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The 30-day time frame given to the media outlets in Fiji to register under the new Media Industry Development Decree comes to an end today following the commencement of the decree on June 28.
Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum confirmed to FijiLive the deadline is today and media organisations who have not complied with the aspects of the media decree will be dealt with standard procedures.
He however declined to release the names of those media organisations who have not complied with the media decree at this stage.
Part 6 of the Media Industry Development Decree states “Every media organisation that provides or intends to provide media services must be registered”.
According to the decree, “A media organisation is registered when the proprietor deposits with the Authority a sworn statement(s) duly sworn and signed by the proprietor and in the case of the print media, by the proprietor or by the persons intended to be printer and the publisher of the newspaper”.
The sworn statement also must contain full disclosure of all ownership interests held by any person, or in the case of a company, a list of its shareholders.
“Any media organisation no registered in accordance with this section of the decree commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction in the case of a natural person to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both and in the case of a company to a fine not exceeding $100, 000,” the decree states.
The section also warns media organisations or persons from providing misleading information or failing to provide, withholding or omitting any information which is material to the application for registration.
Those caught doing this will also be punishable in the case of a natural person to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both and in the case of a company to a fine not exceeding $100,000.
By Rachna Lal
