Preliminary
Representatives of the Sports Journalists Associations in the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea with the exception of Fiji, gathered in Honiara, Solomon Islands on the 26th of September 2022 to participate in the PINA and ONOC organised Sports Media Dialogue as part of the 6th Pacific Media Summit hosted by the Media Association of the Solomon Islands (MASI).
The Statement
The Sports Journalists or Sports Media Association representatives from the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea and invited observers:
1. Reviewed the Sports Media Survey conducted in 2021 outlining the gaps that exist in the profession and the urgent need to improve pathways, capacity building, transfer of knowledge and skills, participation of more women through mutual respect, partnership, and collaboration.
2. Agreed to develop ways of working and protocols to strengthen conditions and relationships with our leaders.
3. Agreed on the idea of a regional Sports Journalists Association to drive initiatives and consolidate the efforts of the individual country Associations.
4. Reported on efforts within individual Sports Journalist or Sports Media Associations and agreed there is a lot more room for improvement.
5. Proposed the need for more women participation and recognition in the profession through equal opportunities, respect, and safe work conditions.
6. Identified training and development initiatives that should be tailored to country specific needs and cultural contexts.
7. Categorised the way forward for SJAs into 3 priority areas:
a. Women in Sport.
b. Networking and Partnerships.
c. Training and Capacity Building in the digital media.
8. Support training initiatives to also cater for new digital challenges that include negotiating sports broadcast rights, and other technical broadcast, social media, and online capabilities – it is also critical that work equipment and technology is on par with the rest of the world.
9. Emphasised the importance of developing strategic partnership and collaboration in country, regionally and internationally with local Sports Federations, National Olympic Committees, ONOC, ANOC and IOC that are aligned and mutually beneficial for SJAs or SMAs.
10. Resolved to mobilise another 5 countries to establish Sports Journalists Associations.
11. Resolved to begin the process of forming a Regional Sports Media Association through the following:
a. Motion to be tabled in the PINA Board Meeting on Friday 30 September 2022.
b. Motion to include a Sports representative on the PINA Board.
12. Resolved to action training and capacity building initiatives before 2023 Pacific Games in support of MASI and the SOL 23 Games Organising Committee.
13. Agreed to work with ONOC in its Shared Services Programme under a Media Component for the PARIS 2024 Summer Olympics.
14. Affirmed the closing comments by Guest Speaker and journalist Koroi Hawkins to maintain and portray the uniqueness of Oceania in our content and sports products.
15. These outcomes were approved and adopted by the participants of the first Sports Media Dialogue in Honiara, Solomon Islands on Thursday 29 September 2022.
SOURCE: ONOC/PINA/PACNEWS
