News

Misleading reports about journalists’ detainment raise concerns

August 31, 2021 4:30 am

Incorrect news reports about Fiji by a New Zealand-based journalist has raised concerns among the local media fraternity.

Michael Field has been known to publish articles that are factually incorrect and lack official corroboration and has come under the spotlight again for claiming that Fijian journalists had been arrested for reporting on the iTaukei Land Trust Bill.

FBC News reached out to Field to explain why he ran information from sources without verification or confirmation from official channels.

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“It was a live story. I can certainly assure you that FBC has reported stories where the situation has changed during the course of the day, an hour, a minute”.

Fijian Media Association General Secretary Stanley Simpson says at a time when misinformation and fake news is rife, journalists must not be carried away by rumours or misleading information.

“I’m very surprised that some journalists that should know better – you can make some mistakes -but experienced journalists really need to get back to basics, fair, accurate, and balanced. Get things right”.

Simpson adds the FMA was left calling around all the newsrooms to check which journalists were taken up and that it was quite concerning when all newsrooms reported none of their journalists were detained.

Field evaded most of our questions and refused to apologize to Fijian journalists or even give an undertaking to cease writing unverified stories.

His defence was that the police had been detaining politicians at the time.

“We will continue to run a news website to the best of our endeavors knowing that as in this case, the Fiji police and the Fiji government never explained why they are roaming after a curfew dragging people to a police station”.

Field who has worked for some news outlets in New Zealand was formerly banned from entering some countries in the region including Fiji.