Full text: Tongan Government criticises Taimi 'o Tonga

The following is a statement from the Government of Tonga.

GOVERNMENT OF TONGA INFORMATION BULLETIN ON PROHIBITING IMPORTATION OF FOREIGN NEWSPAPER "TAIMI TONGA".

On Thursday 27th February 2003, the Government Information Unit distributed the attached Press Statement (ANNEX A) locally, regionally and internationally, concerning Governments' prohibiting of the importation of the foreign newspaper "Taimi 'o Tonga." Since then, some of the international media have granted this statement a voice in their publications, others have not. To assist any who may not have received it, the said statement is now being resent.

TONGA'S IDENTITY AND SOVEREIGNTY IS PRECIOUS TO TONGANS.

The issue of the continuous entry into Tonga, of a foreign owned and published newspaper, which continuously runs down not just Government, but also just about everything else which are basic to being Tongan, such as our traditions, churches, and families, strike at the very heart of our identity and our sovereignty. While Tonga's identity and sovereignty may not be of much import to others, they are indeed very precious to the Government and the people of Tonga.

CLAIM THAT "TAIMI TONGA" IS THE ONLY INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER IN TONGA IS FALSE.

The Government owned media in Tonga are:-

i) Radio Tonga

ii) TV Tonga

iii) "Tonga Chronicle" (Newspaper)

The Independently Owned Media in Tonga are:


i) Radio Nuku'alofa (FM)

ii) Radio 89.1 (FM)

iii) OBN Television

iv) "Tonga Star" (Weekly Newspaper)

v) "Matangi Tonga" (Monthly Magazine)

vi) Tohi Faiongoongo (Methodist Monthly)

vii) "Taumu'a Lelei" (Catholic Periodical)

viii) "Kele'a" (Periodical owned by Pro-Democracy Politician and leader 'Akilisi Phiva. Editor is his son Po'oi Pohiva, Secretary of Human Rights & Democracy Group)

ix) 'Ofa ki Tonga (Tokaikolo Church Periodical)

x) Langafonua Tu'uloa (Independent Periodical)

The claim that the "Taimi 'o Tonga," a foreign newspaper, is Tonga's only independent newspaper, is only ever made by Mr. Moala and his associates, and some of the overseas media. It is never referred to as such by the Tongan media, because it is so clearly false. Such references are a great injustice to Tonga's media, a dis-service to the whole country, and to the media industry.

The truth is that the "Taimi Tonga" is a foreign newspaper, and is the only newspaper which for years has successfully cultivated a close working relationship with the overseas media. The rest, that is all of the Tongan media, except perhaps the "Kele'a," just like the local media in other countries, tend to focus on their local affairs, and do not actively promote the direct participation of the overseas media in their local affairs.

It is therefore nothing new, that some members of the overseas media use only the "Taimi Tonga" as their media reference about Tonga, and rarely give the Tongan media itself, a voice in their overseas articles. One of the most important outcomes of this vacuum, is that most times, the "Overseas media realities about Tonga," rarely match the "Actual realities in Tonga". The result is that most overseas visitors are astounded when they do not find in Tonga, the widespread disarray, corruption, starvation, homelessness and lawlessness which are widespread in some countries. Instead, they find a country which is peaceful and safe.

CLAIM THAT CRITICISM OF GOVERNMENT IS BASIS FOR PROHIBITING IMPORTATION OF "TAIMI 'O TONGA" IS FALSE.

Firstly, the Government of Tonga has never refused a license to any publication seeking registration.

Secondly, no local publication has ever been banned or forced to cease operation under any ground, political or otherwise.

The oldest media service dedicated to and focussing on criticising the Government of Tonga, is the "Kele'a." Mr. Akilisi Pohiva's locally owned and published periodical has made the most damning publications about the Government of Tonga. Except for frequent litigation regarding its defamation of various parties, wherein the courts have found it liable for some serious cases, this publication continues to operate freely in Tonga.

The other independent media, especially "Tonga Star", "Matangi Tonga" and OBN Television, still continue to include criticisms of Government in their normal media coverage. One of the well known anti-government politicians for example, Dr. Feleti Sevele, runs a weekly current affairs program in the OBN Television, which is strongly anti-Government and regularly features tough critics of Government such as Mr. Akilisi Pohiva. Also, the "Tonga Star" and TV OBN, for example, led the campaign against Government in the issue of the Tonga Trust Fund.

OVERSEAS MEDIA AND OTHERS AGAIN URGED TO READ THE "TAIMI TONGAS" TONGAN ARTICLES FIRST, AND TO TEST THEIR JOURNALISTIC STANDARDS FOR THEMSELVES

In the interest of journalistic balance, the overseas media and others are hereby urged to please take the trouble to read the Taimi Tonga articles for themselves, and to test their journalistic acceptability, using the same impartial standards which are applied to foreign publications.

