Calls are being made to journalists to ensure that AI serves to strengthen rather than weaken independent journalism which remains essential to holding power accountable in a democracy and that journalists must not let AI overpower their unique voices.
This has been highlighted during Fijian Media Association’s Press Freedom Day celebration where the theme for this year is "AI and the Future of Journalism in Fiji."
Fijian Media Association President and Fiji Sun CEO Rosi Doviverata says AI tools could enhance investigative capabilities and expand coverage but they also introduce concerns about hallucinations, deep fakes, automated misinformation and potential new forms of control that could again undermine the hard won press freedoms.
FMA General Secretary Stanley Simpson is urging journalists to assert themselves and not let AI think it can come and be them and take their job.
Pacific Islands News Association board member and Fiji Times editor in chief Fred Wesley also delivered PINA President Kalafi Moala’s message who says press freedom is not just about physical threats or censorship, it is also about digital manipulation, data control and the erosion of public trust in factual reporting.
The PINA President says AI tools can help newsrooms in the Pacific do more with less - automate translation, analyze data or reach broader audiences, but without regulation digital literacy and editorial safeguards, these tools can just as easily be used to silence, mislead or marginalize.
Moala says in Fiji as in many of our nations, independent media must navigate growing political influence, uneven digital access and limited protection for journalists.
He says PINA is calling on Pacific governments, donors and technology companies to protect journalists rights and safety as journalists must be free to report without fear on the ground or online which includes protection from harassment, surveillance and censorship in the digital sphere.
He also calls for support for media independence and sustainability, independent public interest as media must be adequately resourced and protected from undue political or commercial influence which means fair funding, models, transparent media regulation and public trust.
The PINA President is also calling on governments and education institutions to help journalists and communities understand how AI works, how to use it radically, and how to recognize manipulation and disinformation.
He adds journalists will continue to hold power to account, amplify Pacific voices and report truth in all its complexity.
The Association also paid tribute to those in the media family who have left us this year including Communications Fiji Limited’s Maikeli Radua and Paula Nabuta and also Wainikiti Bogidrau, a former journalist and editor of the Fiji Sun.
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