Fiji radio station probed over rugby coverage

Friday 21 Oct 2011
Claims by Communications Fiji Limited that the use of television footage to provide live radio broadcasts of the 2011 Rugby World Cup is standard practice are being investigated by the Media Industry Development Authority, Fiji Broadcasting Corporation reports.

Complaints have been filed against Viti FM and its parent company CFL for allegedly misleading listeners by saying that their commentator Malakai Veisamasama is providing live commentaries of the Rugby World Cup.

Mr Veisamasama is in fact sitting in the CFL radio studio, watching the game on television and providing play by play commentary based on the TV coverage.

CFL is saying it will provide live radio commentary of the World Cup without disclosing that this will be based on what they watch on TV.

MIDA Chairman, Professor Subramani, said CFL’s response was that broadcasting from their studio using television footage was standard practice for them.

“That’s the explanation they gave that these days the standard practice is to relay it from a studio and according to them there is no need for a person to be present in the actual stadium but we going to look into that”.

The Media Decree does not allow organisations to mislead their listeners by making false promises.

The only media organisations that sent reporters to cover the World Cup are Fiji Television, Fiji Times and Fiji Broadcasting Corporation.