FijiTV Editing Awards

The latest news saga in Fiji has to do with the deportation of the Fiji Sun's publisher and editor-in-chief. It's an unfortunate story, too.

I received a call yesterday afternoon from a reporter at FijiTV. She wanted to ask me questions about email security as it related to this news story. I answered her questions but then she asked whether they could film me on camera. I told her I wasn't comfortable with that given the current environment but she insisted that this was completely non-political. Stupidly, I relented.

She came over and asked me some initial questions about email security and how someone could gain access to other people's email. I said some things about how people inside a company can have access, how Internet providers can have access, etc...

The conversation then seemed to shift over to these email documents which, if FijiTV is to be believed, were at the center of this deportation story.

Next thing I know, I'm being asked about these documents and if they were genuine.

Of course, I had no idea if they were genuine at all and said that repeatedly. The reporter asked questions like "but its certainly possible these printed emails were fabricated, right?" The way it was presented on air though is demonstrated below:

"Segal SAYS they could be fabricated." is really quite different from "Segal AGREED they could be fabricated." The latter alludes to someone else coming up with that ridiculous notion.

I've experienced this before with FijiTV. Yeah, I know I'm the one who opened my mouth at the end of the day. I've been quoted before in print many times and never run into the kind of editing FijiTV tends to do.

I wrote to FijiTV's CEO complaining about the way they edited this story:

bula mesake,

Regarding Tuesday night's news report about Russel Hunter emails FijiTV has in their possession...your reporter asked me to speak about email security issues when she called.

The segment FijiTV aired last night erroneously led people to believe that I was questioning their authenticity. That was not the case at all and I think your reporter knows that as well. Perhaps this was just your editor having some fun with the topic and trying to make some controversy where there is not yet any. As a foreigner and investor here, I don't appreciate being cast in a light where I appear to be commenting on "political issues". I don't need that added weight on my business or my family.

Yes...I agreed to speak and at the end of the day, those words were mine, but the way the comments were used was misleading and unprofessional on the part of your organisation.

I don't suppose there's an explanation from FijiTV but I felt that it was important to write this to you.

jonathan

I got a response pretty quickly:

Bula Jonathan

We will look into your email feedback. We will get back to you within 5 working days.

We have a robust system in place that deal with complaints and feedback.

Cheers

Mesake

To which I responded:

No need for a response if it takes 5 days and a robust system to do it.

I just believe FijiTV should be more impartial.

thanks

jonathan

There really is no solution anyway. They wouldn't re-edit the story and it's much more interesting trying to fabricate something that may or may not be there. If anyone saw the broadcast on the news, they might remember the introduction the anchor made where he basically said "We think there's a story here but damnit, we're not going to put our neck on the lines here for legal reasons. Instead, we found a white foreigner to do the job for us."

Thanks for the that, FijiTV. If that was, in fact, your goal you've succeeded admirably. I look forward to your trying to misrepresent me again.

[UPDATE 12 MARCH, 2008 : A number of people have sent me notes asking what the response ultimately was from Fiji TV. As it turns out, I never heard back.]

[UPDATE 14 MARCH, 2008 : I did send a note to FijiTV CEO again asking what happened to their process. My response...

You had stated in your email on 27th Feb that there was no need to respond if it took 5 days to respond.

We did exactly that.

Mesake
Mesake Nawari
Group CEO
Fiji Television Limited
Mob: +679 9990260

Given the the burst of traffic from the FijiTV domain name after I published this initial post, perhaps they just felt I was being unfair. Gotta love the irony. I've never felt FijiTV embraced or understood this medium anyway.]