Media kingpins start new group after divisive PINA resignation

By Josephine Latu, Pacific Media Watch

A group of established media veterans have formed a new group – the Pacific Media Association (PMA) – after this week’s resignation announcement by former vice president of the main regional body, the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) John Woods.

The new media organization includes as key members Samoa Observer founder Savea Sano Malifa, Vanuatu Daily Post editor Marc Neil-Jones, former Fiji Sun publisher now an editor at the Samoa Observer Russell Hunter, Taimi Media Network CEO Kalafi Moala, and Cook Islands News editor John Woods, among others.

Moala said the plan was to support independent media while avoiding organisational bureaucracy, and unlike PINA, the PMA it would be open to members from Australia and New Zealand.

“It’s been long overdue to have an ‘industry driven’ media association in the Pacific whose core values include press freedom and the united and co-ordinated effort to lift Pacific media to a high level of journalistic performance. Our independence is vital if we are going to fulfil our professional duties to our region,” Moala told Pacific Scoop.

Woods resigned earlier this week over alleged lack of transparency and maladministration in PINA, as well as the lack of action over Fiji’s media controls.

“Today’s media freedom situation in Fiji… is totally intolerable. A body like PINA should have led the outrage 24 hours ago. I am ashamed that we have reneged on our constitutional obligation to oppose censorship and media controls in Fiji,” he stated in his letter of resignation, circulated on the Pacific Islands Journalists Online network.

In response, PINA president Moses Stevens told Radio New Zealand that the organisation stood by its approach, stating: “Fiji is not a normal democratic government… It’s a military regime and we cannot deal with the situation as we would deal with a normal democratically elected government.”

PINA is currently based in Fiji, where the media has been heavily censored by the military regime in power.

Lisa Williams Lahari, founder of the Pacific WAVE network, said she was “sad but not surprised” at the recent PINA developments.

“This week’s crisis proves the point that we need to get regional media in order,” she told Pacific Scoop.

“I want an association that’s different from PINA. Anyone who as observed the repeated calls for transparency would know it’s a confirmation there’s a lot of trouble,” she said.

Lahari called for a new approach to regional media in forming alliances with new Pacific advocacy groups and media networks that have formed in the past few years.

She said her organisations, Pacific WAVE network and the Pacific Freedom Forum group, were ready to sign on to the PMA.

It is yet uncertain where in the Pacific the new organisation will be based, although Samoa has been suggested due to its air links and media environment.

Photo: Taimi Media Network CEO and publisher of the Taimi 'o Tonga newspaper Kalafi Moala is one of the founders of the new Pacific Media Association.

Lack of reporters, resources big challenge for Pacific media, say local journalists

By Josephine Latu, Pacific Media Watch

A serious lack of reporters and financial resources means that “some stories do not get told”, say some journalists from the region.

Three visiting correspondents from the Pacific Islands, including Samoa Observer editor Mata’afa Keni Lesa, Matangi Tonga photojournalist Linny Folau and Cook Islands News political journalist Nerys Case, discussed the challenges faced by local media at a public forum held on Friday at the University of Auckland.

Folau said that although the Matangi Tonga website – the most popular online source for Tongan news – gets over 60 million hits every year, all reporting is carried out by only herself and the editor, Pesi Fonua.

“The challenge is a lack of resources and trying to remain afloat as a small organization,” she said.

She added that young people in Tonga are “just not attracted to journalism” as a career due to the demands of the profession.

With such a small pool of reporters, Folau said: “The result is that news gets left out. [We] can’t cover everything, daily, and… we have to pick and choose. The challenge is [selecting] what’s more important.”

In the Cooks, the daily newspaper Cook Island News is sustained by only three reporters plus the editor, John Woods.

Nerys Case, originally from the UK, took up the post of political journalist at the paper, after her position was advertised three times with no local applicants.

“There was no interest, it’s not seen as an attractive area of work,” said Case.

