FOREWORD

A free and responsible media is essential to the strength of any democratic society. In Fiji, the role of the media in informing the public, supporting open dialogue, and holding institutions accountable must always be guided by the highest standards of professionalism and ethical conduct.

This updated Media Code of Ethics and Practice reaffirms the commitment of the Fiji Media Council (FMC or Council) and the wider media industry to responsible journalism across print, broadcast and digital platforms of members in mainstream media.

The Council acknowledges that the foundation of this Code was established in the 2005 Media Code of Ethics, developed through the leadership and dedication of the previous Media Council Executive. Their work created a vital framework for ethical journalism in Fiji and continues to inform the principles that guide this updated version.

As the media environment evolves, so too must our shared commitment to accuracy, fairness, balance and accountability. This revised Code reflects both the enduring values of ethical journalism and the realities of a modern and rapidly changing media landscape.

The Council encourages all media practitioners to uphold the spirit as well as the letter of this Code, recognising that public confidence in the media depends on our collective commitment to integrity and responsibility.

On behalf of the current Council, I extend appreciation to all individuals and organisations who have contributed to strengthening ethical media practice in Fiji.

                                                                                                 As custodians of a vital democratic institution, members of the media carry both privilege and responsibility. The Council encourages all media practitioners to uphold these standards faithfully so that the media in Fiji continues to inform, educate and empower our communities with credibility, dignity and respect.

Agatha Ferei Furivai

Chairperson, Fiji Media Council

4th March, 2026

How does our Code compare internationally?

The Fiji Media Council’s General Media Code of Ethics and Practice reflects both internationally recognised standards of journalism and the unique cultural, social and traditional values of Fiji’s society.

While grounded in widely accepted principles of ethical journalism, the Code has been developed to ensure that media practice remains sensitive to the country’s diverse communities and social context.

The original framework for the Code was developed with the assistance of the Thomson Foundation of Cardiff, United Kingdom, following extensive consultation in Fiji with members of the public, media practitioners, government representatives, community leaders and professional organisations.

This consultative approach ensured that the Code was both internationally informed and locally relevant.

In developing the Code, reference was made to media standards and regulatory frameworks adopted in other parts of the world.

These included codes and practices from organisations such as the British Press Council, the Press Complaints Commission, and press councils in Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, India, Germany, Norway and Slovenia, as well as the Media Council of Ghana and the International Federation of Journalists.

Consideration was also given to broadcasting standards applied by bodies such as the British Independent Television Commission, the British Broadcasting Standards Commission, the British Radio Authority, the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification, and the New Zealand Broadcasting Authority.

In January 1988, the Thomson Foundation’s recommendations were accepted in principle by both the Government and the Media Council, then known as the News Council. In accordance with those recommendations, the Council expanded its membership to include independent representatives from the wider community alongside members of the media industry.

This structure reflected the principle that media accountability should involve both the profession itself and the public it serves.

The General Media Code of Ethics and Practice, together with the mechanisms established for its implementation, has historically compared favourably with similar self-regulatory systems in other countries.

The Code is therefore both internationally informed and locally grounded in Fiji’s democratic and social traditions.

The intention has always been that the Code would remain a living document, evolving to reflect changing social expectations, professional standards and developments within the media environment.

In keeping with this approach, the Fiji Media Council undertook a comprehensive review of the Code in late 2004 and early 2005, resulting in the publication of the Third Edition.

Members of the Council, media practitioners and the wider public were invited to participate in the review process, and written submissions were received and considered by the Council’s Committee.

Following almost two decades of inactivity, the Fiji Media Council was revived in October 2023, marking an important step in strengthening independent media governance in Fiji.

Recognising the continuing value of the earlier framework, the Council resolved to adopt the existing Code as the foundation for this Fourth Edition, while updating it to reflect the realities of the contemporary media environment.

Today’s media landscape extends beyond traditional print and broadcast platforms to include digital journalism, online publications and rapidly evolving forms of public communication.

In this environment, the principles of ethical journalism—accuracy, fairness, balance and accountability—remain as important as ever. The Code therefore seeks to guide responsible media practice across all platforms while recognising the speed, reach and influence of modern information technologies.

