Media Freedom in Tonga

Media situation:

Newspaper: 2 weekly newspaper, Taimi Tonga and Tonga Chronicle, and three monthly newspapers owned by the Churches

Radio: 1 AM and 4 FM radio stations

Television: 2 TV stations, Channel 3 and 7

Cinema: 1 half-dead cinema

Video shops: 4 licensed

Recording studio: 3 operating

Communication strategies: cultural -- the cultural system of communication has a way of its own. There are four levels:

Person to person: To start a communication between two persons, there must be a form of introduction to make the two persons to begin the communication. Normally one will begin to say hello and pretend that he/she knows the other person before and not ask the name of each other. While the conversation goes on, they both figure out where, how and who they are conversing with. They will eventually come to people they know and they will finally figure out each other's name. Then they continue to converse or decide to meet again.

Family members: In families there is a level of communication depending on the status of the members of the family. For example, children should not start the talk with the father. The younger ones should not talk to the older ones. This also influences the ways people communicate even in classrooms. The teacher asks questions and the students just sit there and watch the teacher. The students say nothing.

Village situation: The direction is almost the same as family members i.e. one-way street. The talking chief of the noble makes the talk. Unless there is an issue strong enough for the noble to speak directly to the people, then he may do so. It is not normal for the common people to ask questions to the chief. If there is any query, the question should be directed to the talking chief.

National level: This is another sensitive area. The head of state is the king and he does not talk to any particular person. No one talks directly to the king. Also, all communication must go through the talking chief. The king often uses the media to communicate to the people, in such occasions as the opening of the parliament, opening of a new church or something of the kind.

Media:

The question is always: Is there media freedom in Tonga? If there is, how is does it operate?

Yes, there is media freedom in Tonga. It is the constitution that offers this freedom of speech and freedom of expression. However, just like any other organised society, there are laws that offer freedom and there are rules that regulate those rights and to protect them.

When we talk about the freedom of media, we can not escape from the fact that we have to deal with laws that regulate these rights.

These are the areas we have to consider:

media laws, newspapers, broadcasting, audio and images, Internet, radio wave communication and Moss. laws about defamation of characters, copyright laws, censorship laws, clients and counsellors rights rules of procedures in courts re: evidence rights of private companies rights of court orders laws re: classified and confidential protected materials

The hot question is: Is there really freedom of press and of media? It is obvious that there is freedom but it depends on what you handle and what your interest is.

The Power of the Media:

In our training as media professionals we know how media works if we really turn on the right button and they certainly reach the level of impacts -- to inform and transform people and to form communities. For example, when you want to name the rugby team, the selector can not escape but to listen to the media.

In Cinema:

This is when the media oversteps its rights and freedom and bypasses the control of the individuals on their feelings and emotions. Just watch a well-made film, like Titanic, you begin to laugh without you planning to do so, and you begin to cry when you do not want to.

It is therefore our responsibility to use media rightly with sensitivity.