Threat of the watchdogs

Due to lack of manpower, local news only trickles to overseas audiences, as the Cook Islands News website is only updated once a week.

Case added that political reporting was especially challenging, as most politicians do not appreciate the watchdog role of media.

“Many believe the media is an irritating fly to be swatted away. They don’t see us as holding them to account – they think we should just leave them alone.”

Meanwhile, the editor of the Samoa Observer, Mata’afa Keni Lesa said that most of Samoa’s journalists do not have proper training. Although the newspaper trains recruits on the job, “as soon as the next job opportunity shows up, they’re gone”, he said.

Lesa added that the Samoa Observer was “the lone voice of opposition” in a one-party state, and was seen by the government as a threat.

From the audience, Lisa Williams-Lahari, founder of the Pacific WAVE Media Network, commented that Samoa had some of the most “punitive” media laws in the region which in some ways, were “worse” than the Fijian regime.

The panel discussion was chaired by University of Auckland’s Dr. Steven Ratuva and also included award winning Samoan journalist at the New Zealand Herald Vaimoana Tapaleao.
The three visiting journalists were in New Zealand on a week-long exchange programme sponsored by NZ’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. As part of the programme, they visited the Beehive in Wellington as well as various media organizations, including meetings with MP’s and leading media professionals.

Pictured Top: Samoa Observer editor Mata'afa Keni Lesa

Above: Panellists - NZ Herald's Vaimoana Tapaleao, Matangi Tonga's Linny Folau, Cook Island News' Nerys Case, University of Auckland's Steven Ratuva (back row), and Samoa Observer's Mata'afa Keni Lesa.

Above right: Founder of Pacific WAVE media network, Cook Island journalist and human rights activist Lisa Williams-Lahari

Josephine Latu is a postgraduate communication studies student from Tonga at AUT University’s Pacific Media Centre who is also contributing editor of Pacific Media Watch.

Pacific women cautiously welcome UN move against sexual violence

By Candace Uttam: Pacific Media Centre

Women’s advocacy groups in the Pacific have welcomed a move to stop sexual violence towards women in conflict situations, but say it needs be implemented in conjunction with an earlier resolution.

They say that while the United Nation’s Security Council Resolution 1820, which was adopted last year, is absolutely critical, it should be viewed as an implementation strategy to further the commitment to women, peace and security.

The initial UN Security Council Resolution 1325 was adopted in 2000 and addresses the need for women to be more involved in all aspects of peace building and conflict prevention, by enhancing their participation at a governance level.

Sharon Bhagwan Roll, coordinator of femLINKPacific, a women’s community media network based in Fiji, says if women are involved in protection, participation and prevention in developing national action plans, the issue of sexual and gender based violence during times of conflict would also be addressed.

“If women were involved at a higher level you would have women in the processes of addressing security sector governments – women would be able to talk as equals when it comes to legislation of guns for example.”

She says it is important not to lose sight of resolution 1325 as it is the foundation upon which other initiatives like 1820 should be implemented, if they are to work effectively.

Bhagwan Rolls also says it is paramount that these resolutions are put into context according to the varying conditions in each Pacific state.

She says that while there is a deep need to stop sexual and gender based violence towards women in places like Bougainville, because of the resurgence of conflict there, women in other places might not be in the same critical conditions.

“We don’t exactly have that situation of armed violence conflict - we’ve actually got increased militarisation - so for the women in Fiji if we want to talk about security sector governance we would like to see greater formal participation in being able to engage in issues.”

She says the danger of only focusing on the protection of women, which is what 1820 deals with, is that it portrays women solely as victims, when in fact they have far greater potential.

Most hope
One of the founding members of WAVE, a Pacific media network for women in journalism, Lisa Williams-Lahari visited Bougainville post crisis and says the women there were not only the ones doing all the hard work, but also the ones that had the most hope.

“It is important that the voices of women are heard in the framing of these commitments [resolutions/policies].

“Women are all that is missing.”

