FILM AND TELEVISION UNIT

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The Film and Television Unit was established in 1985 in a Joint Venture operation between the Fiji Government and the Hanns Seidel Foundation of Germany. It was then, known as the Fiji National Video Center. The FNVC’s core functions were to produce audio-visual programme with the aim to create greater awareness on all aspects of multi cultural co-existence and national development objectives in the country.

Hanns Seidel Foundation withdrew in mid 1980’s and the Fiji Government took over the project. Television was introduced in Fiji in 1991 and the FNVC supplied daily half-hour local news bulletins to Fiji One. This arrangement ceased in mid 1994 and the name of the Center was changed to the “Film and Television Unit”.

The Film and Television Unit launched it’s flagship programme, “Dateline Fiji” in August, 1995. From then on the Unit continues to produce for viewers, programmes on Social and Economic issues, Public and Private sector development, tradition and culture, health, education, environment and human-interest stories. Today the Unit produces three weekly programmes in English, Fijian and Hindi – namely Dateline Fiji, Voqa ni Davui and Sitara.

The Film and Television Unit importantly is also the repository of the Audio Visual Archive which includes 16/35mm Film and videotape stocks in various formats.