Fiji Media Join Forces for First Public Forums in the North

Fijians in Labasa and Savusavu will have an opportunity this week to directly question senior government officials, including Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and Deputy Prime Minister Biman Prasad, in a landmark series of town hall forums co-hosted by Fiji’s major news organisations.

For the first time, leading media outlets—including The Fiji Sun, The Fiji Times, Mai TV, Fiji Live, Communications Fiji Limited (CFL), Fiji Broadcasting Corporation (FBC), and Fiji TV—have joined forces under the Fiji Media Association (FMA) to deliver the Town Hall & Meet the Public and the Press events in Savusavu and Labasa.

The Savusavu forum will be held at 7pm tomorrow, Wednesday, July 23, at Hotel Grand Epic, while the Labasa event will take place at 7pm on Thursday, July 24, at the Fiji Football Association Conference Room.

The initiative is supported by the United States Embassy in Fiji.

FMA General Secretary and Mai TV News Director Stanley Simpson described the collaboration as groundbreaking for both the media industry and Fiji’s democracy.

“The role of the media is more critical than ever in an age of fake news and misinformation, and our goal with this initiative is to foster transparent dialogue and democratic discussion,” Mr Simpson said.

“Never before have our major news organisations set aside commercial competition to work together for the greater good of democratic dialogue and public engagement."

The forums will allow residents of the Northern Division to engage directly with government on key issues including economic development, infrastructure, access to public services in rural areas, education, healthcare, tourism, and agriculture.

“For Ministers and Ministries that may not be able to be physically present, the media will try to call them live during the show to respond to pressing queries from the public or address through follow-up stories,” Simpson said.

The forums will be broadcast live across all participating radio, TV, and digital platforms—ensuring widespread reach and real-time interaction with citizens.

Senior editors and journalists from all outlets will moderate the discussions, ensuring robust but balanced dialogue and fair representation.

The Fiji Media Association says the events are part of a broader plan to build trust in public institutions and strengthen civic engagement, with similar forums expected across the country in future.