The Pacific Freedom Forum says World Press Freedom Day is a significant milestone for Pacific region media.
May 3 is World Press Freedom Day, a day declared by the UN to observe and raise awareness of freedom of the press. It is also intended to remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the freedom of expression.
RNZ Pacific asked a few journalists across the Pacific region what World Press Freedom Day means for them.
The Pacific Freedom Forum is a regional media body, monitoring threats to press freedom and journalism ethics across Oceania.
Its current co-chairs are Bernadette Carreon-Brooks in Palau, and Robert Iroga in Solomon Islands.
"In certain countries, there are current Covid states of public emergency in which some countries use it to limit the ability of reporters and journalists to be able to report freely or ask information that they require."
Mr. Iroga said that remains one of the big challenges in the Solomon Islands.
"Another challenge, in a different way, is that lot of media businesses are really struggling due to Covid-19, and when there's not a lot of money, then your reporters are not paid on time or paid at all," he said.
Mr. Iroga said he would like to see regional governments ensure that reporters can report freely without fear or favour across the region, especially without facing threats or intimidation.
"Free press is a key component of any democracy and any move to sabotage our freedom is something I deplore."
Georgina Kekea is the President of the Media Association of Solomon Islands or MASI. Ms. Kekea has been a freelance reporter for over 20 years.
"The challenge in Solomon Islands is getting interviews from the government side. She said local media often criticized not having balanced stories and with social media, we tend to see breaking news coming out on social media platforms, as journalists you need to verify that information but it's hard getting access to people to be able to speak and confirm the information." She said.
On whether the government or the public understands the role of the media, she said she doesn't believe there's an understanding of what the media do.
The President of the Palau Media Council Leilani Reklai said freedom of information is essential to the function of a fair and free society and forms the basis both for the right of individuals to express themselves and for governments to be accountable to their citizens.
"World Press Freedom Day is an opportunity for smaller newsrooms like what we have in Palau to highlight the need for independent local journalism," she said.
"We strongly disagree with the public denunciation of the independent media from the government and any attempts to make the press serve those in power rather than the public,"
"We believe that keeping the population informed and holding leaders to account is crucial to a fully functioning democratic government," Ms.Reklai.
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I totally agree with the right to a free press, but stress that all journalists, correspondents and publishers of news should abide with telling the truth, not distort the facts or deliberately lie in a story or report
In April 1999 I suffered from the untruthful and malicious writings of two well known journalists, one from New Zealand and the other based in Australia but married to a Solomon islander. Their reports I remain convinced were coordinated to sow discord and to lesson my influence and ability to command the then SIPF at the most critical time in Solomon Islands affairs on the verge of the civil crisis which ultimately led to the period now known locally as the ‘Tensions.’
The proof of the lie is I was active in doing in 1999 what was necessary to support the nation and what I have tried to do, daily, ever since 1999 (23 years) albeit no longer living in the Solomon Islands and in critically ill health.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