Williams-Lahari acknowledges that women and children are the most vulnerable in conflict situations, and says it is about time sexual atrocities to women in conflict situations are brought to the forefront.

“If we had 1820, the amnesty [against sexual violence] that took place in the aftermath of the Bougainville crisis would not have happened.”

Bhagwan Rolls says issues of economic, health and political insecurity debilitate women from participating in decision making processes, which is why resolution 1325 is their main focus.

She says it is these imbalances that give rise to a range of the conflicts experienced in the Pacific region.

“A woman who’s a community leader, who has the potential to sit at a district level committee to talk about development priorities, can’t do that of she’s burdened by poverty which links to her own personal security.”

Bhagwan Rolls says women’s advocacy groups have kept resolution 1325 alive around the Pacific, but there is always a need for the UN to assist them in furthering gender equality movements.

Pictured: FemLINK Pacific's community radio empowers women with its street broadcasts. Veena Singh Bryar does an interview during a 16-day activist broadcast campaign in December 2008. Photo: FemLINK Pacific

Candace Uttam is a final year Bachelor of Communication Studies student journalist at AUT University.

FemLINK Pacific
Pacific WAVE network

New Pacific media freedom group plugs the gaps

“It’s time to stand up. Journalists have human rights too,” says Lisa Williams-Lahari, founder of a new Pacific media freedom group.

By Kara Segedin: Pacific Media Centre

The Pacific’s newest media watch group wrapped up its inaugural forum in Samoa earlier this month, but has vowed that it will not be challenging the long-established Pacific Islands News Association over press freedom issues.

“We arose out of the gaps in PINA,” says founding coordinator Lisa Williams-Lahari (pictured) of the Pacific Freedom Forum.

But, rather than compete with the established parent organisation, PFF’s goal is to act as its media freedom arm.

“We’re part of the PINA family,” she says. “In July, at PINA’s forum in Vanuatu they will decide how to engage with us.”

More than 40 delegates from 12 Pacific nations gathered at the UNESCO-funded PFF meeting dubbed “Courage under fire” at Apia on May 6-8.

The forum drew up an outcomes statement, saying all Pacific people have the right to freedom of speech and access to a free media.

It identified a growing number of threats to media freedom in the region and called on governments to act on commitments to international agreements such as the Rarotonga Media Declaration of 1990 and Article 19 of the universal declaration of human rights.

Strong links
The PFF wants to build strong relationships within the region, online and with the PINA.

Williams-Lahari says as an online forum the PFF has met the needs for monitoring abuses against journalists.

It is raising the alarm on threats to media freedom, which is ultimately linked to the freedom of people.

PFF’s Project XIX was one of three Pacific media schemes approved for funding by UNESCO through the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC).

“Only a handful of Pacific Island groups got funding. This paid for the conference.”

The PFF started off small, but Williams-Lahari says it quickly developed a following among experienced journalists. It has been a busy year and the next step is to apply for NGO status.
There is also talk of a name change.

Williams-Lahari says there is an attitude among Pacific Island journalists that the abuse and threats they sometimes face are part of the job.

“It’s time to stand up. Journalists have human rights too,” she says.

“We want to let the region know it’s not on. Let leaders know that for the development and growth of Pacific countries the media needs to be part of the process.”

Right track
There were many outcomes from the forum and Williams-Lahari says they felt a lot of solidarity from members that they were all on the right track.

She has been to a number of conferences in the past, but this one was different because while the issues were serious there was a lot of laughter.

“There was a lot of wisdom and experience,” she says. It was also a chance to put faces to some well-known names.

Williams-Lahari says one criticism of PINA is that is has not engaged with Pacific Island needs in New Zealand.

The PFF want to create ties with the New Zealand-based Pacific Islands Media Association (PIMA).

“They are another slice of the Pacific, but it’s a different media industry,” she says. “We’re keen to hook up with the Pacific Island network because we’re all on the same page.”

Williams-Lahari says they want to make sure all abuses, even the ones people think are small, are reported.