The current Executive group views this edition as a renewed commitment to ethical journalism and intends for the Code to remain a living document, subject to ongoing review and refinement as the media landscape, technologies and public expectations continue to evolve.

SECTION 1

Background and Development of the Code

The Fiji Media Council’s General Media Code of Ethics and Practice reflects both internationally recognised standards of journalism and the unique cultural, social and traditional values of Fiji’s society.

While grounded in widely accepted principles of ethical journalism, the Code has been developed to ensure that media practice remains sensitive to the country’s diverse communities and social context.

The original framework for the Code was developed with the assistance of the Thomson Foundation of Cardiff, United Kingdom, following extensive consultation in Fiji with members of the public, media practitioners, government representatives, community leaders and professional organisations.

This consultative approach ensured that the Code was both internationally informed and locally relevant.

In developing the Code, reference was made to media standards and regulatory frameworks adopted in other parts of the world.

These included codes and practices from organisations such as the British Press Council, the Press Complaints Commission, and press councils in Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, India, Germany, Norway and Slovenia, as well as the Media Council of Ghana and the International Federation of Journalists.

Consideration was also given to broadcasting standards applied by bodies such as the British Independent Television Commission, the British Broadcasting Standards Commission, the British Radio Authority, the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification and the New Zealand Broadcasting Authority.

In January 1988, the Thomson Foundation’s recommendations were accepted in principle by both the Government and the Media Council, then known as the News Council.

In accordance with those recommendations, the Council expanded its membership to include independent representatives from the wider community alongside members of the media industry.

This structure reflected the principle that media accountability should involve both the profession itself and the public it serves.

The General Media Code of Ethics and Practice, together with the mechanisms established for its implementation, has historically compared favourably with similar self-regulatory systems in other countries. The Code is therefore both internationally informed and locally grounded in Fiji’s democratic and social traditions.

SECTION 2

PART I: Core Principles of the Fiji Media Code of Ethics

1. ACCURACY, BALANCE AND FAIRNESS

a) Newspapers and magazines, radio and television broadcasting organisations, web sites and internet newsletters, and journalists working for them, should report and interpret news and current affairs honestly. They should aim to disclose all known relevant facts and should take care not to publish material which is inaccurate, misleading or distorted by wrong or improper emphasis or any other factor.

b) If a significant inaccuracy, misleading or distorted statement is published, it must be corrected promptly with due prominence and, where appropriate, an apology issued.

c) Media must distinguish clearly between the news, comment, conjecture, fact and paid advertising.

d) Media organisations are free to be partisan. Each has a duty to be balanced and fair in their treatment of news and current affairs and their dealings with members of the public.

e) Editorial comment in any medium must be clearly identified as such and kept physically separate from news reports.

f) Media should report fairly on the result of any legal action brought against them and have an obligation to publish/broadcast, without diluting the finding, any adjudication by the Media Council on a complaint made against them.

2. OPPORTUNITY TO REPLY

Media have an obligation to give a fair opportunity to reply to any individual or organisation on which the medium itself comments editorially.

3. PRIVACY

a) Publication, whether electronic or traditional, or broadcasting, of information, including, pictures, about the private lives or concerns of individuals without their consent is acceptable only if a serious legitimate public interest outweighs their normal right to privacy.

b) Publishing such material and/or making inquiries about the private lives or concerns of individuals without consent is only justified where the material concerned ought to be published in the public interest, outweighing the normal right of privacy.

c) 'In the public interest' is not synonymous with 'of interest to the public'. The public interest relied upon to justify investigation must be the serious and proper public interest and not mere curiosity. Entry into public life does not disqualify individuals from the right to privacy about their private affairs, except where the circumstances of these are likely to affect their performance of, or fitness for, the public roles they hold or seek.

d) The overriding public interest relied upon in this and other clauses of the Code may include:

• Detection or exposure of crime,

• Protection of public health and safety, and

• Preventing the public from being seriously misled on an important matter by a public statement or action of an individual or institution.

4. HARASSMENT AND PURSUIT

Media must not seek interviews, information or pictures by intimidation or harassment. Nor should the media invade individual’s privacy by deception, eavesdropping or covert technological means (including the taking of pictures in private places by long lens photography).

