7035 AUCKLAND: One of the driving forces behind the Pacific's new media freedom group PasiMA will be keynote speaker at the 2010 Pacific Islands Media
Association (PIMA) Conference in Auckland.
Kalafi Moala, publisher and chief executive of Tonga's Taimi Media Network, will speak on how PasiMA represents a new media approach for the Pacific - including New Zealand.
"We want to build a relationship with NZ's Pacific media, not necessarily for what we can offer the NZ Pacific media but for what the NZ Pacific media can offer the region," says Moala.
"Involvement with PasiMA will allow the NZ Pasifika media to engage more regionally in advancing the cause of media freedom promotion, information exchanges, and appropriate training. The PINA constitution does not allow NZ Pacific media membership; PasiMa's constitution does."
PasiMA's formation created a rift with PINA (the Suva-based Pacific Islands News Association organisation based in Fiji), a similar organisation formed in 1972. PINA has been criticised for reneging on its constitutional obligations to oppose censorship and media controls in Fiji
Moala says it is important to take a look at PasiMA's board and membership, composed primarily of media owners and practitioners - not bureaucrats or just administrators outside of the sphere of media operation.
Savea Sano Malifa, editor-in-chief of the Samoa Observer, was elected chair of the new organisation during the group's inaugural meetings last month. Moala was named vice-chair. John Woods, managing editor of Cook Islands News, serves as secretary-treasurer.
"PasiMA is an industry-driven organisation that places media owners and operators in the seat of decision making concerning the organisation," says Moala.
"It is independent of goverment-owned media, which can be associated but not voting members. PasiMA also wants to be independent of donor control. Much of the operation of PasiMA is to be self-funded, and where there needs to be fund raising, it would be for specific projects for the benefit of members."
An invitation was sent to PINA president Moses Stevens, publisher of a ni-Vanuatu newspaper, and Matai Akauola, PINA manager and training coordinator, to speak at the PIMA conference at AUT University next Friday (October 1). They declined because of financial reasons.
Moala launched Tonga's first independent newspaper, the Taimi 'o Tonga, in 1989 with the objective of bringing alternative perspectives and voices into the Pacific Island kingdom's public sphere. His efforts ultimately contributed to greater media freedom and progress towards political and democratic reform.
Moala is the chief executive of the Taimi Media Network (TMN) in Tonga which publishes the Taimi 'o Tonga (published twice weekly), the English-language Tonga Chronicle (published weekly), and operates TMN-TV2 broadcast for six hours daily on Digicel TV, and the 24 hr Radio FM 88.1.
He is also a former chair of PIMA and twice a recipient of the PIMA-sponsored media Freedom Award.
About PIMA
The Pacific Islands Media Association (PIMA) was formed in 2000 in Auckland to provide a forum for Pacific media in New Zealand. Each year the organisation and Auckland University of Technology (AUT) offer scholarships for two Pacific students - one undergraduate and one postgraduate - to study communication at AUT. The theme of this year's conference is "A New Era'". - Pacific Islands Media Association/Pacific Media Watch
* Conference programme: http://www.pima.co.nz/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=38&Itemid=68
AUT/PIMA scholarships: http://www.pima.co.nz/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&id=7&Itemid=57
Pacific Media Watch
