Times’ motives evident – minister
THE anti-government motives of The Fiji Times are evident on most of its front pages, claims Assistant Minister for iTaukei Affairs Selai Adimaitoga.
She made the statement in Parliament yesterday while delivering an end of week statement on the Media Industry Development Act 2010.
Ms Adimaitoga said The Fiji Times newspaper always published anti-government articles.
“Anyone who speaks against the Government is being published in media like The Fiji Times,” she said.
Ms Adimaitoga said those who spread hate speech were using the media.
Responding to the statement, Attorney-General Aiyaz SayedKhaiyum said media organisations should be held responsible for third-party comments on their social media accounts.
He said a ruling by the High Court in Australia had stated that media organisations could no longer say that they were not responsible for third party comments on the social media platforms.
“Those media organisations can no longer hide behind the guise that it’s not their comment. Their webpage or their Facebook page has actually facilitated that and I really hope that the judiciary in Fiji picks up on the development of the laws surrounding social media.”
The Fiji Times editor Fred Wesley said the newspaper was used to accusations that it was anti-government.
“Ms Adimaitoga has her reasons for saying what she did. She does not speak for The Fiji Times or its staff. We are not anti-government, nor are we progovernment, and neither she nor anyone should try to put us into one corner or another,” Wesley said.
“The Fiji Times does not exist to create positive headlines for the Government. It exists to publish all views and to ensure there is balanced coverage of the news and balanced political debate.”