CoveragePost
January 22, 2026
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has condemned the guilty verdict against Filipino journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio whose case has been challenged since her arrest almost six years ago. Cumpio was found guilty today on a charge of “financing terrorism” in the Philippines, and now faces a sentence ... <a title="RSF condemns verdict in ‘fabricated’ case against Filipino journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/01/22/rsf-condemns-verdict-in-fabricated-case-against-filipino-journalist-frenchie-mae-cumpio/" aria-label="Read more about RSF condemns verdict in ‘fabricated’ case against Filipino journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 8, 2025
Pacific Media Watch More than 150 press freedom advocacy groups and international newsrooms have joined Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) in issuing a public appeal demanding that Israel grant foreign journalists immediate, independent and unrestricted access to the Gaza Strip. The organisations are also calling for the full protection ... <a title="Gaza plea: RSF, CPJ and 150+ media outlets call on Israel to open Strip to foreign journalists, protect Palestinian reporters" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/06/08/gaza-plea-rsf-cpj-and-150-media-outlets-call-on-israel-to-open-strip-to-foreign-journalists-protect-palestinian-reporters/" aria-label="Read more about Gaza plea: RSF, CPJ and 150+ media outlets call on Israel to open Strip to foreign journalists, protect Palestinian reporters">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 9, 2025
World Press Freedom Day is not just a celebration of the vital role journalism plays — it is also a moment to reflect on the pressures facing the profession and Pacific governments’ responsibility to protect it. This was one of the key messages delivered by two guest speakers at The University of the South Pacific ... <a title="USP World Press Freedom Day warnings over AI, legal reform and media safety" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/05/09/usp-world-press-freedom-day-warnings-over-ai-legal-reform-and-media-safety/" aria-label="Read more about USP World Press Freedom Day warnings over AI, legal reform and media safety">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 8, 2025
Pacific Media Watch Barely hours after being guest speaker at the University of the South Pacific‘s annual World Press Freedom Day event this week, Fiji media industry stalwart Stanley Simpson was forced to fend off local trolls whom he described as “hypocrites”. “Attacked by both the Fiji Labour Party and ex-FijiFirst MPs in just one ... <a title="Fiji media’s Stan Simpson blasts ‘hypocrites’ in social media clash over press freedom" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/05/08/fiji-medias-stan-simpson-blasts-hypocrites-in-social-media-clash-over-press-freedom/" aria-label="Read more about Fiji media’s Stan Simpson blasts ‘hypocrites’ in social media clash over press freedom">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 7, 2025
Talamua Online News Samoa has dropped in its media and information freedom world ranking from 22 in 2024 to 44 in 2025 in the latest World Press Freedom Index compiled annually by the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF). For the Pacific region, New Zealand is ranked highest at 16, Australia at 29, Fiji at 40, ... <a title="Samoa down in RSF media freedom world ranking due to ‘authoritarian pressure’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/05/07/samoa-down-in-rsf-media-freedom-world-ranking-due-to-authoritarian-pressure/" aria-label="Read more about Samoa down in RSF media freedom world ranking due to ‘authoritarian pressure’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 7, 2025
Pacific Media Watch To mark the release of the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) partnered with the agency The Good Company to launch a new awareness campaign that puts an ironic twist on the glossy advertising of the tourism industry. Three out of six countries featured in the exposé are from ... <a title="Indonesian postcard image ‘dangerous’ but Fiji a rising star in RSF press freedom index" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/05/07/indonesian-postcard-image-dangerous-but-fiji-a-rising-star-in-rsf-press-freedom-index/" aria-label="Read more about Indonesian postcard image ‘dangerous’ but Fiji a rising star in RSF press freedom index">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 6, 2025
By Anish Chand Entities and individuals that thrived under the previous government with public relations contracts now want to be part of the media or run media organisations, says Fiji Media Association (FMA) secretary Stanley Simpson. He made the comments yesterday while speaking at a World Press Freedom Day event hosted by the journalism programme ... <a title="Fiji media welcomes credible news services, but not ‘pop-up propagandists’, says Simpson" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/05/06/fiji-media-welcomes-credible-news-services-but-not-pop-up-propagandists-says-simpson/" aria-label="Read more about Fiji media welcomes credible news services, but not ‘pop-up propagandists’, says Simpson">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 5, 2025
By Kalafi Moala in Nuku’alofa On this World Press Freedom Day, we in the Pacific stand together to defend and promote the right to freedom of expression — now facing new and complex challenges in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This year’s global theme is “Reporting a Brave New World: The impact of Artificial ... <a title="PINA on World Press Freedom Day – facing new and complex AI challenges" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/05/05/pina-on-world-press-freedom-day-facing-new-and-complex-ai-challenges/" aria-label="Read more about PINA on World Press Freedom Day – facing new and complex AI challenges">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 5, 2025
By Michelle Curran of Pasifika TV World Press Freedom Day is a poignant reminder that journalists and media workers are essential for a healthy, functioning society — including the Pacific. Held annually on May 3, World Press Freedom Day prompts governments about the need to respect press freedom, while serving as a day of reflection ... <a title="Pacific ‘story sovereignty’ top of mind on World Press Freedom Day" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/05/05/pacific-story-sovereignty-top-of-mind-on-world-press-freedom-day/" aria-label="Read more about Pacific ‘story sovereignty’ top of mind on World Press Freedom Day">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 5, 2025
Australia (ranked 29th) and New Zealand (ranked 16th) are cited as positive examples by Reporters Without Borders in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index of commitment to public media development aid, showing support through regional media development such as in the Pacific Islands. Reporters Without Borders The 2025 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without ... <a title="New deal for journalism – RSF’s 11 steps to ‘reconstruct’ global media" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/05/05/new-deal-for-journalism-rsfs-11-steps-to-reconstruct-global-media/" aria-label="Read more about New deal for journalism – RSF’s 11 steps to ‘reconstruct’ global media">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 4, 2025
World Media Freedom Day reflections of a protester Yesterday, World Media Freedom Day, we marched to Television New Zealand in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland to deliver a letter asking them to do better. Their coverage [of Palestine] has been biased at its best, silent at its worst. I truly believe that if our media outlets reported ... <a title="‘Dead weight comes to mind’ when thinking about Gazan parents and genocide" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/05/04/dead-weight-comes-to-mind-when-thinking-about-gazan-parents-and-genocide/" aria-label="Read more about ‘Dead weight comes to mind’ when thinking about Gazan parents and genocide">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 4, 2025
By Anish Chand in Suva Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has paid tribute to all those working the media industry in his message to mark World Press Freedom Day. He said in his May 3 message thanks to democracy his coalition government had removed the “dark days of oppression and suppressions”. “Today as we join ... <a title="Rabuka salutes Fiji media but warns against taking freedom for granted" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/05/04/rabuka-salutes-fiji-media-but-warns-against-taking-freedom-for-granted/" aria-label="Read more about Rabuka salutes Fiji media but warns against taking freedom for granted">Read more</a>