The New Zealand government is blocking the national Fiji Broadcasting Corporation television service from showing Television New Zealand news and features, reports the Fiji Sun. Since its launch in November last year, FBC TV has gained the attention of many viewers with its excellent line of programmes. However, the absence of TVNZ and Australia Network coverage has not gone unnoticed by many viewers – something available on Fiji One and Mai TV.
Viewers approached the Fiji Sun this week in this regard and the newspaper questioned FBC chief executive Riyaz Sayed-Khaiyum. Two requests made by FBC TV for broadcast rights to the TVNZ Pacific Service last year were rejected twice, Sayed-Khaiyum said. “The TVNZ Pacific Service is free across the Pacific and all any broadcaster has to do is get approval from TVNZ. In our case, when I approached them the first time, I was rejected,” he said. “When I approached the chief executive a couple of months later, TVNZ got back to me saying FBC TV cannot broadcast the service because we are Fiji government-owned.”
