Stringent Media Guidelines for CHOGM Coverage Disappoint Local Journalists

By Lise Schmidt/

Apia, Samoa – 11 September 2024 – As the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) approaches, strict media guidelines announced by the CHOGM Media Committee at a briefing this morning raised serious concerns about transparency from the local media fraternity.

As preparations intensify for CHOGM next month, the strict guidelines for media access and coverage has angered and disappointed local media practitioners and journalists.

The strict guidelines outlined by the Media Committee Chairperson, Lefaoalii Unutoa Auelua Fonoti was a comprehensive framework intended to control and dictate how the media should conduct their coverage during the highly anticipated meeting.

Lefaoalii is the CEO of the Ministry of Communications (MCIT) that operates Radio 2AP and the Government TV Channel 9 who are in a partnership with a New Zealand based company MMG as host broadcaster for the meeting.

According to Lefaoalii, the media guidelines were endorsed by Cabinet.

During the Q & A session, the media representatives tried to explain to the Committee the nature of their work and what the Committee has outlined and put in place will limit and not serve the needs of the media.

Restrictions
“The host broadcaster is the only authorised entity to film the whole meeting from the opening, closing, meetings at various venues and if any of the media need raw footage, interviews or photos, they must place a request at the media centre Help Desk,” explained Lefaoalii.

No media is allowed to take photos or film clips even for short news items at the opening and closing ceremony, she stated.

She also explained that the stringent protocols include limitations on access to specific venues, justified by the government as necessary for delegates’ safety and to prevent information leaks.

Senior journalist and former RNZI correspondent Autagavai Tipi Autagavaia asserted that the restrictions pose a pure conflict of interest given Lefaoali’i’s involvement and as Chair of the Media Committee.

The restrictions also give the overseas media entity preferential treatment and essentially block off the local media and will impact their ability to report comprehensively on the proceedings of CHOGM 2024.

Lefaoalii explained that there would be media pools provided and the Committee after the media accreditation of local and international media will select media representatives for each pool.

Autagavaia pointed out that different media outlets have different needs, deadlines and some are selective of the events that they would cover.

“We do not operate like that and the media have different interests, needs and different angles to work from and what the committee is suggesting is “unethical”, he said.

Lefaoalii however insisted “You have to follow what the Government wants us to do and this has been a practise with such meetings in the past.”

President of the Journalist Association of Samoa (JAWS) Lagi Keresoma also voiced her disappointment at the Committees stance.

“It is very disappointing for a Government who claims strong belief in democracy, transparency and accountability to be in the forefront of such restrictions,” she said.

She emphasized that as a host nation for such a significant meeting, it is crucial that the media is afforded proper access for their coverage.

Early this year, JAWS offered to provide two senior journalists to work with the Media Committee in preparing media coverage guidelines for CHOGM 2024, as most of the committee members are CEOs who have no field experience on the media and journalists needs in covering such meetings. The offer was never taken up.

Despite the concerns raised by the media, Lefaoalii maintains that adherence to government directives is vital for a successful coverage of CHOGM 2024.

After the briefing, the journalists met quickly on a way forward and decided to pursue the matter further as CHOGM 2024 is only five weeks away.