Information and picture gathering by such methods can be justified only in very rare circumstances where the material sought ought to be published in the public interest and could not be obtained in any other way.

5. SUBTERFUGE

Media organisations should use straightforward means to obtain information and pictures, normally identifying themselves when doing so. Use of subterfuge, false identity or covert recording, can be justified only in rare circumstances when the material sought ought to be published in the public interest and could not be obtained in any other way. (See 3d)

6. DISCRIMINATION

a) The Media should avoid discriminatory or denigratory references to people's gender, race, colour, religion, sexual orientation or preference, physical or mental disability or illness, or age.

b) The Media should not refer to a person's gender race, colour, religion, sexual orientation, or physical or mental illness in a prejudicial or pejorative context except where it is strictly relevant to the matter reported or adds significantly to readers', viewers' or listeners' understanding of that matter.

c) Media organisations should be sensitive to and particularly careful about the possible effects of discriminatory references to vulnerable minorities in prejudicial or pejorative contexts.

7. CHILDREN

a) Generally, media people should not interview or photograph a child under the age of 16 in the absence of, or without the consent of a parent or other adult responsible for the child.

b) Generally, children should not be approached by the media, interviewed or photographed at school without the permission of school authorities.

c) Publication without consent of material about a child's private life cannot be justified solely by the fame, notoriety or position of his or her parents.

8. VICTIMS IN SEXUAL CASES

a) Media people must not identify victims of sexual assaults or publish material likely to contribute to their identification even when free by law to do so.

b) Media should not identify children under the age of 16 either as victims or witnesses in cases alleging sexual offences.

c) Reports of cases alleging sexual offences against a child may identify an adult concerned, providing they are not related, but must not identify the child, and must not include facts which imply a close relationship between an accused adult and a child victim. Where either party is identifiable, the word "incest" should not be used.

9. SEXUAL RELATIONS AND CONDUCT

When reporting or portraying sexual activity and conduct, media organisations should be keenly aware of the danger of publishing material that affronts or offends public decency or the likely audience or readership. Particular regard should be paid to the context of publication and time of transmission.

10. REPORTING SUICIDE

Suicide is a complex social issue, requiring special care when reported in media.

Local interest groups reports and international studies suggest a link, for example, between media reports on suicide that state the method used and immediate instances of "copycat" suicides.

However, suicides may need to be reported for a variety of reasons.

The media should exercise care and responsibility in reporting matters of suicide and mental illness. Employers should ensure reporters are aware of guidelines on reporting suicide, to allow informed decisions to be made.

If employers are unaware of the guidelines, they should seek them from the Council or from organisations such as the Fiji Government’s Ministry of Health-endorsed National Committee on the Prevention of Suicide.

11. CRIME

Crime and antisocial behaviour, especially involving violence, should not be glamorised or reported, portrayed or detailed in a manner, which on reasonable judgement, would be likely to encourage or incite or experiment.

Media should pay particular regard to the context, time of transmission and probable effect and the likely audience or readership of such items. Special attention should be paid to the likelihood of such material being read, seen or listened to by children.

12. PAYMENTS FOR ARTICLES ETC

a) Payments or offers of payment must not be made directly or through agents to people engaged in or convicted of crime for information or articles related to their crimes, or for pictures whose value lies in their association with crime. Nor should such payments or offers be made to associates of persons engaged in or convicted of crime, including their family, friends, neighbours and colleagues.

b) No payment or offer of payment should be made directly or indirectly, to any person known to be, or reasonably expected to be, a witness in criminal proceedings, for information or articles in connection with the proceedings until after their conclusion.

c) Payment or an offer of payment may be justified in very exceptional circumstances of 11(a) or 11(b), if information which ought to be published in the overriding, public interest cannot be obtained by any other means (see 3(d)).

13. INNOCENT RELATIONS

Media organisations should generally avoid identifying relations of persons convicted or accused of crime unless the connection is directly relevant to the matter reported.

14. RELIGION

a) While all public institutions are properly subject to scrutiny, inquiry and comment, media organisations should approach and refer to religious bodies in a balanced, fair and sensitive manner, recognising the respect and reverence in which they, their representatives and their beliefs are likely to be held by adherents.

b) Journalists and broadcasters should avoid intentionally giving offence to believers of all faiths by casual, gratuitous and expletive references to deities, which are unnecessary or unjustified by the context.

