[pima.nius] FIJI MEDIA WARNED AGAINST REPORTING TOURIST DEATHS

FIJI MEDIA WARNED AGAINST REPORTING TOURIST DEATHS
Blog reports heavy censoring to protect tourism

http://pidp.eastwestcenter.org/pireport/2011/July/07-27-03.htm

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, July 26, 2011) – Fiji's interim regime is denying claims that it's suppressing information about the deaths of of two foreign men so as not to put Australian and New Zealand tourists off visiting the country.

The blog site Coup Four and a Half cites media sources in Suva claiming they have been warned not to report details of the two unrelated deaths - the murder of a New Zealand businessman and the apparent drowning of an American executive.

The site claims the two incidents have gone virtually unreported in Fiji, where emergency regulations imposed by the military regime allow the Ministry of Information to censor news coverage.

The anti-government blog site reported that journalists were told "to downplay both incidents for fear of the repercussions on the country's tourism industry."

New Zealand media has reported that businessman Tony Groom, who ran a charter boat operation in Denarau, had been beaten up and died a week later on July 15.

American Don Nicholas, chief executive of an anti-ageing medical institute, disappeared while surfing in huge swell on a reef off Natadola, south of Nadi.

A Fiji government spokeswoman, Sharon Smith-Jones, said claims the deaths had been censored were untrue, adding that she believed the two incidents had been well covered by local media.

Radio New Zealand International: www.rnzi.com
Copyright © 2010 RNZI. All Rights Reserved

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pacific islands media association
pima.nius@gmail.com
aotearoa, new zealand
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pacific islands media association
pima.nius@gmail.com
aotearoa, new zealand
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The pima.nius googlegroup is a facility for discussion and distributing information. Content sent by this googlegroup are forwarded from various networks and media publications.
 
DISCLAIMER: These emails are unedited and discussions made through this googlegroup are unmoderated. Announcements made through this googlegroup do not constitute endorsement for the organisations, individuals or opinions featured. Please check the integrity of organisations and individuals before exchanging personal information with them.
 
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