Media academic Dr Philip Cass with the popular comic character Phantom in Tok Pisin ... as published in Wantok. Photo: Del Abcede/PMC

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Henry Yamo

Papua New Guinea’s weekly Tok Pisin newspaper Wantok has been described as the longest surviving vernacular publishing icon in the South Pacific since its humble beginnings in 1969.

Although not the first to be published in Tok Pisin, this newspaper has stood the test of time and is now the only pidgin paper in circulation today.

Dr Philip Cass highlighted this in a seminar at AUT University’s Pacific Media Centre last night attended by several Papua New Guinean students and the public. Read more »

David Robie speaking at the creativity and climate change conference in Suva, Fiji. Photo: Shailendra Singh/USP

Pacific Scoop
Report – By Pacific Media Watch in Suva

News media need to boost their coverage and analysis of Pacific environmental issues to meet the critical challenges facing the region, says a journalism educator.

Associate Professor David Robie, director of the Pacific Media Centre, told a creativity and climate change conference at the University of the South Pacific this week that most media were not doing enough about the issues. Read more »

David Robie Photo: Ryan Butler/AUT

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Pacific Media Watch in Brisbane

A New Zealand media educator who headed Pacific journalism schools for a decade has called for a stronger voice against censorship from the region’s communication education sector.

“The student press and broadcasters in the Pacific universities need to be proactive in their coverage and philosophy as news media,” said associate professor David Robie, director of the Pacific Media Centre at AUT University in New Zealand. Read more »

The document that has caused all the fuss - Fiji's draft media decree. Image: Minfo

Pacific Scoop:
Opinion – By David Robie

Fiji’s draft media decree is draconian and punitive and will fail as a development communication model.

Many aspects of the draft law are deeply disturbing and the harsh proposed penalties for editors and journalists who fall foul of the proposed rules will curb any hope of a return to an independent Fourth Estate. Read more »

Three Ethiopian and Zimbabwean students taking part in the weekend ethnic media forum in Christchurch. Photo: Del Abcede/PMC

Pacific Scoop:
Opinion – By Lloyd Burr in Christchurch

I walked out the doors of the Ethnic Media Forum in Christchurch at the weekend feeling somewhat ignorant. As a student in my fifth year of tertiary education, I thought that “ethnic ignorance” was something of my past … and it would no longer trouble me.

But I was wrong. In my years at the University of Otago – before I came to the New Zealand Broadcasting School – I was submerged with a critical studies approach to the media: it was corrupt, it enforced state ideology and was majority focussed; mainstream media was a bulldozer that powered through minority views and shunted them to the sideline. Read more »

Dr Futa Helu (centre) with international scholars and the Tongan Prime Minister Dr Feleti Sevele at Helu's 75th birthday celebrations. Photo: PMC

Pacific Scoop:
Opinion – By David Robie

The loss of  inspirational Tongan philosopher, educator and social critic ‘Ilaisa Futa ‘i Ha’angana Helu, who died on Tuesday at the age of 75, will be felt deeply throughout the Pacific. Read more »

Pacific Press Release – Pacific Media Watch

PACIFIC MEDIA CENTRE WINS GRANT FOR PMW FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION PROJECT

AUCKLAND (AUT University/Pacific Media Watch):  The Pacific Media Watch freedom of expression monitoring project at AUT University has been awarded a $15,000 development grant to expand its regional database and journalism resource.

The PMW project was adopted by AUT’s Pacific Media Centre in 2007 and has been developed by Pacific Islands contributing editors based in the School of Communication Studies for the past three years. Read more »

John Utanga ... Bottom line need for Pasifika journalists. Photo: Marris/PMC

Pacific.Scoop
By Christopher Adams

A shortage of Pacific Islanders undertaking journalism training in New Zealand will be addressed next year with the introduction of a new course at AUT University.

The Graduate Diploma in Pacific Journalism will incorporate the core papers from the Bachelor in Communications Studies degree with a journalism major, along with electives focusing on the Asia-Pacific region.
Read more »

Pacific.Scoop
By Pacific Media Watch

Fiji Islanders have a “palpable dissatisfaction” with media standards but this is overridden by a public desire to have a free press, says a new book about Fiji journalism and democracy.

The book calls for more self-reflective scrutiny of the media and its role in the nation’s development.
Read more »

A Fiji Times news vendor ... watching and being watched. Photo: Wansolwara

Pacific.Scoop
By Sharishma Kumari and Richard Nath in Suva

When Fiji’s fourth coup in in two decades took place in December 2006, the country’s media again found itself in the frontline as witnesses and reporters of the event, and what followed later.

The coup leader, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, dubbed his takeover a “clean-up campaign”. He claimed he ousted the elected Laisenia Qarase government because it was corrupt and racist.
Read more »