Solomon Islands takes tighter control over state broadcaster

By NICK PERRY
Associated Press

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The government of the Solomon Islands is tightening its control over the nation’s state-owned broadcaster. Opponents say the move is squarely aimed at controlling and censoring the news. The government this week accused the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation of a “lack of ethics and professionalism.” But in an interview with The Associated Press,  Johnson Honimae, the SIBC’s chief executive, said he was proud of the broadcaster’s award-winning journalism. He said it was business as usual and there were no government censors vetting stories before they were broadcast, contrary to what was being reported by some news outlets.