Accurate and responsible election reporting plays a vital role in keeping voters informed and strengthening public confidence in the electoral process.
Over the past three weeks, representatives from various media organisations participated in the Media and Elections Reporting Training Programme, facilitated by Ms Phillipa Neave, to strengthen their capacity to report accurately and responsibly on Fiji’s electoral processes.
Participating media organisations included fijivillage under Communications Fiji Limited (CFL), Fiji One, Fiji Sun, The Fiji Times, Fiji Broadcasting Corporation (FBC), Fiji TV, FijiLive and Mai TV.
The training highlighted the media’s important role in ensuring voters have access to reliable information, make informed decisions, and participate confidently in the electoral process, covering a range of topics, beginning with the media’s role in elections, understanding electoral processes and the importance of accuracy in reporting.
Participants also explored inclusive election reporting, equitable coverage of women and marginalised candidates, and ways to make election information accessible to diverse voter groups, particularly young people and communities in rural and maritime areas.
A dedicated Media Inclusion Training further examined disability and electoral participation, focusing on reporting that considers the needs of people with visual, hearing, physical and psychosocial impairments.
In completing the programme, this reinforces the Fijian Elections Office (FEO) commitment to strengthening the media’s understanding of electoral processes and supporting responsible election coverage. As Fiji prepares for the upcoming General Election and Proposed National Referendum 2026, the media remains an important partner in ensuring the public receives timely, accurate and accessible electoral information.
This training was made possible through the joint FEO and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) VOTE-Fiji Project, funded by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT).
