Ban on reporters at press conferences criticised
Updated
Tonga's media council is worried the continuing restrictions on coverage of this week's election, by the government controlled Tonga Broadcasting Commission, is affecting the reputation of all the island kingdom's media outlets. A fortnight ago the TBC Board and management withdrew all ads and public statements it was broadcasting, which involved one of its journalists acting as an interviewer, saying many of them were inciting race hatred and revolt. It offered to rerecord many of the statements free of charge. But many of the candidates then protested that the government was going to veto their ads from broadcast. In the latest dispute, the TBC refused to broadcast a recording of a candidate's press conference, because it was attended by its journalists.
Tonga does have a relatively successful, privately owned media industry, including newspapers, radio and online services. But the Chairman of the Tonga Media Council, Pesi Fonua, says it's the TBC which most candidates want to use, and its current actions are affecting all their reputations. The Chairman of the Tonga Media Council Pesi Fonua, talking to our Pacific Correspondent Campbell Cooney in Nuku'alofa. Today, the Kingdom's nobles pick their nine representatives in parliament.
On Thursday the people vote, and will choose their nine representatives from 71 candidates.
Presenter: Pacific Correspondent Campbell Cooney
