The media plays an important role not just in terms of giving out information but also by providing a means for people to voice-out issues themselves, says the Attorney-General and Minister for Communications, Mr Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.
In his opening address at the Fiji Media Watch Workshop yesterday, Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said it is very interesting that whenever the topic of media arises, it is seen as a source of information primarily for political news.
“But I think the media in fact is more than just that. Media must to just be restricted simply to political issues,” he said.
“It is important that we know what are the issues facing the people in for example an isolated island. We do not need a politician to go there for it to become news. It should be news even before a minister or a politician goes there,” Mr Sayed-Khaiyum highlighted.
The Minister said Fiji is a developing country with a colonial history and with a substantial number of the population living on or below the poverty lines.
“We have squatter issues, we have land issues, we have ecology issues, environment issues and gender issues. How many times do articles actually get written on these sorts of issues or are articles written on them simply because it has come into the political domain?” he questioned.
“There is obviously a human interest element to it as well and it is equally important we are aware of the issues facing the people in say for example an isolated island.”
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum pointed out a good media organisation that has interest in the country will be able to tap into the various voices of the people that need to be heard.
“But what actually is very critical and must be realised is that these voices actually exist in the first place and that is a point that we tend to miss out,” he added.