SUVA, Fiji Islands (PMW): Fiji Media Council chairman Daryl Tarte has spoken out defending the council's adjudication procedures, confirming that at least four complaints have been received from the Fiji Government.

But he added that it was best if media organisations themselves responded to Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry's attack over alleged lack of professionalism and ethics of some Fiji news media.

"It was an attack on them - not on the Media Council," Tarte was quoted as saying in a fullpage interview in the Fiji Sun on 29 October 1999.

"As far I am concerned, there has been no attack on media freedom. That has been endorsed [by Prime Minister Chaudhry] so I have no real justification as chairman of the Media Council to respond to Mr Chaudhry.

"And no member of the public has responded either. And it is not the Media Council's fight."

At the launching of the self-regulatory Media Council's Code of Ethics and Practice on Oct 26, Prime Minister Chaudhry singled out four news media groups for bitter attacks - Fiji Times, Fiji Sun, Fiji Television Ltd and Islands Business news magazine.

He also threatened to impose a "fast track" media tribunal with punitive powers against the media.

Chaudhry named individual journalists and made allegations of fabrication and distortion of news, drawing angry denials in the past few days by many news media editors and publishers, and opposition politicians.

The attack also prompted a retired former publisher of the Fiji Times, Sir Leonard Usher, to claim on Fiji TV on Oct 28 that some of the statements were potentially defamatory.

Last year, a complaint to the Media Council by Chaudhry's Fiji Labour Party, then in opposition, against the Fiji Times was rejected.

A month ago, on Sept 6, a complaint by Chaudhry's Private Secretary, his son Rajendra Chaudhry, was also dismissed. He had alleged that the Fiji Times was being "vindictive" by refusing to publish letters.

In the Fiji Sun, Tarte said: "We have received 80 complaints in the three years that we have been operating. All but eight of these have been settled by conciliation with the parties - the complainant and the respective media organisation."

Tarte referred to letters to the editor pages and correction sections that were widely used by newspapers.

"So there is a degree of balance between what the media is doing and if they go overboard then there is a way they could be addressed."

Tarte confirmed that a total of four complaints had been received from the Government.

"We have recently received two complaints from Government ministers, which we are going to [adjudicate] on.

"However, there is far more from the public than the Government."

Some media sources say that it is remarkable that Fiji news media have not published or broadcast any comment or reaction from commentators who are independent of Fiji's media ownership and the political Opposition.

"It is extraordinary that none of the newspapers have published the full text of the Prime Minister's speech so that the public can make up their own minds," said one media analyst. "Nor have the views of academics or independent commentators been sought."

In Bula Networks talkback radio on Oct 29, some public comment claimed the Fiji news media was "over-reacting" and endorsed Chaudhry's concern for "accurate" reporting.

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