As the FAME Awards 2025 returned after 17 years, celebrating excellence, freedom, and resilience in Fiji’s media industry, fijivillage News Director Vijay Narayan says he remains driven by a deep passion for independent journalism and will continue to advocate for media freedom in Fiji.
Speaking after being honoured with the Radio Journalist of the Year Award at the FAME Awards held at the Novotel Hotel in Lami, Narayan says there is still a lot of work to be done and he continues to mentor and guide many people to ensure they achieve the best standards of journalism for the people of Fiji.
He reflected on the intensity and pressure of radio and now online content delivery.
He revealed the dangers he has faced over the years, including threats, death threats, and on occasions when a gun was pointed directly at him.
Narayan also won the award in the Best News Report for Television and Video Category and was the finalist for the Scoop of the Year Award for interviews with the Prime Minister, Army Commander and Health Minister.
He says with the many extreme situations he has been through, he does not see himself as brave, but simply committed.
He adds that he was placed in situations where he had to ensure the right thing was done for the people of Fiji.
As he marks 28 years of being in journalism with Communications Fiji Limited, the parent company of fijivillage, LegendFM, FM96, VITIFM, Navtarang and Radio Sargam, Narayan deeply appreciated the commitments of CFL founder and Chairman, William Parkinson and General Manager, Charles Taylor for free, independent and fair journalism based on the core values of the organisation.
He stresses that he has remained with CFL throughout his journalism career because it truly stands for true, fair, and independent journalism.
Narayan was also grateful that Parkinson was finally recognised after being inducted into the Hall of Fame for the immense contributions he has made to the Fijian media and Pacific media industry as a whole over more than 4 decades.
He also praised his team at CFL and fijivillage, saying they must continue to persevere and uphold the high benchmark of journalism they continue to set to deliver for all their listeners and followers.
Narayan also spoke about family, and the foundation laid by his late mother, saying that he and his siblings, Satish and Deepak, had a very humble beginning, and that their mother raised them alone after their father passed away when he was just 15 years old.
His elder brother, Satish also won the Best Commentator Award last night.
Unfortunately, their mum passed away in July last year.
Narayan acknowledged the support behind his work, highlighting that behind every journalist there are many people holding them together, and that his wife and his rock, Lydia and their children have been supporting him throughout his journey.
When asked for advice for young and aspiring journalists, he emphasised ethics and discipline, saying there are no shortcuts, and journalists must put in the hard work.
He urged journalists to stand for balance, accountability and transparency, and to read and research, so that if they encounter information that is not factual during an interview, they have the knowledge and confidence to question it.
Narayan says that the future of journalism in Fiji is bright, as evidenced at the FAME Awards, adding that while competition will always exist, the focus on freedom, independence, and collaboration must continue.
The FAME Awards 2025 made a long-awaited return after 17 years, with Communications Fiji Limited securing several major awards across multiple categories.
CFL founder and Chairman William Parkinson who was inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2025, says he was thrilled with the return of the FAME Awards, a very important event which he was proud to have helped establish.
He says one of the things that worries him as the media industry moves forward is that young journalists need to learn how to deal with an information space increasingly filled with “garbage”, and that we must be very careful not to allow ourselves to be swamped by the refuse that flows past us on social media.
LegendFM’s Breakfast Show team of Alex Elbourne and Victoria Vollmer was awarded Best Show or Personality in the English Language, while Radio Navtarang’s Masala Mix Show was awarded Best Show or Personality in the Hindi Language category.
FM96 Crackfast Show was the finalist for Best Show or Personality in the English Language, and VitiFM's Dredre Ga Mo Cegu for the Best Show or Personality in the iTaukei Language.
In the Marketing and Advertising category, John Vakaloloma took home the award for Best Radio Advertisement for his impactful “Eyes up, phones down” campaign.
fijivillage News also received recognition as finalists, including Iliana Biutu for Best Coverage of iTaukei Affairs, Aisea Buliruarua for Best News Photography, and the Most Innovative Digital Team and Most Innovative Storytelling in the Digital category.
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