15. FIJIAN CHIEFLY AND OTHER ETHNIC INSTITUTIONS

While free to report and to comment in the public interest on Fijian chiefly institutions, traditions, affairs and other cultural matters, and on those of other racial or ethnic groups, Media should take particular care to deal with these subjects with sensitivity and appropriate respect.

16. STRONG LANGUAGE

Media should avoid gratuitous use of strong swearwords, obscene or blasphemous language in copy or broadcasts. Publication or broadcasting of these in direct form can be justified only in rare cases when it is essential to readers' or audiences' understanding of the story reported or the dramatic development of a programme. In such cases care must be taken in choosing the context and scheduling of the material concerned to avoid unnecessarily causing offence to its likely readers or audience.

17. GRIEF AND BEREAVEMENT

Media organisations should respect personal grief, taking care to make any necessary approaches and inquiries with sensitivity and discretion.

18. ADVERTISING

Advertisements and advertiser- sponsored material must be clearly distinguishable from general editorial and programme matter, where necessary by being clearly labelled in print or on air as 'advertisement', 'advertising feature' etc.

19. PERSONAL INTEREST AND INFLUENCES

a) Media people should not allow personal or family interest to influence them in their professional duties. There will be occasions where journalists may be pressured by close associates about a story. At all times the journalist must make their editor, or supervisor, aware of such pressure.

b) Media people should not allow themselves to be influenced by any consideration, gift or advantage offered to them, or by advertising or other commercial considerations. At all times the journalist must make their editor/supervisor aware of such an offer.

c) There will be occasions where journalists will be asked to cover assignments where the journalist may have a conflict of interest or a personal; interest. At all times the journalist must make their editor/supervisor aware of such a conflict.

d) Journalists should be cautious about accepting public or community office roles.

20. FINANCIAL JOURNALISM

a) Media people should not use for their own, or their families' profit, directly or indirectly, financial information received in their professional capacity in advance of its general publication.

b) They should not write or broadcast about shares or securities in which they or their families have an interest without disclosing the interest to their editor (or financial editor) and, where appropriate, to their readers or audience.

c) They should not buy or sell shares or securities about which they have written recently or which they intend to write about in the near future.

21. CONFIDENTIAL AND OTHER SOURCES

a) Journalists of all media have an obligation to protect confidential sources of information, and to respect confidences knowingly and willingly accepted in the course of their occupation.

b) Plagiarism is not acceptable. Where material originally prepared by another medium is used, credit should be given to the originator of the item or story.

22. TASTE AND DECENCY

Media should recognise currently accepted general standards of decency and taste in language and behaviour, bearing in mind the context in which the language and behaviour occur (including humour, satire and drama), and, for broadcasters, the timing of transmission and likely audience of the programme.

23. IMPARTIALITY AND BALANCE

Media should endeavour to show fairness at all times, and impartiality and balance in any item or programme, series of items or programmes or in broadly related articles or programmes over a reasonable period of time when presenting news which deals with political matters, current affairs, and controversial questions.

24. DECEPTIVE PRACTICES

Media should abstain from use of any deceptive practice or technique (including transmission or publication of 'reconstructions' or library pictures, film and recordings which are not clearly identifiable as such) which may diminish viewers' and listeners' or readers' confidence in the integrity of media.

25. INTERVIEWS

Interviews for print, electronic media, radio and television must be arranged, conducted, and edited fairly and honestly.

Potential interviewees are entitled to know in advance the format, subject and purpose of their interview, whether it will be transmitted live or recorded, when it will be printed, whether it may be edited, and whether only part of it may be used, or it may not be used at all.

They are also entitled to know in advance the identity and roles of other people likely to be interviewed at the same time or on the same subject for the same programme or article.

The presentation and editing of an interview must not distort or misrepresent the views of the interviewee or give a false impression of dialogue or the pretence that a recorded interview is being transmitted live.

26. VIOLENCE

Violence shown graphically or realistically indicated by sound must be justifiable in its context and intensity as being necessary to the programme or article.

Violence combined with sexuality should not be printed or transmitted in a manner designed to titillate its audience.

