In May 2007, months after Fiji had suffered its latest coup, I noted reports that the military was trying to prevent access to anti-government blogs.
Now the transition to a military dictatorship is complete, the censorship crackdown on the local media has been redoubled, leaving local blogs and other websites as a crucial source of uncensored news from Fiji. I’ve done a post on the Crikey website with more details.
Every Monday morning during my radio show on community radio 4ZzZ FM, I chat with Peter Black, a constitutional lawyer, follower of social and political issues and obsessive user of social media. I don’t normally put links to those chats on this blog, but given that our talk this morning was all about the federal election, I thought it was worth putting a link to it on this occasion. You can have a listen to it by clicking on this link.
(0)Given I am now running as a Greens candidate, I suppose it is no surprise that I am indicating my agreement with a comment that Bob Brown made today. But I would also say that it isn’t any secret that I haven’t agreed with every public comment that Bob has made, and I would agree with the following comment about the schoolyard level nonsense regarding another possible leaders debate even if it had been made by Steve Fielding:
“What we’re seeing now between the two leaders is an absolute farce and people everywhere are rolling their eyes at Tony Abbott and Julia Gillard not having the maturity to get together to agree to the series of debates which would have enlightened the electorate,“It is a joke and a sad reflection on the optic and image driven nature of political media coverage in Australia. A couple of weeks ago, there was a three way debate at the National Press Club on important ICT issues such as internet filtering, broadband and wider communications policy. More... (6)
A couple of years ago I wrote a blog post about mountaintop mining in the USA. All mining has some impact, but the sheer destructiveness of this type of mining is astonishing – and that’s before you take into account the greenhouse impact of the coal. This article in the New York Times details the potential impact of a similar project in West Virginia. The significance of this proposal is that there is the possibility it may be stopped, or seriously curtailed, by the Obama administration, which would be a signal of a positive shift on this issue.
(2)Following are links to a couple of recent radio interviews I’ve done, plus an online one
More... (1)As I noted in my previous post, this week’s Newspoll saw the Greens register 16% support – the highest that party has ever achieved, comparable to the Democrats best Newspoll result of 17% back in 1990. History suggests it is unlikely that this peak will be maintained right through to election day (or even the next Newspoll) but it is part of a continuing trend of solid Greens results. I’ve written a piece expanding on this, and how the party might approach the challenges ahead, at The Drum/Unleashed on the ABC’s site – which you can read by clicking on this link.
(0)Contention over Queensland’s Wild Rivers legislation has been bubbling along for quite a while now. Unfortunately, as with many issues which become polarised, each “side” is focused on defending their position, which has meant that some important underlying issues are not getting the attention they deserve. I’ve just had a piece on this topic published at The Drum on the ABC’s website. It’s fairly long, so they published it in two parts – the first part is at this link and the second part is at this one. I should emphasise that the article reflects my personal views, and is not a formal view of the Greens, nor of ANTaR Queensland, who I am also involved with.
(18)Hip hop fans in Brisbane might be interested in tuning in to my radio show on 4ZZZ FM this Monday morning around 7:30am. I’ll be talking with the Gold Coast based duo Choose Mics, who are launching their debut full length album Beggars Can’t Be Choosers at the Step Inn in the Valley this coming Friday night as part of what will be a big night for fans of hip-hop/rap/urban sounds, with Brisbane’s The Optimen also launching their second album “The Out of Money Experience” as part of the same event. Even though there is a steady stream of musical offerings in Brisbane, a double album launch of this magnitude doesn’t come along every day of the week, so I’ll dedicate a half hour or so to exploring not just the words and sounds of Choose Mics, but getting a broader overview from them of the hip hop related scenes locally and nationally.
More... (2)Disclaimer: The inclusion of a blog or website in this list should not be taken as an endorsement of its contents by me.
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11 Comments, Comment or Ping
clarencegirl
Thanks for the links to Fiji blogs. Well worth reading.
Apr 13th, 2009
Megan
“The renewed censorship will mean blogs and other sources of online information will probably become the main way to access uncensored information out of Fiji.”
