The future looks very optimistic for media in Fiji, prominent author, journalist and academic Professor David Robie said yesterday. He spoke during a three-day journalism forum at the Tanoa Skylodge in Nadi.

“The media overall is giving a lot more balanced reporting, than had been the case earlier on, so I think the future is very optimistic for the media in Fiji,” Professor Robie said.

“It had been difficult in Fiji for quite a number of years now, but I believe there has been a definite improvement immediately prior to the elections and since the election there has been vigorous debate.”

Professor Robie is a former head of the University of the South Pacific Journalism programme.

He is now the Director of the Pacific Media Centre at the Auckland University of Technology and is one of the facilitators of the Enhancing a Human Rights-based Approach to News Reporting Forum.

“The key issue is storytelling and providing balance in the region, there are a lot of human rights issues that are not given sufficient coverage and there are actually other issues that need to be explored fully,” he said.

He commended the Secretariat of the Pacific Community for organising the forum and said that it was very critical and important for journalists and representatives to get a good sense of the human rights issues for the future.

The event is supported by the Australian Government and the European Union and it aims to strengthen media capacity in ‘rights-based reporting’ to reflect the realities and aspirations of Pacific islands communities for equality, development and social justice.

Edited by Rusiate Mataika

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