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Visiting Pacific journalists discussing the challenges to Pacific Island media in their countries. (Photo by Josephine Latu.)
Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Gladys Hartson.
Most young Pacific people do not see journalism as a bona fide career path, according to three Pacific Island journalists who are in New Zealand this week as part of an inaugural exchange programme sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT).
At a panel discussion held at the University of Auckland Centre for Pacific Studies on Friday, Samoa Observer editor Mata’afa Keni Lesa said that while the challenges faced by island media are “multiple [and] too many to name”, the lack of training, resources, and manpower were key problems.
This also becomes an issue when recruiting new journalists into the newspaper.
“We get some young people coming through with some training – not top of the line training… But still, we train so many people [on the job] but as soon as the next job opportunity shows up, they’re gone,” he said.
Lesa has a small staff of less than ten people.
“We try work hard with what we got”, he added.
From the Cook Islands News daily paper, Nerys Case, a political journalist originally from the UK, said she has seen a “massive loss of population” in Rarotonga, especially as young people leave the country for better job opportunities overseas.
Cook Island News currently only employs three reporters, she said.
“There seems to be no interest from the young people to become journalists. It’s not seen as attractive”.
Similarly, Matangi Tonga Online photojournalist Linny Folau said that although there is a journalism training programme in Tonga that targets high school leavers for certificate and diploma qualifications, the number of enrolments are low.
“Maybe they think it’s too demanding… Some go through the programme and get the knowledge but after working in the industry, they don’t like it,” she said.
New Zealand Pacific media
Meanwhile, award winning journalist from the New Zealand Herald Vaimoana Tapaleao said there is a real lack of Pacific journalists in mainstream media in New Zealand.
As a result, “huge expectations” are placed on the few Pacific staff in mainstream to cover and be knowledgeable about all things Pacific.
Tapaleao encouraged more young Pacific people to pursue a career in journalism, in order to fill this gap and bring more Pacific –relevant stories into the mainstream.
“When you walk into our office, you can tell straight away there’s only one islander, and the only other Polynesian I know is the Maori Affairs reporter,” she said.
Participants discussed the possibilities of having more opportunities for NZ-based Pacific journalists to spend time with their colleagues in the islands, as part of an ongoing exchange programme.
Gladys Hartson is a Graduate Diploma in Journalism student at AUT University and is working with Pacific Media Watch.
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Why is that earnest young Pacific journalists seem to think that only a ‘Pacific’ journalist can cover a Pacific story?
It’s like saying only an American can cover White house issues, only an Australian can write about issues in Cairns, a Frenchman file a report on French wine and so on.
Yes, a ‘Pacific’ journalist can bring different sources and context to a story for local readers, listeners or viewers.
But the more experiences and cultural viewpoints that can be drawn upon by any journalist are surely better than viewing a story purely through a ‘Pacific’ lens?
No culture or society is an island, despite what islanders may think. Encouraging all journalists to think and report about Pacific stories is surely a stronger route to take?
Agreed, David. Nice, thoughtful and encouraging comments.
However, I wish to state that all countries you mentioned are first world developed countries which are very cosmopolitan. Because of their power, colonial past and the advanced stage of development, third world journalists tend to know more about these countries than the first world journalists know about Vanuatu, Cooks , Fiji or Samoa. Even in NZ, which some claim is the Pacific, there are some Anglo Saxon reporters who still think we wear grass skirts in Fiji or part of Papua New Guinea still practises cannibalism.
The problem is that the first world reporters have cocooned themselves with the knowledge of the developed world and are very poor in covering the third world countries, in this case, the Pacific. In fact some may not even care to report on them because, to their readers, do us Pacific Islanders matter at all?
Look at New Zealand newsrooms, especially its mainstream ones. There are very few Pacific Islanders and this is reflected in scarce and shoddy stories on the Pacific. Herald and the Fairfax think they are experts on Fiji without any Fijian reporters. This is reflected in their Ostrich syndrome about Fiji. They just do not know or appreciate the Pacific. That is why we need the Pacific reporters to balance this out and fill up the Pacific knowledge vacuum. Nevertheless, it is nice to see the colour of NZ newsrooms changing very slowly. This is a very positive sign and we need to encourage more Pacific Islanders to take up journalism studies. Thanks to NZ Government for encouraging such exchange visits
I don’t think these young people think “only” Pacific people can report on these issues, but that MORE are needed.
So David is right when he says that more points of view are required when covering a Pacific story — however, as of now, most points of view out there still cater for palangis. That’s Tapaleao’s point — there’s not enough Pacific journos out there to give enough of a variety of views.
Example: A report on a education policy from govt – your average reporter won’t call up a Mangere school to ask how this affects the kids there. And
when the tsunami happened in Samoa many editors in NZ would get frustrated because local reports from Samoa were not coming out quick enough, not even thinking that these people had just witnessed their families die.
The NZ Herald reporter mentioned above did a great job of communicating that type of meaning in the stories. What those stories meant to us as a community/people.
Anyone can report the facts and kudos to all foreign correspondents, they have all my admiration. Some are able to bring out deeper layers of what those events mean for that community, some are not. Naturally, it’s easier to understand those meanings when you are part of that community.
i think most nz journos – palagi or not – did a very good job covering the tsunami. TVNZ coverage was also very good – they were sensitive to local issues with just enough edge to get things moving here..
what we lack here in samoa are good writers with an eye/ear for news..it comes with having a small talent pool..
if you’re a good motivated writer – palagi or not, I don’t care – interested in a public service career in Samoa, email me at terrytavita@yahoo.com