AUCKLAND: The Pacific Islands Media Association (PIMA) has established a "Pasifika television" working group as a major resolution at its annual general meeting at AUT University on Friday.
The meeting was part of PIMA’s annual conference, which included DIY workshops, panel discussions and a keynote speech from Kalafi Moala, publisher and chief executive of Tonga’s Taimi Media Network and the founding chair of PIMA.
Will ‘Ilolahia, a founder of the Polynesian Panthers and a member of PINA, made a plea to the membership to unite and make a more active effort to lobby the government and achieve the goal.
‘Ilolahia is involved with web-based Kiwi TV but lamented that it is restricted to online broadcasting.
“We need to get together and make this happen once and for all,” he said.
Llewelyn Davies, an independent television producer, also spoke passionately about the issue.
“It breaks my heart that your varied and rich communities have not had a voice here for so long,” he said.
Taualeo’o Stephen Stehlin, executive producer of TVNZ’s Tagata Pasifika, said that the goal was put on the backburner with the recession and that sadly it still remained on the backburner.
“But perhaps television itself is not the way in the future,” he said.
“There are so many changes in media taking place.”
Nevertheless, the members voted unanimously for the working group to get started, under the leadership of PIMA’s newly elected representative for television, Setita Miller of TNews.
Other new executive members voted in today were Titi Tuigamala as the radio representative, Eleanor Ikinofo as the print representative, and Marama Papau was voted as the new treasurer.
Yvonne Brill, a postgraduate communications student at AUT, was elected as the student representative.
Iulia Leilua remains the chair of PIMA, Chris Lakatani as vice-chair and Sandra Kailahi, who convened the AGM and today’s conference, remains the secretary. - Pacific Scoop/Pacific Media Watch
Alex Perrottet
