National Pacific Radio Trust is here to stay, insists chair

By Gladys Hartson, Pacific Media Watch

The chairman of the National Pacific Radio Trust is confident that the Pacific Media Network which operates Niu FM, Radio 531pi, and Pacific Radio News is here to stay.

Fa’amatuainu Tino Pereira says the outlook "can only get better from now on", despite poor attendance at Trust meetings held with Pacific communities earlier this month. Trust members and management met with members of the Pacific community in Dunedin, Wellington, Tokoroa and Auckland earlier this month.

While Pereira acknowledged that the turn out wasn’t great, he said the feedback from the community was invaluable.

Concerns raised

Concerns raised at the annual general meeting from the community, ranged from news content on the community language progammes to the future ownership of the network.

Pereira said that while people recognised it’s important to know what is happening in the Pacific, they also pushed for more local content about Pacific communities living in New Zealand.

“It’s important for the community to have their say, we try to cater to everyone’s taste, however we are never going to satisfy everyone”.

The network receives three million dollars a year to run the stations. While there has been no increase in funding allocated to NPRT in this year's government budget, Pereira said funding is confirmed for the next three years, with no decrease.

Still, even with the funding from the government, the station needs to raise $1.5 million in advertising revenue in order to keep operating.

Pereira says the market out there is very competitive: “We are going up against mainstream fully commercial stations.”

Ownership

The future ownership of the network was also raised at the AGM.

Pereira said people want to see the station in community hands, owned and operated by the people. The feedback was that “our community don’t want to rely on government funding forever”.

The network has undergone major restructuring over the last few years, and Pereira said it has had a new leadership team since August 2009.

He said NPRT has stabilised its financial position and according to its Statement of Intent, it forecasts a surplus in the next three years.

The trust is fully aware of the phenomenon of new media with the introduction of social networking sites like, Twitter, Blog sites, Face Book.

He said: “I accept it’s a new ball game and we have to accept the new digital age is upon us, that’s the way it is going.”

The veteran broadcaster said the introduction of such sites has given our young Pacific people a different medium to express their views and opinions: “I welcome this as long as it’s done with integrity and dignity without offending people.”

Pereria said the objective of the Trust members and management is to address the issues raised by the community, and to implement it in the best way they can with the resources they have.

“I have absolute trust in the staff, their talents and aspirations for the network, and our future. We are a work in progress,” he said.

Gladys Hartson is a Graduate Diploma in Journalism student at AUT University and is working with Pacific Media Watch.

National Pacific Radio Trust Statement of Intent 2010-2013

Pacific Media Network

Inquisitive Pasifika journalist stood down from Radio 531pi

By Gladys Hartson, Pacific Media Watch

Members of the Pacific community have come out in support of a popular radio announcer after he was stood down from his weekend show Talanoa Pacific on Thursday.

According to a blog, Efeso Collins, an announcer for Radio 531pi posted a notice on Pacificeyewitness website stating he received an email from the programme director of Pacific Media Network, Pere Matai, outlining serious matters had arisen since they last spoke two weeks ago, and as a result he would be rested from presenting this weekend.

The handling of $4.8 million dollars of taxpayer’s money granted to an organization called Pacific Islands Economic Development Agency Ltd (PEDA) created huge debate amongst the listeners. (See Pacific Scoop analysis for more on this issue.)

Collins said he and many in his community wanted answers from the government and PEDA.

Collins and his colleague, host of Island time and head announcer Mary Pahi, posted blogs on the website regarding the PEDA issue expressing their difference of opinion on the matter. (See Collins’ entry) and (Pahi’s entry).

The polarised positions expressed on the website demonstrate how sensitive this issue (of PEDA receiving almost $5 million of Government funds over the next four years) has become.

“It saddens me it has come to this, and somehow I have become embroiled in this issue,” Collins added.

A masters graduate from Auckland University, he said: "If we as Pacific media are not prepared to ask the ‘hard questions’ who will? We need to stop pandering to those who control the funding”.

Pacific Media Network receives government funding.

"What kind of a message does that give our Pacific broadcasters/journalists? If you’re not nice to people of influence when you conduct an interview, they won’t continue to fund us?” he said.