The next step for the PFF is training, continued advocacy and to make sure all countries are covered, from Hawai’i to Papua New Guinea.

“Doing what we’re doing now and doing it better,” she says.

Rights and safety
Deborah Muir, programme manager of the Asia-Pacific bureau of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in Sydney, ran two days of workshops for the PFF.

The IFJ supports journalists and their unions and works against censorship, and for the rights and safety of journalists.

Muir says IFJ got involved when the PFF asked it to help with training on monitoring and reporting on media rights.

“We were invited to provide some expertise and give it a structure”.

According to Muir, there has been a vacuum of strong advocacy and freedom of expression in the Pacific.

“A lot of the problems in the Pacific Islands are similar. Fiji is an extreme example,” she says.

“Advocacy had been insufficient and the situation in Fiji brings this home,” she says. “In my understanding, the (PFF) members are requiring a much stronger advocacy approach.”

At the forum, delegates heard first hand stories of physical abuse and intimidation.

“Fiji sets such a bad example. We’re worried that other states may adopt their tactics,” she says.

Contempt for journalists
There is overt obstruction and intimidation of journalists as power holders seek to maintain control.

In the Pacific, there are difficulties with public perception and with the media itself. Muir says contempt for journalists is a common problem across the region and members of the public may object to the way the media reports issues.

The media also has weak procedures for dealing with complaints.

“At the moment it’s early days, but members are committed to setting up a system of reporting and advocacy,” she says.

“They’ve said they didn’t want to compete with PINA but fulfil the role missed by PINA. And that’s for Pacific Islands journalists to work out.”

Muir identifies a number of things that can be done to help repair the situation.

“The first step is strong advocacy and in the long term professional development and ethics.”

It is also important to network with similar associations.

Crucial time
Phil McGrath, a spokesman for PIMA, says “it’s a crucial time for media freedom”.

“Governments in the region are undertaking massive change in the way they work. Journalists and the public have the right to be informed,” he says.

McGrath says the situation in the Pacific is very delicate and it does not help that outside media are coming in with little understanding of the complexities.

“It’s good to have local people working together.”

He says PIMA members can help with training and engaging the community in New Zealand and in their home countries.

Associate professor David Robie, director of AUT University’s Pacific Media Centre, sees the forum as an enormous step forward and he hopes the centre will work closely with the PFF.

“There was a real buzz of energy and commitment about it,” he says. “I hope it continues.”

“It was an inspiring meeting. Many journalists who have suffered abuse were there to tell their stories.”

He agrees that PINA has not been meeting its obligations on media freedom issues, but says it is still the main media organisation in the region.

Dr Robie, present at the meeting as an observer for the NZ National Commission for UNESCO, is concerned the PFF will overlap with PINA and end up competing for limited funds.

PMW monitoring
Also, the PMC at AUT has been monitoring media freedom in the Pacific through the 13-year-old Pacific Media Watch news service and database started at the University of Papua New Guinea and Australian Centre for Independent Journalism.

The current PMW contributing editor, Josephine Latu, is a journalist from Tonga.

Media freedom organisations are generally independent, but there is a risk of PFF being compromised.

“Some journalists have either business or other media interests,” he says.

“There is a danger of people pushing their own barrow.

“It’s important that the Pacific is kept in perspective – it still largely a safe place for journalists and media freedom by comparison in global terms,” he says.

“There are none of the really serious threats and assaults, kidnappings or murders that journalists face in other countries such as Burma, Iraq, or even a democracy such as the Philippines.”

Dr Robie says ongoing issues for journalists in the region include cultural and political pressures, and the ease of inducements because Pacific journalists are poorly paid and often face poor work conditions.

This remains an ongoing threat.

Kara Segedin is a Graduate Diploma in Journalism student on the AUT Asia-Pacific Journalism course.

Pacific Freedom Forum
Pacific Islands News Association
Pacific Islands Media Association
Pacific Media Watch