Media
A conference With a Conscience
Regional news media focus on the Pacific Child
News media executives and senior journalists from throughout the region are heading for Papua New Guinea in October - for an event that emphasises they are interested in more than just news. Preparations are well underway for the Pacific¹s main news media conference of the year, the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) convention there October 14-21.
And the convention theme is "The Media and the Pacific Child" with the keynote address to be given by Mehr Khan, Asia-Pacific Regional Director for UNICEF, the United Nations Children¹s Fund.
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The convention programme organised by the Papua New Guinea Media Council will include extensive specialist sessions for PINA's radio, television, newspapers and magazines, and national associations industry groups. But it will also emphasise the role the news media can play in areas such as the Pacific Child and health, education, children's rights, employment, and environment - plus the role of parents. Top speakers are being invited from Papua New Guinea and the region. The main convention will be held in the popular tourism town of Madang, which is also home of the highly-respected Divine Word University journalism school.
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Farewell events will be held back in Port Moresby. PINA's president, regional commercial radio pioneer William Parkinson, of Fiji, recently met in Port Moresby with the Papua New Guinea organising committee members.
The committee, drawn from throughout the local news media, is chaired by Papua New Guinea Post-Courier publisher Tony Yianni.
Parkinson said Yianni¹s committee members are combining an exciting conference programme with a social programme that will enable visitors to see the real attractions of Papua New Guinea.
They are also putting together special local travel and accommodation rates. It will be the second PINA convention held in Papua New Guinea, following the very successful 1995 conference in Port Moresby on People, News, Government.
PINA Administrator Nina Ratulele said: "Our members in PNG did a wonderful job in 1995 and we know they are working hard on making this year something special. "The great thing in PNG is how the news media all work together closely in training and development. "They think of themselves as the PNG news media and not just as different competing news organisations. "Their 1995 convention - People, News, Government - was one of the best. People who didn¹t really know PNG came away with their eyes opened to what a great country this is. "This year with the convention in both Madang and Port Moresby people will really get a chance to see the true PNG. "The wantoks have also shown that they have a strong social conscience with their theme for PINA 2001. "They have already run an excellent national seminar on the PNG media and the PNG Child. "Now they are sharing their experiences and expertise from this with colleagues from throughout the region. "The Pacific Islands news media do a lot of very good work on issues such as women and children. "They often don¹t get credit for this from one or two of the local NGOs who are promoting their own work. Some of the NGOs are doing really good work. But it also seems sometimes that they want to make out that they are the only people doing something. "This conference is a good example of what the region's news media are doing."
For information on PINA 2001: The Media and the Pacific Child, contact Nina Ratulele, pina@is.com.fj
