Fiji 2000: Journalists and the George Speight coup

Abstract

Much criticism of both the local and international media’s role during the May 2000 coup in Fiji emerged after the crisis. Critics included editors and journalists of the local and international media and political and historical analysts who knew the ‘real reasons’ behind the coup and did not see this being reported. This article analyses interviews with 17 journalists, 13 local four foreign reporters, who covered the coup, and their reaction to criticisms made against them over coverage. It also assesses possible effects on some journalists by the so-called Stockholm syndrome because of their close association with businessman George Speight and his fellow captors who held the Mahendra Chaudhry government hostage for 56 days.

Keywords

• conflict reporting
• Fiji coups
• George Speight
• media ethics
• media history
• Stockholm Syndrome