Pacific

Survey shows Fiji media bias - UFDF

06:55 am on 25 June 2014

The United Front for a Democratic Fiji says its survey on media bias is hard evidence political reporting there is not fair and balanced.

UFDF says it researched the Fiji Sun and Fiji Times newspapers from the first of April to June the 18th to find out how the Bainimarama government and Opposition groups were covered.

Its coordinator, Mick Beddoes, says the findings show the Fiji Times is more balanced in its reporting, with it covering the Bainimarama government 58 percent of the time.

But he says the Fiji Sun's coverage of the regime never dropped below 73 percent.

Mr Beddoes says he is not surprised by the data.

"It was simply an endorsement about what we have already articulated. I have been attacked by the Fiji Sun in particular for making unsubstantiated remarks about them being bias. Well I now can categorically state that I was talking about facts."

Mick Beddoes says the newspapers are in breach of the Media Decree.

He while the data speaks for itself, it is unlikely the Media Industry and Development Authority will do anything about it.

The chairman of MIDA, Ashwin Raj, says he is unavailable to comment.