5 May 2009

Samoa to host media workshop after Fiji clampdown

9:19 pm on 5 May 2009

The editor in chief of the Fiji Times newspaper says he wants to ask peers at a regional media freedom workshop in Samoa how to handle conflict.

Netani Rika is among the regional journalists due to attend this week's event to mark World Media Freedom Day.

The meeting has been moved from Suva to Apia because of the Fiji military imposed emergency regulations, which include media censorship.

Mr Rika says the Pacific Freedom Forum is running the workshop with UNESCO and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.

"I'm hoping to listen to the views of journalists from around the region and how they think that we can best handle conflict situations better and what we can do to inspire especially young journalists who over the years has come under increasing pressure from regional governments to tow the line by certain individuals and political parties."

Netani Rika