Chairman Daryl Tarte, who has condemned the proposal.
The new law will create a tribunal to hear appeals on complaints lodged with the council.
“The Media Council is a respected regulatory body and if you wanted to undermine it, this would be the best way,” Reporters Without Borders said. “After expelling several independent newspaper editors, the government is yet again betraying the undertakings it gave to respect press freedom.”
The interim government said last week that, at the request of the prime minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, it intended to draft a new law to consolidate all of the existing laws relating to the media.
The new law will also create a new special tribunal with power to impose fines on the media.
Fiji’s interim attorney general has denied that the interim government wants to control the media.