Explicit detail and prolonged focus on sexually violent contact must be avoided.

27. DISTRESSING MATERIAL

a) Editors, producers and broadcasters of news, current affairs and documentary programmes and articles should take particular care in deciding whether the inclusion of graphic detail and intensity of violent or distressing material is warranted by its relevance and add to public understanding, of the subject.

b) Special consideration must be given before publication or transmission of particularly disturbing, images including:

1. Torture or ill-treatment of people or animals

2. Close-ups of dead or mutilated bodies

3. Images of people in extreme pain or on the point of death

4. Violence or ill treatment of children.

28. WARNING OF DISTURBING OR OFFENSIVE MATERIAL

Warnings should be published or broadcast before or at the beginning of any article or broadcast containing language or pictures which are likely to be disturbing or offensive to normal readers, viewers or listeners bearing in mind for broadcasters the time of

29. DANGEROUS AND ANTI-SOCIAL DETAIL

Detailed pictures or information about methods of incendiary devices, or illicit use of drugs or solvents should not be transmitted in a way which might encourage or instruct such actions.

30. CRIME AND DISORDER

Programmes or articles likely to promote civil insurrection or encourage crime or public disorder must not be broadcast or published.

31. HIJACKING AND KIDNAPPING

No information should be published or broadcast which is likely to endanger lives in, or prejudice attempts to deal with, a hijack or kidnapping.

32. ALARM, HYPNOTISM AND SUBLIMINAL PERCEPTION

Media will refrain from publishing or broadcasting, except as legitimate entertainment or information, any material which, when considered whole:

a) Simulates news or events in print, sound or pictures in such a way as to mislead or alarm its audience

b) Depicts the process of putting a subject into a hypnotic state or is designed to induce a hypnotic state in its audience

c) Uses 'subliminal perception' or any similar technique to try to convey information by transmission of messages below or near the threshold of normal awareness, or

d) In an ostensibly factual programme or article depicts or demonstrates exorcism, psychic or occult practices other than as the subject of a legitimate investigation.

33. CARTOONS

Cartoons, particularly when likely to be seen by children, should not include excessive violence especially when they feature human characters and follow realistic story lines as opposed to obviously fantastic or farcical themes.

34. SUPPLIED MATERIAL

Where a strong editorial reason warrants the inclusion in any article, programme or video or other recorded material supplied by or on behalf of official bodies, commercial companies or campaigning organisations, its source should be clearly labelled in print or on air in sound or vision.

35. PRODUCT PLACEMENT AND REFERENCE

When media choose to place commercial or other products or promotional material on air or in print in a programme or article context, it should be a clear policy that the commercial or other organisation thus identified has no influence on the content of the programme or article unless specifically publicised as such.

36. COMPETITION FAIR DEALING

Media will ensure that in programmes or published competitions there is no collusion between broadcasters or publishers and contestants which results in the favouring of any contestant or contestants over others.

PART II: Code of Ethics and Practice for Advertisements

1. PRINCIPLES

Advertising must be legal, decent, honest and truthful.

2. LEGALITY

Advertisements must comply with the laws of Fiji and must be rejected by media if they do not.

3. SPIRIT OF CODE

The Media is responsible for ensuring that advertisements comply with the spirit as well as the letter of the Code of Ethics and Practice for Advertisements and for rejecting them if they do not do so.

4. RECOGNITION

Advertisements must be clearly distinguishable from news, editorial and other material. In cases which leave any room for doubt, they must be labelled as advertisements in print or on air in sound or vision.

5. DECEPTION

Advertisements must not contain material likely to deceive or mislead people about any product or service, directly or by implication, by inclusion, omission, ambiguity, or false or misleading, comparison.

6. TASTE AND DECENCY

Advertisements should not include material which is offensive to prevailing general standards of taste and decency, or likely to prejudice respect for human dignity among its audience.

7. PORTRAYAL

Advertisements should not portray individuals or groups in a manner likely to expose them to violence, exploitation, hatred, contempt, abuse, denigration, ridicule or discrimination.

8. DISCRIMINATORY EXPLOITATION

Advertisements may legitimately be aimed at particular audiences or specialised sections of the population but they must not seek to exploit or denigrate race, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation or preference, or cultural, political or religious beliefs.

