“Three years after the lifting of draconian media laws under which Fiji’s media industry operated, and even with significant improvements in the country’s media freedom rankings, the gains from the return of media freedom remain tenuous.”
That is the warning from the Fijian Media Association(FMA) as Fiji marked World Press Freedom Day 2026, saying the country’s sharp rise in global rankings is welcome but pressure on journalists and the wider media industry remains.
In a statement issued in Suva on 03 May, the FMA said it was encouraged by Fiji’s latest performance in the 2026 press freedom rankings published by Reporters Without Borders.
“This World Press Freedom Day, the Fijian Media Association is heartened by the country’s remarkable progress on the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) media freedom index for 2026. Fiji improved in ranking by 16 places, now standing at 24th globally, up from 40th last year and 84th in 2023.”
The association said the improvement comes at a time when global media freedom is under increasing strain.
“The global picture revealed by the RSF World Press Freedom Index shows over half of the world’s countries now fall into the ‘difficult’ or ‘very difficult’ categories for press freedom, the lowest in the 25 years since the index was first published.”
The FMA said Fiji’s rise in the rankings was not only the result of the work of journalists but also reflected public support for independent reporting.
“This achievement for Fiji should be attributed not only to the media workers continuing to uphold the values of independent journalism to keep communities informed, but to everybody in this country who recognise and defend the importance of a free media for a healthy democracy.”
But while acknowledging the progress, the association said major concerns remain.
“While it is a moment to be celebrated, we are acutely aware of the various threats to individual media workers and the wider industry that continue to overshadow media development in Fiji.”
It said recent developments have highlighted the continuing pressures faced by the media.
“In recent months, there have been several separate developments that have the potential to influence and shape how the media works and serves the community.”
One of the strongest concerns raised by the FMA was the summoning of journalists to testify in court cases.
“The summonsing of journalists to testify in court cases has been a particularly pointed moment, and its ramifications of this judicial action on the industry and the sources it depends on is something the FMA is acutely aware of.”
The association also highlighted the recent remarks by Fiji’s Minister for Information, Lynda Tabuya, over reporting on the broken-down lift at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital.
“More recently, the statement by the Minister for Information Lynda Tabuya in Parliament regarding what she referred to as ‘mal-information’ and ‘misinformation’ by the reporting on the broken-down lift at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva. This was followed by a public call for an end to ‘doorstop-style’ interviews by local media. Such a method of newsgathering is well-established in healthy democracies as a necessary part of holding officials accountable.”
The FMA said such incidents point to the kind of pressure the media continues to face.
“These developments signal the kinds of pressures the media continues to be subjected to.”
Beyond institutional and legal pressures, the association said journalists are also dealing with wider social problems that are affecting both their professional and personal lives.
“Apart from the systemic issues the media and the people who work in the industry continue to contend with, the growing problem of the hard-drugs crisis and its impacts are also being felt in professional and personal ways. This adds a layer of complexity that journalists need to navigate, while continuing to uphold the values and ethics the industry aspires to.”
Marking World Press Freedom Day, the FMA said it remains committed to defending journalists and press freedom in Fiji.
“As we commemorate World Press Freedom Day 2026, the Fijian Media Association reaffirms our commitment to advocating for press freedom and the protection of journalists’ rights in Fiji. We call on all stakeholders, including government officials and civil society, to work collaboratively to ensure a safe and supportive environment for media practitioners, allowing them to report without fear or favour.”
The association said the fight for media freedom remains critical not only for Fiji but globally.
“Let us continue to champion the cause of press freedom, not only in Fiji but around the world, recognising that a free press is essential to a healthy democracy.”
