7 May 2009

At whim of censors, Fiji Times strives to maintain journalism standards

1:59 pm on 7 May 2009

The editor in chief of the Fiji Times, Netani Rika, has told a media workshop in Samoa that the greatest challenge the paper faces with censorship is inconsistency.

Under the emergency rules declared nearly a month ago, the Fiji interim regime has installed censors in newsrooms while maintaining its threat to shut down media outlets which defy its instructions.

Mr Rika says his journalists continue to cover every story in detail as if they were working in a democratic country without restrictions.

And he says they challenge the censors by putting every possible news item before them.

But he says it is at the discretion of the censor on duty what may be covered.

Mr Rika also says in an attempt to stem the tide of information being published by bloggers, Fiji's rulers have resorted to ordering the closure of Internet cafes from 6pm each evening.