Take only one subject for example, the "Taimi Tonga's" weekly reports of the Parliamentary debates, and for the year 2002 only. Compare these to the Minutes of the House of the same year, which are publicly available. The result will be a deep sense of sadness and pity for the people of Tonga.

Only the pro-Taimi parliamentarians and their comments are promoted, and reported fairly, favorably and in context. The rest are relegated to bearing the burden of scorn, ridicule and the inaccurate reporting of their comments taken out of context. The actual debates in the House, which the media is duty bound to make clear to the public, suffer as a consequence, and the people of Tonga are cheated out of ever knowing properly what happened in their Parliament.

Futhermore, the accecptability of such unbalanced and biased reporting are questionable in any local publication anywhere. In the case of a foreign publication, such as the "Taimi Tonga," which earns hundreds of thousands of paanga from Tonga and his citizens, it is impossible to justify.

"TAIMI TONGA" EARNS A MAXIMUM OF $561,600 A YEAR FROM TONGA

According to PIMA, who staunchly supports, their Chairman Mr. Moala, the "Taimi Tonga's" readership in Tonga is 9000. Tonga's population is about 98,000.

If this is the case, then at T$1.30 a paper, this comes to T$11,700 a week, which amounts to T$46,800 a month, thus totalling a maximum T$561,600 a year.

"Taimi Tonga" has five staff members in its Tonga Office.

According to the "Taimi Tonga's" Press Release dated 28/2/2002, its total readership is 40,000, so that 31,000 readers are outside Tonga. As such, its earnings outside Tonga, would be even more lucrative.

TONGAN MEDIA'S CONTINUOUS COMPLAINT THAT "TAIMI TONGA", BEING THE ONLY FOREIGN PAPER, IF OUT OF JURISDICTION,

All of the Tongan media are owned by Tongans residing in Tonga. They are published in Tonga, their assets are in Tonga, and their earnings remain in Tonga. They are also all equally subject to Tonga's jurisdiction, and their assets can be reached by this jurisdiction.

The "Taimi Tonga," on the other hand, is owned by an American citizen residing in Auckland, New Zealand, where the paper is published. Their assets are in New Zealand and the hundreds of thousands of dollars they collect from Tonga and her citizens each year, are most probably taken out of Tonga.

Accordingly, the "Taimi Tongas" performance, assets and earnings, are much less subject to Tonga's jurisdiction. This is a major cause of complaint to the Government of Tonga, from the Tonga media.

TONGA MEDIA'S CONTINUOUS COMPLAINT THAT PROTECTION OF "TAIMI TONGA'S" UNACCEPTABLE JOURNALISTIC STANDARDS GIVES THEM UNFAIR HIGH SHARE OF TONGAN MARKET.

The Tongan Media has complained for years that the unacceptable journalistic standards of the "Taimi Tonga," with its characteristically sensational, personalised and very frequently unproven or false "revealations", have resulted in their high sales and high profitability in Tonga.

The Tongan media charges, that they too know this is an ideal way for increasing their readership and profitability. However, they claim that the public's right to good journalism are damaged by this style of journalism, hence their determination to continue to improve their journalistic standards.

"TAIMI TONGA "EDITOR" MATENI TAPUELUELU DID NOT JOIN MEDIA TELEVISION PANEL DISCUSSION ON PROHIBITION OF PAPERS IMPORT.

Mr. Sangster Saulala, President of the Tonga Media Association, Editor of the "Tonga Star", and Manager of TV OBN, hosts three weekly "Check It Out Programmes" on OBN, which are panel discussions by knowledgeable citizens on current affairs.

On Friday 28th February, 2003, Mr. Saulala, as President of the Tonga Media Association, hosted a 1½ panel discussion on the prohibition of the import of "Taimi Tonga," which was re-broadcasted the next day. The guests he invited and who attended were the Editor of Kele'a and Secretary of the Human Rights Association, the Editor of Matangi Tonga, a former Member of Parliament and Legal Counsel for TV OBN, the President of the Human Rights Association and President of the Pro-Democracy Group, the Editor of the Tonga Chronicle, and the Government Information Unit.

Only Mr. Mateni Tapueluelu, Editor of the "Taimi 'o Tonga," did not attend. When invited, he advised that he was busy.

Like all media publications in Tonga, the tape from this "Check it Out" panel discussion is publicly available, and provides first hand information on the views of the panel.

PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE

INFORMATION UNIT

P.O. BOX 62

NUKU'ALOFA

TONGATAPU

TONGA