Media7 bares all on Fiji

THANKS to Russell Brown and Media7, the digital channel TVNZ7's programme featuring Fiji media freedom and politics is finally on YouTube. Media7's own YouTube channel has a technical hitch which has temporarily stopped updates, so Russell kindly made available made a copy for uploading to the Pacific Media Centre's own channel. It's there now (three parts) so take a peek - especially those around the Pacific who have complained that they couldn't see the programme on TVNZ's on demand link. The programme features David Robie, Barbara Dreaver and Robert Khan. Ranjit Singh filed his own impressions on the PMC's blog.

TV debate on media coverage of Fiji - ABC's On The Mat Feb 20
Media7's on PMC YouTube
Fiji programme (part 1)
Fiji programme (part 2)
Fiji programme (part 3)
Ranjit Singh's review

Fiji press freedom and a fresh Kiwi angle

MEDIA7 last night had a crack at Fiji press freedom and coverage in the New Zealand media - and it wasn't too flattering. A news intro covered the expulsion of three publishers in a year and deportation of two New Zealand-based journalists: Fairfax's Michael Field and TVNZ's Kiribati-born Barbara Dreaver, the channel's Pacific affairs correspondent. The intro also raised criticisms of lack of balance and depth in NZ media coverage and highlighted former University of the South Pacific's professor Croz Walsh and his scathing comments in a new blog focused on Fiji affairs. Presenter Russell Brown raised wide-ranging questions with his panel - Café Pacific's David Robie (AUT Pacific Media Centre director), Barbara Dreaver and Radio Tarana's managing director Robert Khan. The general mood was that Fiji deserved a fairer hearing, more support for finding a solution - and "there's only one thing worse than a coup and that's a failed coup".

• View Media7's Fiji programme (Feb 5)
  
• Media7's blog
• Croz Walsh's blog
• Radio Tarana
• Media7 on YouTube
• Pacific Media Centre on YouTube