Fiji media organisations registered

from w
The list of media organisations in Fiji that have registered on time have been listed tonight by Fiji radio. The internet site Fijilive is not listed but Fijivillage is there (under Communications Fiji Ltd.) Fiji Times is still hangin' in there. I notice that Subramani is replacing Satendra Nandan as chairman of the committee that has oversight over the Fiji media.

List of registered Fiji media announced
Friday, July 30, 2010

The names of companies that have registered as media organizations to operate under the new Media Decree have been announced by the Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.

The list includes Fiji TV, Communications Fiji Ltd, Fiji Times, Fiji Sun, ALSA Ltd as Mai Life Magazine, Mai TV, Active Media, Sporting Pulse, Islands Business, Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, Half Time publications, and Bula Namaste.

Respected online media agency Fiji Live seems to have not registered by the deadline as their name was not announced by the AG.

Sayed-Khaiyum also announced that prominent academic Professor Subramani is now the chairman of the Media Industry Development Authority, replacing Satendra Nandan who withdrew due to health issues.

Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) manager Matai Akauola is also a member of the authority, as well as the Solicitor General Christopher Pryde. The other three members are Aselika Uluilakeba representing the interests of the children, Peni Moore representing womens interests, and Jimaima Schultz representing consumer interests.

Sayed-Khaiyum also confirmed that government will not be giving an expression of interest to buy the Fiji Times. He also relayed that there will be no extensions to any deadline set out in the media decree.
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and from ABC Radio Australia - the not so surprising news:
Fiji Times up for sale
Last Updated: 6 hours 5 minutes ago
Fiji's main daily newspaper, the Fiji Times, has been put up for sale, following the military regime's decree earlier this year that required all media outlets to be 90 per cent domestically owned.

An expression of interest has been put out by accounting firm Price Waterhouse Coopers for parties interested in buying the Times, which is wholly owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Limited.

Pacnews reports that anyone submitting an EOI must be able to meet the requirements of the Media Industry Development Decree. The closing date for submissions is August 9.
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and from Fiji Times:
Expressions of interest for Fiji Times
Sophie Foster
Friday, July 30, 2010

ACCOUNTING firm PricewaterhouseCoopers has called for expressions of interest from parties wanting to acquire News Limited's interest in the Fiji Times.

The EOI statement issued by PWC said "interested parties must be able to provide evidence of their ability to meet the requirements of the Media Industry Development Decree 2010 and demonstrate financial capacity to make this acquisition".

All EOI must provide name and full contact details of the interested party or consortium, their brief corporate profile including details of directors and shareholders as well as their compliance with the media decree, latest audited financial statements, and acceptable bankers references.

It said after evaluation, shortlisted parties would be selected and required to enter into a Confidentiality Agreement, following which they would be issued with an Information Memorandum.

"Shortlisted parties will then be required to lodge indicative non-binding offers and following an assessment of the indicative offers, a limited number of prospective purchasers will be shortlisted and allowed time to conduct their due diligence."

It said PWC and News Ltd reserved the right to accept, reject or negotiate with any party that made a submission.

PWC partner Jenny Seeto is handling the EOI, which closes on Monday August 9.