MEDIA freedom in the Pacific is once again under the spotlight – this time in Samoa.
A current ban on the Samoa Observer highlights the ongoing struggle for press independence in Samoa, raising the alarm among media watchdogs and journalists.
The ban followed shortly after Samoa’s Prime Minister, La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt, returned from eight weeks of medical treatment in New Zealand.
There was a tense confrontation when Observer journalists (and a BBC journalist) went to his private residence to confirm he was back, and the PM claims they trespassed and were “disrespectful”.
La’aulialemalietoa claimed certain stories published during his absence—including a reported meeting involving his deputy and senior officials—were false.
Fiji, once notorious for its restrictive Media Industry Development Act, suppressed independent journalism until it was repealed in April 2023.
Despite La’aulialemalietoa’s claims, media groups from the region strongly condemn the ban.
The Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) condemned the ban, calling it a “serious threat” to media freedom and democratic accountability.
PINA argued that instead of punitive bans, any media concerns should be managed through the Media Council, which is empowered to review complaints.
“Samoa already has a legally mandated and independent mechanism to address concerns about media accuracy, fairness, or ethical conduct.”
General Secretary of the Fiji Media Association, Stanley Simpson, said, “Any effort to silence or sideline an independent news outlet undermines the foundations of democracy.
“Media freedom must always be protected, and political leaders have a responsibility to respect the role of journalists, even when reporting is uncomfortable.”
He said a strong democracy needs the media to inform the public, hold the powerful accountable, ask difficult questions, and bring forward stories that matter.
The Journalism Students’ Association (JSA) at the University of the South Pacific (USP) issued a strongly worded statement.
They described the ban as a “deliberate and systemic attempt to restrict public scrutiny.”
The JSA warned that such actions could “erode youth confidence” in journalism as a profession.
In a recent statement, Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa acknowledged reactions to his decision to temporarily suspend the Samoa Observer from his press conferences on November 20, 2025.
“With great interest, I have taken into account the reactions to my decision to temporarily suspend, not ban, as widely reported, the Samoa Observer newspaper from attending my Press Conferences, as well as Press Conferences by Ministers of Cabinet,” he said.
“To set the record straight, the freedom of the media in Samoa, including the Samoa Observer, to report accurate, factual and impartial stories is not compromised by the suspension.”
He said the media was free to report accurate, factual, and impartial stories.
“Basically, the justification for the temporary suspension is to hold the Samoa Observer to its own standards, which include reporting factual, accurate, and impartial articles with integrity and professionalism.”