Talks to publish a media handbook on Parliamentary reporting were held at a two-day workshop at the Holiday Inn Suva.

The inaugural media roundtable included discussions between Members of Parliament, senior journalists, including organisations such as the Fiji Sun and Fijian Media Association.

The first day of deliberations included media reporting with Parliamentarians which includes the publication of a media handbook on Parliamentary reporting and establishing a Fiji Parliamentary Press Gallery – an idea which initiated at a Pacific Media Assistance Scheme(PACMAS) Parliamentary workshop and consultations in Suva last year.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Fiji Parliament Support Project together with the Australian government-funded PACMAS and the Fiji Media Industry Development Authority (MIDA) collaborated on this media roundtable.

The workshop was facilitated by UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji Effective Governance team leader, Dyfan Jones, and former New South Wales Parliamentary Press Gallery and Australian Broadcasting Corporation parliamentary reporter, Stephen Chase.

Members of Parliament from both sides of the House with the Parliamentary Secretariat and senior media representatives discussed challenges to map a way forward yesterday.

In an earlier statement, PACMAS programme manager, Francis Herman said the roundtable was a major collaborative effort by a range of development partners to improve the capacity journalists and communication practitioners in the Pacific.

He said journalists could report responsibly on and mediate discussion about key issues affecting development.

The roundtable would also include Journalism courses co-ordinators from the University of the South Pacific, Fiji National University and Suva-based Pacific Islands News Association.

Edited by Caroline Ratucadra

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