While Australia’s ABC is cutting shortwave Radio Australia broadcasts to the Pacific, the New Zealand government has just announced a NZ$10 million grant for an enhanced free-to-air Pasifika TV service across the region.
NZ foreign minister Winston Peters announced the plans at the Pacific Islands Forum in Nauru, with the money to be spent over the next three years to improve both quality and access for free-to-air broadcasters.
The expansion of the Pacific Cooperation Broadcasting Ltd service will also include a comprehensive training programme to support broadcasting and journalism across the Pacific, including equipment, internships and cross-regional training.
Peters says “While the existing service has demonstrated its ability to lift broadcasting and journalism in the region, it is the natural next step to promote the production of more Pacific content, including news and current affairs.”
Meanwhile radio services across the region continue to suffer with stations like PNG’s NBC Western forced to reinstate short wave services on Daru Island following the failure of their FM service.
See the radioinfo story on NBC Western
#NZ announces $10m Pacific broadcasting expansion in support of Pacific journalism. Minister Winston Peters just announced in #Nauru #NauruPIF2018 @PacIsNewsAssn @RNZPacific @IBIupdate pic.twitter.com/bnWIb0rAtt
— makereta komai (@burebasgal) September 3, 2018