Radio Pasifik Gagging 'Threatens Free Speech'
By Heti Fifita and Ashley Gopal
SUVA (Wansolwara Online//Pacific Media Watch): Radio Pasifik believes freedom of speech is under attack at the
University of the South Pacific after reports that the station was pulled off air in the student dining hall following a
controversial talkback show.
In an interview with Wansolwara Online, station manager Vili Nadaku said he had heard that the dining hall was no longer
tuned to the station following a talkback show which broadcast complaints from on-campus students about food quality at
the hall.
Radio Pasifik is the student community radio station at the university's Laucala Campus in Suva and broadcasts from the
USP Media Centre on 88.8fm.
During a Fijian talkback show last semester, many students complained about the poor food quality served at the dining
hall, Nadaku said.
"We invited the manager or someone from the dining hall to co-host the talk back show but no one came."
The station, which airs cultural programmes, such as Hindi or wantok presentations, religious segments, music, current
affairs, news and talkback shows, had also received word that it was "yanked off air due to the low quality performance
of its announcers".
Dining hall operations manager Rodd Fielding denied the claims, saying the dining hall switched to other radio stations
according to students' preferences.
"It is nothing personal," Fielding said.
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