9. SEXUAL EXPLOITATION

Advertisements should not employ sexual appeal which exploits or degrades individuals or groups to promote the sale of goods or services. People should not be portrayed irrelevantly in advertisements in attempts to use sexual appeal to draw attention to unrelated products.

10. THREATENING SITUATIONS

Advertisements should not portray people in physically or sexually threatening, situations other than relevantly for educational purposes or to promote products intended to increase safety or security.

11. VIOLENCE

Advertisements must not support or encourage the unjustifiable use of violence or appear to do so.

12. TRUST, SUPERSTITION AND FEAR

Advertisements should not abuse the trust of consumers or audiences, or exploit their lack of experience or knowledge, exploit superstitions, or play on fears without justification.

13. DISPARAGEMENT

Advertisements should not disparage or denigrate identifiable competitors or other products.

14. COMPARISONS

Comparisons with competing products, e.g. of price, durability or quality, must not be misleading, must be fair, and must be based on facts which can be substantiated. Before accepting or transmitting or printing an advertisement which makes comparisons, account should be taken of the relevant code of practice of the commercial broadcasting or publishing organisation concerned.

15. TESTIMONIALS

Advertisements must not include or refer to testimonials or endorsements unless these are genuine, not misleading, and relate directly to the endorser's personal experience.

16. INCLUSION OF LIVING PEOPLE

Advertisements should not refer to or depict any living person, directly or by inference, in a way which implies his or her endorsement of a product or service without his or her prior written permission.

17. IDENTIFICATION

The identity and contact details of any advertiser whose advertisement deals with a matter of public controversy or advocates a particular position on an issue should be made clear on air in sound or vision or when published.

18. FIJI'S CHIEFLY INSTITUTIONS

Advertisements must not contain material likely to lower public esteem for Fiji's chiefly institutions or other ethnic cultural institutions which are similarly revered.

19. PROHIBITED MATTER OR MESSAGES,RACIAL HATRED RELIGIOUS OFFENCE,INSURRECTION

Advertisements should not be accepted or transmitted if their effect is likely to:

a) Incite racial hatred, discrimination or discord

b) Cause offence to adherents of any major religion c) Promote civil insurrection

20. ADVERTISEMENTS AND CHILDREN

The possible effects and impact of advertisements which are aimed at children, depict or refer to them, or are transmitted or printed during or immediately before or after programmes or articles principally intended for children, must be considered with great care. Before their acceptance or transmission, account must be taken of the Code for Advertising to Children and the relevant Guidelines and internal codes of individual broadcasting or publishing organisations.

21. ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, ROAD SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CLAIMS

Similarly, account must be taken of the relevant internal code of practice before accepting or transmitting advertisements dealing with alcohol, tobacco or financial services, or involving road safety, or which make environmental claims.

22 USES OF THE WORDS 'GUARANTEE' AND 'FREE'

Special care should be taken before allowing the use, in an advertisement, of words such as: 'Guarantee', 'Guaranteed', 'warranty' or 'warranted'.

The medium must be satisfied that the full terms of any guarantee etc. referred to are either expressed or available for inspection 'Free' products and samples should not be described as 'free' unless they are supplied at no cost, or no extra cost, except that of postage or carriage.

PART III: Code of Advertising to Children

1. CONTENT

a) Violence or aggression should not be portrayed in advertisements aimed at children.

b) Advertisements should not contain menacing, or horrific themes, pictures or sounds likely to disturb children.

c) They should not encourage anti- social behaviour or show children behaving anti- socially.

d) Advertisements should not urge children to ask parents to buy particular products.

e) Advertisements should not suggest that a child who does not own or have the product advertised will be inferior or be regarded as inferior.

2. SAFETY

a) Unless specifically advertising safety, advertisements should not contain any oral or graphic representation of children taking part in unsafe acts or in unsafe situations, or encourage them to consort with strangers or to enter strange or hazardous places.

b) Unless specifically advertising safety, advertisements should not show products being used unsafely or dangerously, or products which would be unsafe if used by children, without supervision.

c) Advertisements should not depict realistic toy weapons which could be confused with real weapons.