Hmmm – just like Australia!!!
Apr 13th, 2009
TRS
The blogs have never really had to try to counter censorship as it’s very nature has allowed bloggers to post without any degree of external influence. Most blog sites contain posts written by anonymouse bloggers.
What is important to note are the truth claims of many bloggers. Whilst the blog posts at the moment seem to carry a lot more information then what is available from traditional media outlets, we have to very careful in absorbing what it’s contents are.
Unlike tradtional media, the stories contained in the blog posts have not been subjected to normal journalistic standards nor have they been vetted properly.
In any case, the only option for any coup related news for many Fijians right now are the blogs sites. Some news is better then nothing.
Apr 13th, 2009
Megan
“normal journalistic standards”?????
The UK’s biggest selling paper:
“They went on to accuse the American film producer, Steve Bing, of hiring private investigators to destroy the reputation of his former lover, Liz Hurley (the ‘Mail’ admitted the story was untrue and paid damages); the actress Nicole Kidman of having an affair with her co-star, Jude Law, during the filming of ‘Cold Mountain’ (the ‘Mail’ admitted the story was untrue and paid damages); the actress Diana Rigg of hating men and giving up her career (after she complained, the ‘Mail’ ran a second article along similar lines before admitting the story was untrue and paying damages); the actor Rowan Atkinson of needing five weeks’ treatment in a clinic for depression (the ‘Mail’ admitted the story was untrue and paid damages); the actor Sir Michael Caine of having a facelift (the ‘Mail’ admitted the story was untrue and paid money to a charity of Sir Michhael’s choice); the actress Sharon Stone of leaving her four-year-old son alone in her car while she dined out in a restaurant (the ‘Mail’ admitted the story was untrue and paid damages); the singer Sir Elton John of banning guests at a charity function from talking to him (the ‘Mail’ admitted the story was untrue and paid damages); the TV presenter Noel Edmonds of behaving unprofessionally and unreasonably over the course of his career (the ‘Mail’ admitted the story was untrue, paid damages and agreed to serialise Edmonds’ new book); one of their own journalists, Glenys Roberts, of conducting a vendetta against a restaurant near her home (the ‘Mail’ admitted the story was untrue and paid damages); the actor Hugh Grant of destroying his relationship with Jemima Khan by flirting with other women (the ‘Mail’ admitted the story was untrue and paid damages to Marie Curie Cancer Care)…”
From “Flat Earth News” by Nick Davies, p368.
Apr 13th, 2009
Guido
Is it only me but that crikey link doesn’t work?
Apr 15th, 2009
Andrew Bartlett
I just tried the Crikey link and it worked OK for me Guido, so not sure what the problem might be.
Apr 15th, 2009
Guido
I am at a different computer and it works here. May be a ‘firewall’ thingo.
Thanks Andrew.
Apr 15th, 2009
lorikeet
Megan:
Yes, that sounds like the “normal journalistic standards” – anything to get a story – anything to sell more papers.
Apr 15th, 2009
Peter Firkin
I agree that the blog information coming out of Fiji is suspect. I run a blog called Fijitoday and post what I see on a daily basis and information from friends emailed to me. There is no chance to ask the military for an explanation as that would result in a visit to Queen Elizabeth Base and questioning if not violence. It is a self inflicted wound on the part of Frank and Co as the mainstream media in Fiji was relativly unbiased compared to reporting in NZ or Australia. Clamping down and muzzling them left a vacuum that we are trying our best to fill. We don’t claim to get it right all the time but are trying to be the balance to the now pro government censored papers.
Apr 20th, 2009
Fiji Blogger.
@TRS.
Find your comments both pompous & ill informed – you obviously have no ides whatsoever whats going on or what’s at stake – main difficulty is convincing people such as yourself + AUS authorities (DFAT ONA & their political masters) that they are dealing with an inept military regime headed by a delusional dictator. Suggest you google regimes official www
real fiji news & post a derogatory comment? Watch the virus’s & Trogans magicly appear? People like you really should get out more.
Sep 24th, 2009
Reply to “Blogs try to counter censorship in Fiji”