Collins would not go into the details why he has been rested from the show. According to his blog he would await the outcome and would be seeking legal advice.

Pere Maitai via text said he will not be commenting on an internal staff matter.

Pacific Scoop contacted Chair of the National Pacific Radio Trust, Tino Perira, seeking clarity on why Collins was stood down from the radio station. Perira said he was aware of the issue but would not comment stating only that it is a management issue and that Radio 531pi’s management will deal with it.


Gladys Hartson is a Graduate Diploma in Journalism student at AUT University and is working with Pacific Media Watch.

More on Pacific Scoop:

Analysis: Questions over NZ Govt's funds to PEDA raise serious concerns
Govt's $4.8million package to Pacific EDA questioned

Pacific radio defends ban over 'unbalanced' Fiji interview

Pacific Media Centre

A New Zealand-based Pacific radio network has moved to defuse a controversy over a Fijian-language interview critical of the Methodist Church and alleged involvement of some leading clergy in past coups.

Pacific Media Network acting chief executive Tom Etuata told Pacific Media Centre reporter Pippa Brown today that the ban on experienced broadcaster Bulou Amalaini Ligalevu-Legge had been lifted after she had been suspended off air following last month’s wide-ranging interview with Citizens’ Constitutional Forum executive director Rev Akuila Yabaki.

Yabaki also spoke about the abrogation of the Fiji constitution, censorship of the media and freedom of expression in the June 6 broadcast, but the programme's criticism of the Methodist Church in the wake of the regime’s cancellation of the annual conference drew three written complaints to Radio NiuFM/531pi.

The controversy was picked up by the independent media watchdog blog Café Pacific.

Etuata said the radio tried to achieve balance in its programmes.

“She was suspended only from one programme, not from work,” he said. “She is still being employed as an announcer while we investigate and get an independent translation because we did get a number of complaints.

“Our community radio aims to provide both views of the topic and provide balance as a responsible broadcaster on air.”

Bulou Amalaini said the off air suspension was “very unfair”.

She denied claims by complainants that she was a supporter of regime leader Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, saying little information was coming out of Fiji and she had been trying to provide more insight and research into political developments.

'Too scared'
Formerly of Radio Fiji and with 25 years’ broadcasting experience,” Bulou Amalaini said: “People are too scared to talk, but Rev Yabaki was not too scared to be interviewed.”

Rev Yabaki, who is an outspoken champion of human and constitutional rights in Fiji, spoke about the Methodist Church after the banning of the conference, saying Fiji’s largest and most influential religious institution was “in disarray”.

“If you look at the history of the stand that the Methodist Church has taken in the past 20 years, you will note that it supported the first coup of 1987 and also George Speight’s coup in the year 2000,” he said.

“But it opposed the coup of 2006 because it believes that Fiji should be governed by Fijians, who are their members, as if it were their divine right.

“This was the case when Dr Timoci Bavadra and Mahendra Chaudhry’s Labour Party won the general elections of 1987 and 1999.”

One complainant to 531pi/Niu FM said: “It would have been fair ... if Ligalevu [had interviewed] a member of the church in New Zealand or an official of the church in Fiji on matters concerning the church.

“But to do exactly the opposite does not only degrade the biggest domination in Fiji but also angers the members of the church who are in New Zealand.”

Bulou Amalaini said she had been told by the station management that "the interview was good but it was not balanced - that I should have interviewed somebody from the Methodist Church as well".

She said Fijian programme producer Nemai Vucago had asked the head of the Fiji Methodist congregration in New Zealand, Rev Peni Tikoinaka, to speak on the programme but he had declined because he said he was not "fully versed" over the issue.

Another Methodist clergyman was also asked but declined.

Rev Yabaki told the PMC that Bulou Analaini had been dealt a "raw deal" by the radio station "in a manner that lacks transparency".

He said she had been denied a hearing involving the three complaints.

Pictured: Broadcaster Bulou Amalaini Ligalevu-Legge (top) and the CCF's Rev Akuila Yabaki.

Niu FM - Pacific Media Network
Full text of Rev Akuila Yabaki interview
Veteran Fiji broadcaster gagged on Pacific radio