3. PRESENTATION

a) Care should be taken that advertisements are not ambiguous and do not mislead children about the size, value, nature, durability or performance of the product advertised.

b) Advertisements should make clear when additional items (e.g paint, batteries or costumes) are needed to use the product or produce the effect shown.

c) The fact that a product may be assembled should be made clear, and where relevant the source of power and method of operation should be indicated.

d) Advertisements must not understate the degree of skill required to use a product. The skill required to obtain the result shown or indicated must be attainable by an average child in the age rage for which the product is intended.

4. PRICE

If price is mentioned, the complete price of the product should be shown, preferably in print or sound and vision. Advertisements should indicate clearly the cost of an initial item and of any additional items to be purchased separately.

5. COMPETITIONS

Rules of any competition referred to should be clearly stated. The value of prizes and the chances of winning must not be exaggerated.

6. HOST SELLING

Children's programmes or articles must not contain 'host selling', i.e. where a programme presenter or host endorses or promotes products to children.

PART IV: Television Programme Classifications Code and Operations

Free-to-air Television

1. G - GENERAL

a) G programmes may be screened at any time.

b) They must not include material likely to be unsuitable for viewing by children aged less than 14 years. They need not, however, be programmes made specifically for children.

2. PGR - PARENTAL GUIDANCE RECOMMENDED

a) PGR programmes may be screened at any time other than those generally devoted to children's programmes. (Currently 4.00pm to 5.30pm on weekdays and 12.00pm to 1.00pm at weekends).

b) PGR programmes contain material which is more suitable for adult audiences but is not necessarily unsuitable to be seen by children subject to the guidance and discretion of a parent or responsible adult.

c) Programme scheduling should recognise that material unsuitable for children should not generally be broadcast at times when large numbers of children are likely to be watching. No system of classification or code of practice, however, can relieve parents or guardians of the responsibility to judge whether a particular programme is suitable viewing for their particular child.

d) To assist such judgements broadcasting organisations should publish or transmit clear warnings when the subject, language or treatment of a forthcoming programme is likely to prove unexpectedly disturbing offensive or upsetting to some viewers, in particular to children or those responsible for guiding their viewing.

3. AO - ADULTS ONLY

a) AO programmes must not be screened before 8.30 pm, nor should verbally or graphically explicit trailers for them be screened before 8.30pm.

b) Broadcasting organisations are responsible for ensuring that nothing is shown before that time on free to air television which would by its adult nature or treatment be unsuitable, whatever the viewing circumstances, to be seen by people aged under 18.

4. CRITERIA AND GENERAL PROVISIONS

a) Broadcasting, organisations and schedulers will be aware and should take into account that in the social and domestic circumstances of Fiji some children are likely to be among unintended potential viewers of any programme at any time. This point is particularly relevant to the scheduling and advertising of films and other programmes made elsewhere and imported for a Fiji audience.

b) Adult themes, scenes, references and treatment likely to warrant classification as PGR or AO, according to their intensity and explicitness include sex and sexual orientation, graphically depicted sexual intercourse and sexual innuendo, significant violence, including violence in the course of sexual activity, and violence towards children and animals, crime and antisocial behaviour, suicide and attempted suicide, drugs, alcohol and solvent abuse or dependence and medium and high level coarse language.

Pay TV Programmes

DISTINGUISHING CONSIDERATIONS

a) Pay TV programmes do not, as free-to-air television may be said to do, come into viewers' homes uninvited. They are discretionary, seen only where the household or someone on its behalf has decided to invite them in, and paid for them. It is reasonable to place greater responsibility for such programmes being seen on viewers themselves, or in the case of children, on their parents or guardians.

b) On Pay TV the operation of programme categories and scheduling, may properly reflect that the standards and choice of what is seen are more obviously under the effective control of the viewer/subscriber.

c) Logically this does not affect the threshold between General and PGR - Parental Guidance Recommended programmes. It does mean, however, that AO - Adults Only - programmes can appropriately be screened earlier in the evening than on free-to-air television to their target audience of consenting viewers who know broadly what kind of programmes they are paying for and can expect.

d) There is a consequential obligation on broadcasting organisations that offer Pay TV services to make clear in advance to potential subscribers and target audiences the nature of the programmes likely to be shown. There is a particular responsibility to make clear in advance the likelihood of programmes causing concern or embarrassment to audiences, especially to children or their parents, by the choice and treatment of adult themes.

