The Fiji Media Council says it is unacceptable that a delegation from Australian Broadcasting Corporation was refused visas for the country.

The team was to have travelled to American Samoa to attend the Festival of Pacific Arts and also scheduled a visit to Fiji.

Chairman Daryl Tarte said he did not think there was any just reason for them to be refused entry into the country.

"I suspect the action by the Fiji government is more in opposition to the way Fiji may be perceived negatively by the media overseas. But the same applies to the media here in Fiji. The government's main complaint about the operations of the media in Fiji is they are not reporting positively enough about the government," he said.

Department of Information acting deputy secretary Major Neumi Leweni, however, yesterday said that visas for the group of ABC journalist could be granted after receiving details on the purpose of the group's visit to the country.

He said he had a discussion with ABC director of international operations Murray Greenz late last week and there was a possibility of the group's visa being granted. FIT Online/Pacific Media Watch, 01/07/08.