Results for media freedom

Since the Tiananmen Square massacre 30 years ago, China has achieved extraordinary economic development. Yet, contrary to the expectations of many Western leaders and analysts, the country has not gradually embraced press freedom or respect for civil rights. On the contrary: as a recent Reporters Without Borders (RSF) report shows, China today is actively working to build a repressive “new world media order” – an initiative that poses a clear and present danger to the world’s democracies. By Wu’er Kaixi and Christophe Deloire.

The Fiji Media Council is shocked and dismayed that on the eve of World Media Freedom day the interim Government should make such a mockery of its claim that the media in Fiji is free. While the media is still coming to terms with the deportation of Russell Hunter it is rocked by the deportation of the publisher of the Fiji Times, Evan Hannah.

Media freedom last week was put under the spotlight with the removal of the Fiji Sun publisher, Australian Russell Hunter, as well as the release of the controversial Fiji Human Rights Commission report on the freedom and independence of the media by Hawaii-based academic Dr James Anthony. Many see it as the interim government's indirect move to control media freedom.

It is nearly one year since November 2003 when Tongans lost their right to Freedom of Speech as a defence. After last year's Constitutional amendment, Tonga went back 128 years to the days when people were allowed to speak or to express an opinion only if it was in line with that of their superiors or chiefs. Editor's Comment, by Pesi Fonua