Fiji Broadcasting Corporation (FBC) is a state-run media group in Fiji. It operates six radio stations, two in each of the country’s three main languages (Fijian, Hindustani, and English), and a television channel, FBC TV, which launched in 2011.
Media assets
Television: FBC TV
Radio: Radio Fiji 1, Radio Fiji 2, Gold FM, Bula FM, 2Day FM, Mirchi FM
State Media Matrix Typology: Independent State-Funded and State-Managed (ISFM)
Ownership and governance
FBC started as Fiji Broadcasting Commission, a company incorporated by the government in 1998. It switched its name to the current one in 1999. FBC is wholly owned by the government, its main governing body being a four-member board appointed by the shareholder, according to information from the broadcaster.
Source of funding and budget
FBC is fully financed through a government grant. The broadcaster has been receiving a state subsidy of roughly FJD 11.2m (US$ 5.2m) a year, according to estimates made in media reports. In July 2024, however, the government announced that it had plans to open the grant for public media services, which has been so far fully devoted to funding the FBC, to other media outlets in the country. The move is aimed at ensuring fairness in the media field in Fiji, according to government officials. FBC was allocated FJD 10.4m (US$ 4.9m) in the 2023-2024 budget, but following the decision to share the grant, it is expected to see its state allocation slashed to some FJD 6.2m (US$ 2.9m).
Editorial independence
We have not found any instance of government interference with the FBC’s editorial agenda. Two journalists working with privately owned media outlets in Fiji commented that following a few years of reform, the FBC is editorially independent, and its journalists can conduct their work without pressure from state bodies or officials, a fact confirmed by international media watchdogs.
The December 2022 elections ended Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama’s 16-year rule. Bainimarama took the helm following a coup on the Pacific island in 2006 and was known for significantly curtailing media freedom. With a new government in place since 2023, the media has seen important reforms, which led to more autonomy at the FBC.
No domestic statutes establishing FBC’s independence or assessment/oversight mechanisms validating the station’s editorial autonomy have been identified.
July 2024