Significant changes to our media landscape are expected after an act to amend the Media Industry Development Decree 2010 was passed by Parliament yesterday.

One of the features of the new law is the removal of a $1000 fine for journalists, replacing it with a warning from the Fiji Media Tribunal or the courts.

Apart from a few questions from the Opposition seeking clarification, both sides of Parliament were united in their endorsement of the amended Bill.          National Federation Party (NFP) leader Biman Prasad welcomed the law, saying it was long overdue.

Under the previous laws, journalists could be fined a maximum of $1000, the publisher or editor could be fined a maximum of $25,000 and media corporations fined a maximum of $100,000 for offences.

With the new Bill, publishers, editors and companies could still be fined but not the journalist.

Foreign owners

Attorney-General and Minister for Communication Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum also explained that the new laws would allow for foreign-based pay-per-view service providers as well as cross-ownership of these services to encourage more investment in the broadcasting sector.At the moment, the only pay-per-view service in Fiji is provided by Sky Pacific, run by Fiji Television, owned by parent company Fijian Holdings.

Another Suva-based pay-per-view company Pacific Broadcasting Systems (PBS) closed down in 2012 after only seven years of existence, because of management issues.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said multi-nationals like Digicel would now be able to purchase Sky Pacific from Fijian Holdings, if negotiations were successful.

However, he confirmed that the pay-per-view providers would operate with strict guidelines with services limited to entertainment and sports programmes or channels sourced from any other country.

The amended bill brought to Parliament yesterday by Mr Sayed-Khaiyum, also allows foreign companies to own pay TV stations in Fiji.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum had earlier revealed that Digicel, the Irish mobile phone multinational was interested in buying Sky Pacific from Fijian Holdings.

The provisions of the amended bill, according to Mr Sayed-Khaiyum would allow for this.

Other Bills

Other Bills passed by Parliament yesterday, with support from both sides of Parliament, included the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill 2015 that allows cash sponsors to sponsor and make donations to the Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committees (FASANOC) and the Fiji Rugby Union (FRU). In turn, the cash sponsors will be granted tax incentives.

Also part of the same Bill is the film tax rebate that provides incentives to film production companies.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum revealed talks were in place with a major Bollywood production company to set up business in Fiji and better incentives would attract more business.

Other Bills passed were the Fiji Roads Authority (Amendment) Bill, the Land Transport Authority and Workers Compensation (Amendment) Bill.

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