PAY TV ADULTS ONLY THRESHOLD

AO - Adults Only programmes should not be screened on Pay TV before 7.30pm.

SECTION 3

Complaints Procedures

1. WHO MAY MAKE A COMPLAINT

Any individual or organisation who believes that a media outlet or journalist has breached the Media Code of Ethics and Practice may submit a complaint to the Fiji Media Council.

2. MATTERS THAT MAY BE CONSIDERED

Complaints may relate to alleged breaches of the ethical standards outlined in this Code. These may include concerns about accuracy, fairness, privacy, discrimination, conflicts of interest, or other matters of ethical journalism.

3. INITIAL APPROACH TO THE MEDIA ORGANISATION

Where appropriate, complainants are encouraged to first raise their concerns directly with the relevant media organisation. Many issues can be resolved quickly through clarification, correction or dialogue.

4.  SUBMISSION OF COMPLAINT TO THE COUNCIL

After two weeks, if a matter cannot be resolved directly with the media organisation, a complaint may be submitted to the Fiji Media Council. Complaints should clearly identify the media content concerned and the nature of the alleged breach of the Code.

5.  CONSIDERATION OF COMPLAINT

Upon receiving a complaint, the Council or its designated Complaints Committee will review the matter and may request additional information from the complainant and the media organisation involved.

6.  MEDITATION AND RESOLUTION

Where possible, the Council may seek to facilitate an amicable resolution between the parties. This may include clarification, correction, apology or other appropriate remedies.

7.  ADJUDICATION

Where a matter cannot be resolved informally, the Complaints Committee may undertake a formal review and determine whether the Code has been breached. The Committee may issue a decision outlining its findings and any recommendations.

8.  PUBLICATION OF DECISIONS

In the interest of transparency and public accountability, the Council may publish its adjudications or summaries of decisions.

9.  COMMITMENT TO FAIR PROCESSES

The Council is committed to ensuring that complaints are handled promptly, impartially and in accordance with the principles of natural justice.

Through this process, the Fiji Media Council seeks to promote responsible journalism while maintaining public confidence in the independence and integrity of Fiji’s media institutions.

SECTION 4

Definitions and Interpretations

For the purposes of this Media Code of Ethics and Practice, the following terms are intended to guide the interpretation and application of the Code.

1.   MEDIA ORGANISATION

A media organisation refers to any entity engaged in the gathering, production or dissemination of news, information or commentary to the public. This includes newspapers, magazines, radio and television broadcasters, digital news platforms and other recognised media outlets operating in Fiji.

2.  JOURNALIST/MEDIA PRACTITIONER

A journalist or media practitioner refers to any person involved in the collection, preparation, production or presentation of news or current affairs content for a media organisation.

3.  PUBLICATION OR BROACAST

Publication or broadcast refers to the dissemination of content through any media platform, including print, radio, television, websites, digital platforms and social media channels operated by media organisations.

4.  PUBLIC INTEREST

Public interest refers to matters that affect the wellbeing of the public or the functioning of society. This may include exposing wrongdoing, protecting public health or safety, preventing the public from being misled, or contributing to informed public debate on matters of legitimate concern.

5.  CORRECTION

A correction refers to a clear acknowledgement and rectification of a significant factual error or misleading statement that has appeared in published or broadcast content.

6.  RIGHT OF REPLY

Right of reply refers to the opportunity given to an individual or organisation to respond to allegations or criticism that may affect their reputation.

7.  CONFIDENTIAL SOURCE

A confidential source is a person who provides information to a journalist on the condition that their identity is not disclosed publicly.

8. DIGITAL MEDIA

Digital media refers to online and internet-based platforms used to publish or distribute news and information, including websites, online publications, streaming services and social media platforms.

9.  SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media refers to online platforms that enable the creation and sharing of content or participation in social networking, including platforms used by media organisations or journalists for the dissemination of news or commentary.

In interpreting this Code, the Fiji Media Council will consider both the letter and the spirit of its provisions, recognising that ethical journalism requires sound professional judgement and responsible editorial decision-making.