made significant strides on the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index, climbing 16 places to 24th globally in 2026, up from 40th last year and 84th in 2023.
The Association said it was heartened by the improvement, describing it as a reflection of both the resilience of media workers and growing public recognition of the importance of independent journalism.
“This achievement… should be attributed not only to the media workers continuing to uphold the values of independent journalism… but to everybody in this country who recognise and defend the importance of a free media for a healthy democracy,” the FMA said.
However, the Association cautioned that the gains remain tenuous, warning that underlying challenges continue to threaten media development.
“While it is a moment to be celebrated, we are acutely aware of the various threats to individual media workers and the wider industry,” the statement said.
The FMA’s comments come against a sobering global backdrop, with the RSF index showing that more than half of the world’s countries are now classified as having ‘difficult’ or ‘very difficult’ conditions for press freedom—the lowest level recorded in the index’s 25-year history.
The Association said Fiji’s progress demonstrates what is possible with reforms and collective support, but stressed that continued vigilance is essential to safeguard recent gains.
