A forum in Fiji recently brought together regional and international media representatives to discuss the various challenges and opportunities journalists face in the Pacific. The three-day conference featured attendees from the media industry, academia, civil society, and other interested parties.
Shivaali Shrutika, an emerging journalist from Fiji, emphasized the need for newsrooms to adapt to changing times. “Transformation is important, wherever you are,” she noted. “In mainstream media, we must reach out to the communities we aim to represent, but that starts with us improving to better understand and convey their thoughts to our audiences.”
Shrutika also highlighted the importance of a positive working environment for journalists, given the pressures and deadlines inherent in the profession. “Positive energy and a flexible environment where everyone’s work is appreciated can help boost confidence and create supportive spaces,” she said. A lack of support from more experienced reporters can drive young journalists away from the field.
Kaneta Namimatau, a final-year journalism student at the University of the South Pacific, remarked that this was the largest media conference he had attended, marking the first such event in Fiji in 20 years. The discussions on the intimidation and harassment faced by journalists under the Media Industry Development Act were particularly striking for him. The panel on the prevalence and impact of sexual harassment on female journalists was especially powerful.
A recent study revealed that sexual harassment of women journalists in Fiji is a significant issue. “It’s disheartening to hear, as I would hate for my sisters to encounter such situations,” Namimatau said. Despite the challenges, the conference strengthened his resolve to continue his journalism career and tell the stories of his people from Banaba and Rabi.
Associate Professor Shailendra Singh, who helped organize the event, stated that it is a crucial time for regional journalists. The digital disruption and the adverse effects of COVID-19 have severely impacted the media industry, with many organizations struggling to survive. He mentioned that the papers and discussions from the conference would be published in the Pacific Journalism Review.
The conference follows the 2023 lifting of the FijiFirst government’s 2010 media act, which had enforced strict censorship, creating a new environment where Fiji journalists no longer operate in fear. Asia Pacific Report publisher Dr. David Robie praised the conference as timely and necessary, particularly lauding the panel on sexual harassment in Pacific journalism as one of the best discussions he had attended.
The conference also addressed other pressing issues such as climate change and stress/burn-out within the industry. As the first of its kind in Fiji in two decades, Singh hopes that delegates will apply what they learned to improve their respective newsrooms.