The Minster for Communications, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, has made it clear that all television stations in Fiji have the right to broadcast the proceedings in Parliament.
He was responding to SODELPA frontbencher, Ratu Naiqama Lalalabalavu, who claimed in his maiden speech today that only FBC had permission to transmit the proceedings.
The Minister said there was no such impediment and the other two stations, Fiji TV and Mai TV, were free to broadcast Parliament if they chose to do so.
“FBC does not have an exclusive right to carry the proceedings. In fact I am aware that Fiji TV has been specifically told in writing that it can do so. So what Ratu Naiqama said in the Parliament today is wrong.”
The Minister said media outlets should liaise with the Secretary General of Parliament to make the necessary arrangements.
“All these stations have to do is to place an encoder in Parliament so that they can receive the feed of the proceedings. The fact is that only FBC has so far done so,” he said.
The Minister said media outlets could also choose to broadcast the Internet live stream of the Parliament if that was more convenient.
“It is very disappointing that Ratu Naiqama failed to establish the facts before he included this false information in his maiden speech,” the Minister added.
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