The Fiji government is tendering for media companies to publish its government notices for the next year, but publishers will have to meet strict conditions.
Newspaper stand in Lautoka, Fiji Photo: RNZ/Sally Round
To be approved for the lucrative contract, organisations will have to show examples of commitment to national unity, national identity development and nation building.
Islands Business reported that the tender documents are now available and they outline a number of stringent checks that media organisations have to provide.
They include any bidder having to include details of any contempt proceedings, claims of unfair or unbalanced reporting, or a breach of the Media Industry Development Decree in the past six years.
This effectively rules out the Fiji Times, which has been accused of all of the above.
For the past year, government notices had been published exclusively in the pro-government Fiji Sun.
When the tender system changed to sole-providers, it was criticised as an attempt by the government to restrict revenue for the Fiji Times.
